Biscuit is a universal baked product for confectioners. Almost no cake is complete without sponge cake; cakes and rolls are made from sponge cake, and used as a base for any confectionery product.
Fluffy, like a cloud, and quite dense, with butter and cream, with nuts and carrots - they are very different, but they are united by their cooking technology. Whatever the biscuit dough, you just need to beat the eggs (or separate whites and yolks) and add the rest of the ingredients as carefully as possible. It is due to the air added during whipping that your sponge cake will rise in the oven.
When baking a biscuit, two processes occur simultaneously. Firstly, the air in the dough heats up and, accordingly, expands; it causes the dough to rise in the oven, that is, increase in volume. Secondly, if there is enough heat (at a baking temperature of 180-200C), the walls of the growing pores are baked. Thus, to get the right sponge cake, you need to beat the eggs well, adding as much air as possible, mix the dough, being careful not to lose the added air, and then bake it correctly at a high enough temperature.
Before carefully studying Irina Chadeeva’s technology, we suggest watching a video recipe from professional pastry chef Oleg Ilyin!
What do we bake from?
FLOUR
Biscuits are baked thanks to the process of gelatinization of starch - when heated in wet dough, it changes its structure, becoming thicker and more viscous. Therefore, the presence of starch is important for a biscuit, and, accordingly, it can be baked from almost any flour - rice, wheat, corn, buckwheat (any flour contains starch). If you replace part of the wheat flour with starch, the biscuit will be stronger and more crumbly. You can bake a sponge cake without flour at all, just with starch. But there is no starch in nut flour (ground nuts), and therefore biscuits with nut flour are less durable and fall apart easily. Nevertheless, confectioners often make biscuits with nuts - they turn out very tasty!
EGGS
Without which it is basically impossible to bake a sponge cake, it is without eggs. It is the eggs that give it both fluffiness (when whipped) and strength (when baked). A well-beaten egg mass is the key to success when working with sponge cake.
SUGAR
For the biscuit, use regular sugar, preferably with small crystals. They dissolve faster, and accordingly, eggs beat better with them.
Basic biscuit recipe
There are many variations of sponge cake, but you should start with the simplest recipe, which, however, is no worse than the most complex. Remember the proportion:
4 eggs
120 g sugar
120 g flour
and no baking powder!
How to make a sponge cake:
1. First, measure out all the ingredients. Sift the flour (and also starch, if you use it) - it is saturated with air and then better mixed into the dough. Separate the eggs into whites and yolks (remember that cold eggs are best separated into whites and yolks), using a large bowl for the whites and a medium-sized bowl for the yolks.
Please note that the biscuit tins and trays must be prepared in advance, and the oven should also be preheated in advance. When the biscuit dough is ready, it must be immediately transferred to the mold (on a baking sheet) and baked without wasting time. The biscuit dough quickly settles, and the finished products from the settled dough turn out low and lumpy.
2. Pour half the sugar into the yolks and beat with a mixer at maximum speed into a thick, almost white mass.
3. Wash and dry the beaters and beat the egg whites at maximum speed until the mixture becomes white and thick. The mixer attachments should leave a clear, non-blurring mark. Just now add the remaining sugar and beat further until the mass becomes snow-white and shiny.
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4. Add the yolks to the whites and mix very carefully with a spoon until the mass becomes homogeneous and light yellow in color.
How to mix correctly? Take a spoon and place the side down into the middle of the bowl. Run the convex part of the spoon along the bottom (towards you), then up the side of the bowl, continue over the dough and lower the spoon back into the middle. The spoon will describe a circle. Repeat this movement, turning the bowl with your other hand. In this way, all types of biscuit (and other whipped) dough are quickly and accurately mixed. This method is called the "folding method".
5. Add flour and other dry ingredients. Mix again using the folding method. Do not stir for too long as the dough may thicken too much.
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As soon as the lumps of flour disappear, stop. Transfer the dough into the mold, level the surface and place in the oven.
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What to add?
Butter is often added to biscuits. To do this, melt it, cool it and pour it in as carefully as possible. Even a small amount of butter makes the crumb more tasty and moist; biscuits with butter do not go stale longer.
How to prepare the form?
There are several ways to prepare molds and bake sponge cakes. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages. Sometimes it doesn't matter what pan you bake in, but sometimes it does.
Method No. 1
Grease the inside of the pan with softened butter (melted butter will drip and you won't get an even coating). Add a spoonful of flour and, shaking the pan, spread the flour first along the sides of the pan and then along the bottom. Tap the pan well to release excess flour.
