Génoise (Genoa sponge)
A Génoise (or Genoa sponge) is a very light and delicate cake. It is good on its own, but is more often used as the base for many different French-style gâteaux, with layers of mousse or cream between 2 (or more) layers of sponge. It is a tricky recipe to get right, rather technical, but here's a simple and very effective method.
1 hour 15 min.
Average
2 Génoises (Genoa sponge)
6 IngredientsLast modified on: March 10th 2019
For 2 Génoises (Genoa sponge), you will need:
- 1
8 eggs - 2
100 g noisette butter - 3
220 g caster sugar - 4
30 g vanilla sugar - 5
250 g flour - 6
60 g flakeds almonds (optional) - Total weight: 1,000 grams
Change these quantities to make:
Change measures:
Times for this recipe
Preparation: 35 min.
Resting: 15 min.
Cooking: 25 min.
All in all: 1 hour 15 min.
If you start now, at , you will finish around : ?.Change start time
To finish around 7pm, you'll need to have started before: .Change end time
Step by step recipe
Stage 1 - 10 min.
Put 8 eggs in a pan of hot water from the tap and leave for 10 minutes to warm, just to warm eggs not to cook them.
If your eggs have been in the fridge, leave them for 20 minutes, renewing the hot water halfway through.
If your eggs have been in the fridge, leave them for 20 minutes, renewing the hot water halfway through.
Stage 2 - 5 min.
Also fill the food-processor bowl with very hot water and leave to warm up.
This is so that the eggs can be beaten in the warm, which improves their texture. In most Genoa sponge recipes, the eggs are beaten in a bain-marie, which is more difficult.
This is so that the eggs can be beaten in the warm, which improves their texture. In most Genoa sponge recipes, the eggs are beaten in a bain-marie, which is more difficult.
Stage 3 - 5 min.
Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F).
Empty and dry the food-processor bowl, break the eggs into it and add 220 g caster sugar and 30 g vanilla sugar.
Empty and dry the food-processor bowl, break the eggs into it and add 220 g caster sugar and 30 g vanilla sugar.
Stage 4 - 10 min.
Beat immediately at high speed until the mixture is light and fluffy...
Stage 5
...and sticks to the beater slightly.
Stage 6 - 5 min.
Reduce the speed and add 100 g noisette butter, pouring in a thin stream (through a sieve to remove all the small impurities left after heating).
Stage 7 - 5 min.
Stop the machine and sieve 250 g flour into the mixture.
Stage 8 - 1 min.
Incorporate the flour into the mixture quickly using a hand whisk.
Important: this is the tricky part. You have incorporated lots of air into the mixture be beating the eggs and sugar together and it is this air in the form of tiny bubbles that will make the mixture foamy and give you a light sponge. You need to incorporate the flour as quickly as possible (within 30 seconds if possible) so that the mixture doesn't "fall".
Important: this is the tricky part. You have incorporated lots of air into the mixture be beating the eggs and sugar together and it is this air in the form of tiny bubbles that will make the mixture foamy and give you a light sponge. You need to incorporate the flour as quickly as possible (within 30 seconds if possible) so that the mixture doesn't "fall".
Stage 9 - 5 min.
Prepare a mould or tin by lining the bottom with a sheet of cooking parchment, as Genoa sponge sticks terribly and turning it out can be difficult.
You can also scatter a few flaked almonds in the bottom.
You can also scatter a few flaked almonds in the bottom.
Stage 10 - 2 min.
Pour the batter into the mould and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
Stage 11 - 25 min.
Turn out while hot onto a wire rack.
Remarks
For a chocolate Genoa sponge, reduce the flour by 50g and add 20g of powdered chocolate or cocoa powder.
Keeping: A few days in an air-tight tin.
Source: After Hervé This, who states that this Michel Bras's method.
Nutritional information
| Proteins (gr) | Carbohydrates (gr) | Fats (gr) | Energy value (in k-calories) | Energy value (in k-joules) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whole recipe | 80 RDI=30 % | 570 RDI=50 % | 180 RDI=30 % | 3,580 RDI=180 % | 14,980 RDI: 180 % |
| Per 100 g | 8 RDI=3 % | 60 RDI=5 % | 20 RDI=3 % | 360 RDI=20 % | 1,500 RDI: 20 % |
How much will it cost?
