Genoese Nut Diamonds Recipes

TRIPLE-NUT DIAMONDS

Steps:

• Line a greased 9-in. square baking pan with foil; grease the foil and set aside. In a small bowl, combine the flour and sugar. Cut in 1/4 cup butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs; press into prepared pan. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes., In a small saucepan, heat the brown sugar, honey and remaining butter until bubbly. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat; stir in cream and nuts. Pour over crust. , Bake at 350° for 16-20 minutes or until surface is bubbly. Cool on a wire rack., Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Using foil, lift bars out of the pan; cut into diamonds.

GENOISE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease one 8 inch round cake pan. Line with parchment paper and grease it as well. Lightly flour pan and paper.
• Sift together the flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, and salt onto a piece of wax paper.
• Place the eggs into a mixing bowl set over a pan of hot (not boiling) water. Add the 1/2 cup sugar to the eggs and whisk until the mixture feels warm (not hot) to the touch, about body temperature. Place the bowl onto a mixer and beat on medium speed until the mixture becomes pale yellow in color and falls off the end of the whisk attachment in long ribbons. Add the vanilla. Add about 1/3 of the flour mixture to the beaten egg and fold in. Continue to add the remainder of the flour, folding it in each time.
• Place about 1 cup of the batter into the bowl containing the melted butter and combine the butter with the batter. Add this back to the main batter and fold it in. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
• Immediately bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for about 25 minutes or until the top is a light brown. Cool in pan on a rack about 10 minutes and then invert onto a rack. It is best to invert it again onto another rack so that it cools with the top up. Let cool completely before cutting or frosting.

CLASSIC GENOISE

Steps:

• Place a 1-quart saucepan half filled with water over high heat and bring it to a simmer. Make a double boiler by setting a large mixing bowl over the simmering water. Place the whole eggs, egg yolks, sugar, and honey in the mixing bowl and make an egg foam by whisking the mixture to 113 degrees on a candy thermometer, about 7 to 10 minutes. The egg foam passes through various stages becoming foamy, then smooth and finally it thickens. When it is thick, it will be hot to the touch, tripled in volume, and light in color and the sugar will have completely dissolved. If you dip the whisk into the mixture and pull it out, the batter should fall back into the bowl in a thick ribbon.
• Remove the mixing bowl from the heat and whip the batter with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until it cools, increases in volume, stiffens slightly and becomes pale yellow, about 7 to 10 minutes. Take the time to whip it well; if the mixture is under whipped, the baked genoise will be dense. Very, very carefully, fold in the flour with a rubber spatula until the flour is no longer visible, making sure to fold to the bottom of the bowl. Do not over mix or the batter will deflate. Fill buttered and parchment paper-lined 8-inch round cake pans 3/4 full with batter. Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven until well-risen and golden brown, about 30 minutes.
• Let the genoise cool slightly. Unmold, remove parchment paper and finish cooling on a wire rack. The baked genoise can be stored in the freezer for 2 to 3 weeks if well wrapped in plastic wrap. Return it to room temperature before using it.
• VARIATION: Make this recipe into a Chocolate Genoise by substituting unsweetened cocoa powder for 10 to 20 percent of the weight (a scant 1/4 cup to a full 1/3 cup) of the flour. Weigh the cocoa powder before you sift it.
• Jacques' Tip: Genoise can be made with butter. In this recipe, you can substitute butter (5 1/2 tablespoons) for the 3 large egg yolks. Melt and cool the butter and fold it in after the flour is added.

GENOESE NUT DIAMONDS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan and dust with flour, tapping out excess. In a food processor, pulse almonds, hazelnuts, 1/3 cup sugar, and the salt until nuts are finely ground.
• Beat butter and remaining 1/3 cup sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until thoroughly combined. Reduce speed to low; beat in nut mixture, then Frangelico. Transfer batter to prepared pan.
• Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until top is golden and firm to the touch, and a wooden skewer inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack before removing cake from pan.
• Cut cake into 1-inch-wide rows; cut rows on a diagonal at 1 1/2-inch intervals to create 1 1/2-by-1-inch diamonds. Press an almond sliver into top of each diamond. (At this point, cookies can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 1 week.)
• Remove diamonds from pan, and place on parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until edges are golden brown and crisp, about 20 minutes. Let cool completely on wire racks. Diamonds can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.

BASIL PESTO GENOESE

Steps:

• Put the basil leaves, olive oil, pine nuts, garlic, and 2 teaspoon of salt into a food processor or blender, processing until fine and almost creamy.
• Add the olive oil slowly and mix well in sauce.
• Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and stir in the two grated cheeses.
• Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Add 1 tablespoon of salt and the pasta, stir well and cook until "al dente".
• Drain all but 2 T hot water and toss with the sauce and the butter.