With this method, the biscuit does not stick at all to the bottom and walls of the mold. After baking for 5–10 minutes, the sponge cake cools down and shrinks slightly in size, with a small gap appearing between the wall of the pan and the sponge cake, and a small mound remains on the sponge cake. Turn the biscuit over onto the wire rack; it will come out easily, with the mound at the bottom and the top completely flat.
DISADVANTAGE: When using this method the sponge cake comes out slightly lower.
Method No. 2
Do not grease the pan, but line the bottom with baking paper.
When baking, the sponge cake will stick to the walls, but when you take out the pan, it will also settle. Since the walls cannot settle (they are stuck), a “hill” will settle, thus, when cooling, the surface of the biscuit will become smooth. The biscuit is removed from the mold only when it has cooled completely. To do this, you need to very carefully run a knife along the walls, separating the biscuit, and remove the mold. Baking paper is removed before using the biscuit.
DISADVANTAGE: in order to separate the biscuit from the walls, skill and accuracy are required; Silicone molds cannot be used.
Method No. 3
Do not grease the pan or place baking paper on the bottom.
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This method is suitable for the lightest and most delicate biscuits, which settle under their own weight when cooling. These are biscuits with a small amount of flour and starch, as well as protein biscuits. It is usually recommended to cool them upside down - to do this, immediately after baking, turn the mold over and place it on bowls so that the sponge cake does not touch them. In this position, the bottom and sides of the biscuit are glued to the mold; it does not fall out, but also does not settle under its own weight. Please note that in this case it is important to choose the correct size of the mold so that the sponge cake does not turn out higher than the edges and can be turned over.
DISADVANTAGE: Sometimes it is difficult to separate the sponge cake from the pan; Silicone molds are not suitable for such baking.
Bakery
Always preheat the oven to 180-200°C in advance. It is advisable to bake biscuits on the middle level of the oven; you can use convection. Try not to open the oven during the first 15 minutes of baking to avoid cooling the air. You can check the readiness of the biscuit 25–30 minutes after the start of cooking. The finished biscuit is always evenly heaped and golden brown. Pierce it in several places (closer to the middle) with a toothpick; there should be no sticky dough on it. You can also press with your palm, the finished biscuit is elastic and durable.
IMPORTANT!
To ensure that the biscuit does not become soggy during soaking and is strong and elastic, it is advisable to let it sit for several hours. For cakes, I usually bake the sponge in the evening and leave it in the kitchen overnight. Please note that the biscuit should not dry out - for this, if the air in the kitchen is dry, you can put the biscuit in a bag after it has completely cooled.
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How to cut a biscuit?
One four-egg sponge cake baked in a tin with a diameter of 20 cm can usually be cut into three layers. To ensure that the cuts are even and the cakes are the same thickness, use a few simple techniques.
Place the sponge bottom side up - it's very flat and your cake will be flat on top too. It is convenient to use a sheet of baking paper, a flat plate or a wire rack as a base, the main thing is that you can easily turn the cake along with the base. Prepare a knife - it is highly desirable that it be sharp, with a blade that is longer than the diameter of the biscuit. A bread knife with a wavy blade works very well.
Using a knife, mark cutting lines about 1 cm deep around the circumference of the biscuit.
Insert a knife into the cut and cut, carefully turning the sponge and pressing the knife against the bottom cake, it should go exactly along the marked line.
Problems?
- The dough is too liquid - the whites or yolks were not beaten well, the dough was stirred for too long;
- The sponge cake does not rise well - the dough was mixed for a long time, the eggs were not beaten well, the oven was too cold;
- The sponge cake sagged a lot after baking - the dough was poorly baked, there was not enough flour or starch;
- The sponge cake has settled in the oven - the oven is too hot;
- The biscuit crumbles a lot - too much starch.
The creamy sponge cake has a delicate porous structure and a pleasant aroma. It turns out not dry at all, you can eat it straight. This sponge cake can be used to make muffins and cookies, and it will also be an ideal base for a cake.
Creamy sponge cake can be decorated with any cream to your taste
Ingredients
Vanillin 1 pinch Baking powder 2 tsp Flour 200 grams Sugar 260 grams Butter 220 grams Chicken eggs 6 piece(s)
- Number of servings: 8
- Preparation time: 30 minutes
- Cooking time: 1 minute
Creamy sponge cake recipe with photo
For this sponge cake, you can use butter or heavy cream, consider both options.