- For 2 Génoises (Genoa sponge) : 3.10 €
- Per Génoise (Genoa sponge) : 1.55 €
Change currency: 
Note: Be careful, these prices are only an estimate, you can consult the table of prices by ingredients used for this estimate.
Some other recipes using this recipe
Baked Alaska
The name may be odd, but Baked Alaska is an elegant dessert. The core of this version is a "sandwich" of vanilla ice cream and blackcurrant sorbet between 2 layers of sponge soaked in rum-flavoured syrup. This is then covered in a layer of meringue and put in a very hot oven for just a few minutes...
69 K4.3 6 hours 50 min.
Fraisier (French strawberry cake)
This classic French patisserie is a delicious assembly of 2 layers of genoa sponge filled with strawberries and crème mousseline (confectioner's custard with butter). The sponge is soaked in strawberry syrup and the cake is topped with a thin layer of marzipan.
188 K4.2 2 hours 45 min.
Framboisier
This is a classic French raspberry-flavoured dessert. It generally consists of raspberries in cream sandwiched between two layers of cake. In this version, the cake is genoa sponge and the cream is vanilla-flavoured and mixed with mascarpone. This is just as good made as a large rectangle or, as...
68 K3.8 2 hours 40 min.
Black Forest gateau
Black Forest gateau is a sophisticated dessert which comes from Germany. It is essentially a combination of four flavours: chocolate, cherries, cream and kirsch. Here is my own version.
167 K4.6 2 hours 35 min.
This recipe uses (among others)
Flour
Like these other recipes: Almond macaroon cake, Rabbit civet, Cheese Soufflé, Chester, Milk rolls, ... See them all 204
Caster sugar
Like these other recipes: Pear and strawberry verrine with tiramisu cream, Profiteroles, Pistachio powder or paste, French Family Cake, Lemon and grated apple tart, ... See them all 363
Noisette butter
You can get more informations, or check-out other recipes which use it, for example: Pancake batter, Clafoutis batter, Pistachio "Financiers", Pistachio madeleines, Grapefruit moelleux, ... See them all 9
Vanilla sugar
You can get more informations, or check-out other recipes which use it, for example: Diamond biscuits, Chocolate rolls (petits pains), Blackberry and almond fondant tart, Framboisier, Like Bounty, ... See them all 83
Other recipes you may also like
Pear tart with almond cream
This is a very quick and easy tart to make, as everything (or almost) can be done in advance. A piece of sweetcrust pastry, some almond cream and pears? You have "everything you need". March 17th 2011377 K4.3 1 hour 15 min.
Fresh fruit in sabayon
Fresh grapefruit and / or pears, covered with a sabayon and a pinch of citrus crunch. February 21th 2011300 K4.7 55 min.
French dressing (vinaigrette)
Here is a very simple recipe, but it could completely transform, maybe even transcend, your salad. July 7th 20111.07 M4.5 7 min.
Couscous
In couscous, the meat and vegetable mixture is rather long to cook, but not difficult. And the couscous itself (a kind of coarse semolina) is simple and quick to prepare. November 16th 2017533 K4.3 2 hours 40 min.
Oriane's tuna rillettes
Quick to make, delicious as an aperitif. February 21th 2011208 K5 20 min.
News list of cooking-ez.com
Sign up to receive the latest recipes (next batch due to be sent on 2025-10-12)
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Follow this recipe (as 4 people already do)
If you are interested in this recipe, you can "follow" it, by entering your email address here. You will then receive a notification immediately each time the recipe is modified or a new comment is added. Please note that you will need to confirm this following.
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Alternatively: you can subscribe to the mailing list of cooling-ez.com , you will receive a e-mail for each new recipe published on the site.
The 5 comments already posted on this recipe
Keep courage!
@biggles: It could be a problem of not enoughly mixed flour to the egg+sugar mixture.
Thanks,
Kristin
www.erisbeauty.com