PAUL'S GENOISE SPONGE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Brush 2 x 20cm cake tins with melted butter, line the bases with baking paper, then dust well with flour tipping out any excess. Set aside.
• Put the sugar and eggs in a large heatproof bowl, then set it over a pan of barely simmering water. Whisk with an electric hand whisk for about 7 mins or until the mixture is pale and has trebled in volume. Remove from the heat, then slowly pour in the butter folding it in as you pour until it is completely mixed in.
• Gently fold the flour and a pinch of salt into the egg mixture, then pour into your prepared cake tins. Cook for 25 mins until the cake is golden and risen - a skewer pushed into the cake should come out clean. Allow the cakes to cool for a few mins in the tin, then remove and cool completely on a wire rack.
• Meanwhile, whip the cream until it just holds its shape, then set aside. Whizz about a quarter of the strawberries with 1 tbsp sugar until smooth, then fold this purée through the cream so you get a ripple effect.
• To assemble the cakes, cut each one in half horizontally. Put one sponge on a serving plate, spread a quarter of the cream mix on top, then dot a quarter of the blueberries and raspberries around the edge. Repeat this step two more times, put the last layer of cake on top (save a top half of cake for the top layer), spread the remaining cream over, then put the blueberries and raspberries around the edge and pile the strawberries in the centre. Dust with icing sugar just before you serve.

GENOESE SPONGE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 10 inch tube pan.
• Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Add 3/4 cup sugar gradually, beating until very stiff.
• In a large bowl, cream butter or margarine and 1 cup sugar well. Add egg yolks, and beat until thick and fluffy. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt over batter. Fold in. Gently fold in egg whites. Pour batter into prepared pan.
• Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until an inserted wooden pick comes out clean. Cool. Ice with your favorite frosting.

VEGAN LEMON GENOISE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Prepare the pans by greasing with margarine and dusting with flour.
• Mix the dry ingredients together with a whisk in a large mixing bowl.
• Add the margarine, water and lemon juice and beat with an stand mixer for a minute.
• Add the remaining ingredients and beat one more minute.
• Divide equally between the cake pans.
• Bake until cakes test done. (8 inch pan about 40 - 50 minutes, 10 inch pan about 50-60 minutes).
• Cool on racks for 10 minutes, then loosen cakes and remove from pans to finish cooling, otherwise it might crack and fall apart from being too warm.
• To remove from pans, first, run a thin knife to loosen the edge of the cake layer from the pan. Then, place a wire rack over the top of it and with a hand on each side of the baking pan and rack, quickly invert. Gently shake or tap the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon handle to help remove the cake layer. Carefully peel off the liner and turn cake layer right-side-up to cool on a wire cake rack.
• When completely cool cover one layer of cake with Vegan Lemon Curd #425233, and then cover with other layer of cake.
• Cover cake with icing of your choice. May favourite is Macadamia Nut Butter Buttercream Icing #425225, but you could use Easy Buttercream Icing # 425083.

GENOISE

Steps:

• Grease two 9-inch round cake pans. Line each pan with a round of waxed paper; butter paper. Dust paper and sides of pans with flour; tap off excess.
• Place the eggs and sugar in a heatproof bowl; set bowl over pan of hot (not boiling) water. Beat at medium speed until mixture feels tepid, about 2 minutes. Remove from hot water. Continue beating until thick, light in color and tripled in volume, about 15 minutes.
• Sift flour several times with salt, then sift mixture, one half at a time, directly over egg mixture, gently folding in after each addition. Drizzle clarified butter very lightly over batter; fold in gently.
• Pour batter into prepared pans, dividing evenly. Bake 12 to 15 minutes at 400 degrees, until cake is golden brown. Remove from oven; invert pans on wire racks to release cake layers. Gently peel away waxed paper; let layers cool to room temperature.
• To use for tiramis u, cut each layer in half and then cut halves into strips 1 to 1 1/2 inches wide.

ORANGE DATE-NUT DIAMONDS

Steps:

• Combine sugar, orange juice concentrate and water in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves; bring to rolling boil. Pour syrup into small bow. Refrigerate uncovered until cold and thickened, about 3 hours. (Can be prepared 3 days ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.)
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom of 9x9x2-inch baking pan. Combine 1/2 cup cake meal, potato starch and cinnamon in small bowl; whisk to blend. Combine dates and remaining 1 tablespoon cake meal in medium bowl. Toss to coat and separate pieces. Mix chocolate and nuts into dates.
• Beat margarine and 1 cup orange syrup in large bowl until blended. Add egg yolks 2 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in orange peel, then dry ingredients; stir in date mixture. Using clean dry beaters, beat whites and salt in another large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, beating until stiff but not dry. Fold large spoonful of whites into batter to lighten. Fold in remaining whites in 3 additions.
• Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature.)
• Using small sharp knife, cut all peel and white pith from oranges. Working over bowl, cut between membranes to release segments. Chill until ready to serve.
• Brush some of remaining orange syrup over cake. Cut cake lengthwise into 4 equal strips. Cut each strip into 3 diamonds (reserving remaining cake for nibbling). Place cake on platter. Mix enough of remaining orange syrup into oranges to sweeten to taste. Serve cake with fruit.