Preparation:
- Beat soft butter for 1 minute. mixer at medium speed.
- Add sugar and beat for another 5 minutes, remembering to remove the mixture from the sides with a spoon.
- Break the eggs into a bowl and mix with a fork. They should be at room temperature.
- Using a tablespoon, add the eggs to the butter mixture while whisking continuously. When all the eggs are in the bowl, beat for another 4 minutes.
- Sift the flour twice, combine with baking powder and vanilla. Add it in small portions to the whipped butter and eggs, stirring gently with a spoon. You should get a smooth, homogeneous mass.
- Line the bottom of the baking dish with paper and grease with oil. Do not lubricate the walls!
- Place the dough in the mold and smooth the surface with a spatula.
- Heat the oven to 180°C, turn off the ventilation in it and bake the biscuit until ready. In the first half hour, you cannot open the door, otherwise the dough will fall due to the temperature change. Then open only when necessary and close quickly.
- The biscuit is ready when the dent made in its center immediately expands. To be sure, you can check with a toothpick, it should come out dry.
Cool the finished biscuit, cut it into 2-3 cake layers with a thread and coat with cream. If you made it as a cupcake, just dust it with powdered sugar or fill it with glaze.
If you don't have a mixer, you can beat the ingredients with a whisk. The baked goods will still turn out, although they won’t be as airy.
Creamy sponge cake recipe without butter
This version uses heavy cream instead of butter. Required ingredients:
- Chicken eggs – 4 pcs.
- Sugar – 250 g.
- Cream 33% - 250 ml.
- Starch – 125 g.
- Flour – 125 g.
- Baking powder – 2 tsp.
- Vanillin – 1 pinch.
Cooking method:
- Beat eggs with sugar with a mixer, add vanillin.
- Gradually pour in the cream, continuing to whisk. They shouldn't be cold.
- Combine flour with starch and baking powder. Sift, or directly into the egg-cream mixture.
- Beat again until smooth, without lumps, consistency.
- Cut a circle out of baking paper according to the diameter of the mold. Place it on the bottom and grease it with oil. Leave the walls dry so that the dough can “cling” to them and rise well.
- Pour the batter into the pan and bake for about 45 minutes. at 170°C. When a toothpick comes out clean from the center of the cake, it is ready.
The result should be a very airy and fragrant sponge cake, not too dry. Serve it as a cupcake, top it with chocolate frosting, or use it to make a cream cake.
Not every housewife is familiar with the concept of chiffon cake, so it’s worth getting acquainted with the secrets of its preparation. This pastry is a foam cake invented in America. It is based on biscuit dough, which is incredibly soft and airy due to prolonged beating. The aromatic delicacy is considered a gastronomic masterpiece.
Chiffon sponge cake - what is it?
Based on the information above, it is clear that chiffon sponge cake is a unique baked product invented by Harry Baker from Hollywood. He first baked such cupcakes in 1927, hid the recipe for 20 years and then sold it so that today everyone could enjoy the wonderful pie. It differs from the classic Chiffon cake in that it is mixed with vegetable oil, but not with margarine.
Due to the impossibility of whipping a large amount of air into vegetable oil, double the mass of protein is placed in cakes compared to yolks. The manufacturing technology involves intensive beating in the most thorough and careful manner, which saturates them with air. Together with the moisture from the dough, the air allows the biscuit to rise, giving an even, light texture that is slightly moist and crumbly.
How to make chiffon sponge cake
To properly prepare chiffon sponge cake, you should carefully study the detailed instructions. Production begins with the usual selection of products. For the sponge cake you need to take flour, vegetable oil, baking powder or slaked soda, eggs and sugar. Due to the increased volume of butter and baking powder, the dough becomes fluffy and porous, almost does not crumble when cut and is easy to cut.
The chiffon sponge cake recipe requires following some tricks to make cooking easier:
- The bottom of the baking dish must be covered with paper; the mold should not be greased with oil, otherwise the biscuit will not rise up;
- An added tablespoon of high quality starch will help prevent the delicious pie from settling;
- the dough is kneaded quickly, seasoned with nuts, berries or vanilla, poured into a mold and baked at 170 degrees for about an hour;
- if additional cocoa or nuts are added to the dough, then the volume of flour introduced is reduced by their amount;
- Add the whites to the dough separately from the yolks and beat thoroughly.
Cream for chiffon sponge cake
An important part in cooking is the cream for the chiffon sponge cake, but some cooks neglect it because the dough turns out oily and can be used without soaking. A traditional sponge cake with butter can only be lightly seasoned with chocolate glaze or powdered sugar and sprinkled with nuts. It is better to choose neat light mousses and whipped cream, but not buttercream, which will only weigh down the finished sponge cake. For holiday options, it’s good to make a gelatin-based soufflé and alternate layers with cake layers.
Chiffon sponge cake recipe with photos step by step
It is very difficult to choose only one recipe for chiffon sponge cake from the many presented, but you can make them all, starting with simple ones and gradually increasing complexity. The classic butter sponge cake made from chiffon dough will appeal to all family members; it can be improved by adding cherries, orange juice or chocolate. The aromatic delicacy looks great at a festive feast.
Butter biscuit
- Cooking time: 1 hour.
- Number of servings: 8 persons.
- Calorie content of the dish: 313 kcal.
- Purpose: for dessert.
- Cuisine: American.
A traditional butter sponge cake should have an attractive tenderness and appetizing aroma. It has a thin elastic consistency, cuts well and can be filled with various creams. The following recipe assumes that sponge chiffon cakes are prepared with a layer of vanilla-milk cream, which is attractive with its thick texture, emphasizing the taste of the delicacy.
Ingredients:
- flour – 300 g;
- sugar – 150 g;
- eggs – 4 pcs.;
- water – 70 ml;
- vegetable oil - half a glass;
- salt - a pinch;
- baking powder – 20 g;
- milk – 150 ml;
- butter – 250 g;
- powdered sugar – 200 g;
- vanillin – 10 g.
Cooking method:
- Separate the whites and yolks, cool.
- Grind the yolks with sugar, beat with a mixer until white. Sift flour into mixture and add salt.
- Pour in water and vegetable oil, mix the mixture. Preheat the oven to 170 degrees.
- Beat the whites with a mixer for 10 minutes in a dry, clean container, fold into the dough.
- Pour the dough into the mold and bake for 45 minutes.
- Place inside the oven to cool for 15 minutes after baking, turn out onto a wire rack and cool.
- Cut into cakes, layer with pearlescent cream made from whipped soft butter, boiled chilled milk and powdered sugar with vanilla.
Chocolate chiffon sponge cake
- Number of servings: 8 persons.
- Calorie content of the dish: 315 kcal.
- Purpose: for dessert.
- Cuisine: American.
- Difficulty of preparation: difficult.
Chocolate chiffon sponge cake is so rich in chocolate that it makes you hungry at first sight. In addition to the usual cocoa powder, it also contains a little coffee, which gives the baked goods a refined taste. It is better to use nut cream for the filling, and chocolate ganache for the glaze. A festive tall cake will definitely please all guests because it is fragrant and attractive.
Ingredients:
- flour - a glass;
- baking powder – 20 g;
- soda – 2 g;
- salt – 2 g;
- sugar – 225 g;
- yolks – 5 pcs.;
- cocoa – 60 g;
- instant coffee – 30 g;
- water – 175 ml;
- vegetable oil – 125 ml;
- squirrels – 8 pcs.;
- butter – 100 g;
- cream - a glass + 200 ml for glaze + 80 ml for ganache;
- coconut flakes – 100 g;
- hazelnuts – 150 g;
- oranges – 1 pc.;
- lemons – 1 pc.;
- powdered sugar – 150 g + 40 g for glaze;
- eggs – 3 pcs.;
- dark chocolate – 120 g.
Cooking method:
- Pour some water over coffee and cocoa and cool.
- Mix some of the sugar with flour, salt, and soda.
- Beat the yolks, mix with the butter and coffee mixture.
- Combine both masses, beat the whites with sugar until stiff. Add to the dough, mix with a spatula, pour into the mold. Leave to bake until done at 160 degrees for 55 minutes.
- Cool the finished cake, cut into cake layers, layer with cream made from cream, yolks and powdered sugar, boiled with butter until thick. Season the cream with orange juice, lemon zest, crushed nuts and coconut flakes.
- Cover the top with whipped cream and powdered sugar and coat with glaze - pour the cream over the chocolate, heat in a steam bath.
Vanilla chiffon sponge cake
- Cooking time: 1 hour.
- Number of servings: 8 persons.
- Calorie content of the dish: 311 kcal.
- Purpose: for dessert.
- Cuisine: American.
- Difficulty of preparation: difficult.
Vanilla chiffon sponge cake has a pleasant aroma due to the addition of vanilla sugar or, if available, real vanilla extract. This light cake is good to serve at home for a festive event or just to pamper your relatives at a tea party. Everyone will like the juicy, delicate sponge cake for its airy appearance, and you can cook it even without a cream filling.
Ingredients:
- eggs – 7 pcs.;
- flour – 0.4 kg;
- sugar – 0.3 kg;
- vegetable oil - a glass;
- water – 150 ml;
- baking powder – 30 g;
- salt – 10 g;
- citric acid – 10 g;
- vanilla extract – 2 drops.
Cooking method:
- Beat the egg whites with citric acid.
- Mix the yolks with warm water, half the sugar, and butter. Beat, add a mixture of flour, salt, baking powder with the rest of the sugar.
- Combine the masses and pour into the mold.
- Bake for half an hour at 180 degrees. Reduce temperature to 170 degrees and bake for 15 minutes.
Chiffon sponge cake in a slow cooker
- Cooking time: 2 hours.
- Number of servings: 8 persons.
- Calorie content of the dish: 310 kcal.
- Purpose: for dessert.
- Cuisine: American.
- Difficulty of preparation: difficult.
Chiffon sponge cake takes longer to cook in a slow cooker than in the oven, but it turns out no worse. It is distinguished by a more air-saturated mass with a tasty aroma and oily consistency. You don’t even have to sandwich the cake with any cream, but sprinkle it with powdered sugar and fill it with chocolate-based glaze. Due to the large amount of butter, the cakes melt in your mouth, leaving a pleasant aftertaste.
Ingredients:
- flour - a glass;
- sugar – 225 g;
- eggs – 7 pcs.;
- baking powder – 20 g;
- soda – 10 g;
- salt – 2 g;
- vegetable oil – 125 ml;
- water – 175 ml;
- cocoa – 60 g;
- coffee – 20 g.
Cooking method:
- Boil the coffee and cocoa mixture and cool.
- Beat five yolks with part of the sugar until fluffy foam for four minutes. Combine with coffee mixture and butter.
- Add flour, salt, soda, baking powder, mix with a spatula.
- Beat the remaining sugar with the egg whites until stiff, pour in lemon juice, and add to the first mixture.
- Pour into the multicooker bowl, bake using the “Multi-cook” function, setting it to 150 degrees and 80 minutes.
Biscuit with vegetable oil
- Cooking time: 1.5 hours.
- Number of servings: 8 persons.
- Calorie content of the dish: 314 kcal.
- Purpose: for dessert.
- Cuisine: American.
- Difficulty of preparation: difficult.
Biscuit with vegetable oil is a complex dish, but detailed instructions will help make its preparation easier. The resulting cake base can be supplemented with any cream or whipped cream with fruits or berries. This light cupcake is perfect for friendly gatherings; children and adults will love it for its extraordinary taste and amazing consistency.
Ingredients:
- flour - a glass;
- eggs – 5 pcs.;
- protein – 1 pc.;
- sugar - glass;
- baking powder – 25 g;
- salt - teaspoon;
- water – 135 ml;
- olive oil – 90 ml;
- citric acid – 2 g.
Cooking method:
- Sift the flour, add salt, add some sugar and baking powder. Make a hole in the middle, add yolks, water, oil.
- Beat with a whisk or mixer until smooth.
- Separately, beat all the whites until foamy, add citric acid, continue beating until soft foam. Combine with the rest of the sugar and add into the flour in three additions.
- Pour the dough into the mold, bake at 170 degrees for 50 minutes.
Chiffon sponge cake with cherries
- Cooking time: 2 hours.
- Number of servings: 8 persons.
- Calorie content of the dish: 313 kcal.
- Purpose: for dessert.
- Cuisine: American.
- Difficulty of preparation: difficult.
Chiffon sponge cake with cherries has a sour-sweet taste of berries, has an appetizing appearance and structure, and literally oozes syrup. Butter cream adds sophistication to the dish, and chocolate ganache gives it a beautiful appearance. Making the delicacy does not take much time, but it will require concentration and attention. The result will delight everyone - an exquisite cake with a bright taste.
Ingredients:
- water – 175 ml;
- flour – 0.2 kg;
- sugar – 225 g;
- salt – 2 g;
- cocoa – 60 g;
- sunflower oil – 125 ml;
- baking powder – 10 g;
- baking soda – 10 g;
- yolks – 4 pcs.;
- squirrels – 8 pcs.;
- cream – 400 ml + 100 ml for ganache;
- powdered sugar – ¾ cup;
- cherry - half a kilo;
- dark chocolate – 100 g;
- cane sugar – 40 g;
- butter – 50 g.
Cooking method:
- Boil cocoa, cool. Beat the yolks until white with some of the sugar, pour in the butter, and combine with cocoa.
- Add flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder. Beat the chilled egg whites with some of the sugar until stiff, and combine with the dough.
- Pour into a dry multicooker bowl, set the “Baking” mode, cook for 80 minutes.
- Cool, cut off the top, scoop out the pulp with a spoon, and tear it with your hands.
- Place the berries in the center, pour in the whipped cream and powder, and sprinkle with pulp crumbs.
- Pour over the ganache made from boiled cream with cane sugar, chocolate and softened butter.
Chiffon sponge cake from Andy Chef
- Cooking time: 1.5 hours.
- Number of servings: 8 persons.
- Calorie content of the dish: 317 kcal.
- Purpose: for dessert.
- Cuisine: American.
- Difficulty of preparation: difficult.
Chiffon sponge cake from Andy Chef is famous for its refined, refined taste, attractive aroma and the special secret of combining liquid vegetable and solid butter in equal proportions. It is given a slight spiciness and sourness by the wine vinegar in the composition, which can be apple or pear vinegar up to 6% concentration, but not balsamic.
Ingredients:
- flour – 0.25 kg;
- soda – 15 g;
- salt – 10 g;
- cocoa – 55 g;
- sugar – 0.3 kg;
- eggs – 2 pcs.;
- butter – 60 g;
- olive oil – 60 ml;
- vanilla extract – 20 ml;
- milk – 1.5 cups;
- wine vinegar – 10 ml.
Cooking method:
- Add soda, salt, sugar, cocoa to flour, mix with a whisk.
- Add eggs, melted butter, olive oil, vanilla extract. Add milk and vinegar and stir. Knead with a mixer.
- Pour into the mold, bake for 55 minutes at 175 degrees.
Orange chiffon sponge cake
- Cooking time: 1.5 hours.
- Number of servings: 8 persons.
- Calorie content of the dish: 310 kcal.
- Purpose: for dessert.
- Cuisine: American.
- Difficulty of preparation: difficult.
Orange chiffon sponge cake will appeal to all citrus lovers, because its bright taste will instantly lift your spirits. The addition of zest and orange juice brings a double whammy of vitamins to the dough. It would be good to decorate the resulting cake with pieces of orange pulp, you can pour it with sour cream sauce and sprinkle it with powder. The biscuit is best served chilled.
One of the popular types of sponge cake is chiffon or butter sponge cake.
This biscuit has a soft and moist texture. It has a large number of different recipes and variations.
Some people think that butter sponge cake is more capricious than the classic one, but I beg to differ. The main thing is to follow the cooking and baking technology. And everything will work out!
The biscuit contains eggs, sugar, flour, vegetable or butter, and may also include water, milk, buttermilk, and kefir.
An essential ingredient in butter biscuits is baking powder or soda (slaked with lemon juice or vinegar). The question arises: What is absolutely impossible without baking powder? Unfortunately - no way!) The dough for butter sponge cake is heavier due to the addition of vegetable or butter; without adding baking powder it practically does not grow.
If the recipe contains soda, it is important to extinguish it well, stir it and only then add it to the dough.
If the recipe does not extinguish the soda, it is better to sift it into the dough first; soda strongly attracts moisture and can form lumps. In this case, when wet soda gets into the dough, small lumps may remain undissolved, and the biscuit will taste like soda!
Chiffon sponge cake goes well with various additives, for example, cocoa, chocolate, dried fruits, zest, poppy seeds, coconut flakes.
You can also experiment with different berries, there are recipe options with jam or jam.
Depending on the biscuit recipe, milk, buttermilk or water may be added to the dough.
When preparing dough, in some recipes it is important to separate the yolks from the whites and beat them separately. The whites must be carefully folded into the dough.
There are recipes in which you don’t need to beat the whites and yolks separately, for example in my favorite sponge cake “Chocolate in boiling water”.
Butter biscuits have an incredible number of options, the taste depends on your preferences.
Even with one sponge cake recipe, you can experiment by adding new ingredients and you will get a new and interesting taste every time.
All creams go well with chiffon sponge cake.
The soufflé will give them lightness and tenderness.
Sour cream or curd cream, juicy and airy.
Buttercream, ganache or custard will add richness and bright flavor.
The big advantage of butter biscuits is that they can be self-sufficient without cream.
Today I had to bake a biscuit twice with my crooked hand, because... 1 didn't work out. I wanted it to be homemade, so that I could safely give it to my child.
From the Internet, a note to yourself. Maybe it will be useful to someone else.
Each of us at least once in our lives has encountered such a problem as a failed biscuit. Being one of the simplest types of dough, biscuit dough is also one of the most capricious. And to achieve maximum results, certain rules must be followed.
A little theory.
Biscuit dough is divided into two main types:
- classic;
- oil (chiffon).
A classic sponge cake consists of eggs, flour and sugar. You can also add starch to a classic biscuit. In chiffon, accordingly, in addition to the listed products, butter or vegetable oil is added.
I would also highlight biscuits with added liquids - juices, fruit puree, etc.
In addition to the above products, you can add cocoa, nuts, fruits, dried fruits, coke shavings, etc. to any biscuit.
According to the preparation technology, biscuit dough can be divided into two categories:
- separating eggs into whites and yolks;
- without dividing.
Preparation of products and cooking technology.
1. Dishes.
The bowl in which you are going to beat the dough must be clean and dry. As well as mixer whisks, paddles and whisks, which you will use to beat and mix the dough in the future.
2 eggs.
Eggs for biscuit dough must be clean, fresh, preferably at room temperature.
If you cook by separating eggs into whites and yolks, then you should do this very carefully so as not to damage the yolk and it does not get into the white. To be on the safe side, you can break the eggs one at a time, first into a separate small bowl or cup, and then pour them into the main bowl in which you are going to beat the sponge cake.
Start beating the eggs/whites at medium mixer speed and as soon as the first bubbles appear (no more than 30 seconds from the start of beating) increase the speed to maximum. The more powerful the mixer, the faster the biscuit will beat.
Beat without separating the eggs.
This method is simpler and perhaps longer. Lightly beat the eggs, increase the speed of the mixer and after a while, when the mass has risen by about 1/3, start adding sugar. The beating process can take from 10 minutes depending on the power of the mixer, the quantity and temperature of the eggs. The result should be a very light and fluffy mass 5-6 times the original volume. Ideally, the egg mixture should be held on the beaters of the mixer, but I never had enough bowl size.
Beat, separating the eggs.
First of all, beat the yolks with half the amount of sugar at the maximum speed of the mixer. Beat until the mass becomes 2-3 times larger and acquires a lighter color and a thick creamy consistency. In this case, the sugar should completely dissolve.
Next, beat the whites with the gradual addition of the remaining sugar. You can tell that the whites are whipped sufficiently by tilting the bowl - well-beaten whites will stick to the walls of the bowl and will not flow out of it.
3. Sugar.
Sometimes there are lumps and foreign impurities in sugar - you should get rid of them.
For best results, the sugar should not be added all at once or all at once - in this case, it will settle and it will be harder to lift it from the bottom of the bowl, which will increase the whipping time. When the whites/eggs have already been whipped into a fairly high, but not thick foam (1-2 minutes after the start of whipping), start adding sugar in small portions at intervals of about half a minute. Beat until the sugar is completely dissolved.
You can also use powdered sugar. But this does not matter much, since the eggs take a long time to beat, and when they are beaten well enough, the sugar is completely dissolved.
4. Flour (starch, cocoa).
In order for the flour to mix well and the dough not to lose its airiness and fluffiness, it should be added to the dough in small portions. Mix the dough with confident, but not sudden movements, using a whisk or spatula in a circular motion in one direction, while lifting the dough from the bottom of the bowl. Chaotic and sudden movements will destroy the structure of the biscuit and release all the air from the dough. That is why after the eggs are beaten, the mixer can no longer be used. The same can happen if you knead the dough for a very long time.
Before adding flour to the dough, it should be sifted 2-3 times so that it is saturated with oxygen. Sifting also removes possible foreign impurities from the flour.
If you are baking a sponge cake with the addition of starch or cocoa, you should first mix them thoroughly with flour until smooth, and then sift everything together 2-3 times. In this case, of course, there is no need to sift the flour first.
If the sponge cake is prepared using the “separating the eggs” method, the flour can be added all at once to the yolk-sugar mixture. In this case, you should also add 1/3 of the whipped whites to it and mix everything together with a whisk.
If the sponge cake is prepared “without separating the eggs”, the flour should be added in parts, stirring with a whisk each time - this way it will mix into the dough more easily and evenly.
5. Butter (or chocolate).
If melted butter/chocolate is added to the sponge cake, it should be cooled to room temperature or, in extreme cases, until warm, but not hot.
In this case, the butter/chocolate is added at the very last moment. Pour it in a thin stream along the edge of the bowl and then carefully mix it into the dough.
If you are baking a sponge cake with the addition of butter at room temperature, then you should first beat it with a mixer until white and fluffy.
6. Liquids.
If you are baking a sponge cake with the addition of some liquid component (juice or fruit puree), then it is better to choose a sponge cake in which the whites and yolks are beaten separately. In this case, the liquid should be added to the yolk-sugar mixture.
7. Various dry additives.
We are talking about nuts, dried fruits, coke shavings, fruits, berries, etc... They should be added to the finished dough. Already after adding flour. If you use fresh/frozen fruits or berries, be sure to dry them with a paper towel (for example, cherries). It is better to add berries that are too juicy (for example strawberries) to the yolk mixture in pureed form, otherwise they will give a lot of juice during baking and the sponge cake may not turn out.
8. Baking.
One of the most important moments in preparing a biscuit. For convenience, the mold in which you are going to bake should be lined with baking paper - this will facilitate the process of separating the finished sponge cake from the bottom of the mold. It is convenient to use a springform pan.
The biscuit dough must be baked immediately! We made it, poured it into the mold, leveled it and straight into the oven. The oven must be well preheated in advance. The optimal baking temperature is 170-190 degrees. The biscuit does not tolerate drafts, so when you put the biscuit in/out of the oven, the door should be opened without sudden movements and not slammed when closing. Also make sure there is no draft in the kitchen. It is best not to open the oven door during the entire baking process.
The biscuit should be baked in the middle of the oven to ensure even heating on all sides.
9. The biscuit is ready
You can check the readiness of the sponge cake by piercing it in the middle with a toothpick or a dry, clean knife - if there is not a drop of raw dough on them and they come out of the sponge cake dry, it is ready.
10. Preparing to assemble the cake.
The biscuit definitely needs time to rest. Ideally, this is at least 10 hours. In this case, the biscuit ripens, it is easier to cut, it does not crumble and holds its shape better.
If you don't have time to wait that long, then at least wait until it cools completely. If you plan to cover the future cake with mastic, be sure to let the sponge cake rest!
My personal observations:
1. I don’t grease the pan - the sponge cake rises just fine, “clinging” to the walls. When baking a butter sponge cake, I think there is no need to grease it.
2. You should not pour the dough into the center of the mold, but distribute it evenly throughout the entire mold.
3. You cannot leave the sponge cake for a long time in the form in which it was baked - it can become damp at the bottom, because condensation accumulates between the form and the baking paper.
4. You cannot cool the biscuit on an open window.
Now about the most common errors and their causes.
To put them together briefly:
1. Poorly beaten/mixed dough.
2. Low or high baking temperature.
3. Insufficient baking time.
4. Poor position inside the oven - very high or very low.
5. During baking, the door opened (opened/opened abruptly/was open for a long time/wasn’t closed tightly/cold air got in).
6. Draft.
The topic describes in some detail the possible reasons why the biscuit did not turn out:
1. The biscuit has not risen at all or has risen little. It means that...
- the beaten eggs have settled while mixing with flour and chocolate.
2. The biscuit rose, but then began to fall right in the oven.
- opened the oven door early
- or opened and then abruptly slammed the door, and cold air entered the oven
- or the oven door does not close tightly, there is a small gap somewhere
3. The biscuit on top burns
- oven temperature too high
- or you just need to place the biscuit not in the center, but a little lower
4. The biscuit rose well, but as soon as it was pulled out of the oven, it sank significantly
- removed from the oven early
5. The biscuit rose well, but then sank in the center as it cooled (the edges remained high)
— took it out of the oven early, the biscuit didn’t have enough time
6. The biscuit rises well, but a “slide” forms in the center
- to avoid this, you can wrap the mold with a strip of foil, folding it in several layers and securing it to the edges of the mold, this technique always works well for me (thanks to the girls from the “cake decorating” topic for this advice)
7. The entire sponge cake or part of it (most often the bottom) turns out to be “rubbery” and seems unbaked
— the beaten eggs were not mixed well with the flour and especially with the butter-chocolate mixture; some part simply did not mix with the eggs and settled down during baking.
I hope this article will be useful to many and I wish everyone good luck!
