Monday 4 February 2013

Cornflour Sponge

It's probably time I told you the truth. I've been trying to achieve a few things soaking-up-culinary-knowledge-wise and they've been miserable failures. I mean really miserable. I suppose there is nothing wrong with posting about failures, but instead I have decided to plug away on these in secret, and reward you when I get a result. And my goodness what a *triumph* I had this week!







For a long, long time I have wanted to try cooking a sponge. I gather they can be pretty hard to make, some people can never pull it off, and others just have the knack. I have long remembered a comment my father made when I was a child about his aunties making sponges from heaps of eggs, which I thought just sounded fun, and decadent. So when the Cook's Sponge began, baking a sponge was at the top of my list. I've never really believed that baking is about magic, or having the knack, it's just about having the knowledge. Following the recipe.


Check out the HEIGHT on that baby!





So I tried. And I tried and I tried. And I don't really want to talk about it. I rang my own aunt who is a bit of pro, and read all sorts of things and got all sorts of advice, on how to beat the eggs and how many times to sift the flour and which brand of cornflour to use and whether to grease the sides of the tin. My favourite tip was the one where you drop the tins on a hard floor as soon as they come out of the oven to knock the air bubbles out of the cake and stop it from sinking. I definitely tried that one, whipping out the back door and dropping them with great delight straight down on to my patio. But really I should have just thrown them across the patio.

They were all sort of edible, but that's not really the ultimate aim of cooking is it? The problem that kept repeating itself was how flat they were. Hopelessly flat. I even started getting suspicious of my oven and started blaming my tools...










So we've been away for a few days in Greytown this week, staying on a farm. As always, the Saturday DomPost featured a recipe from Alison and Simon Holst. I have never been particularly inspired to try their Saturday night contributions, but I certainly raised an eyebrow when I saw their Cornflour Sponge. And I couldn't believe how high it had risen! I was also curious about a recipe that had only cornflour, and no standard flour. Perhaps this was the key.


And that was that, I had to try. With two children rising at a revoltingly early hour because they were sleeping in strange beds, I had plenty of time to fill. It's just a pity I had to turn the oven on in the 34 degree heat.

 



The result was fantastic! They were higher than I could ever have believed! What do you reckon? I think I have cracked it, and won't look at another sponge recipe ever again. Thanks Alison and Simon.

There's actually not a lot to do. Just keep your wits about you and follow the instructions closely.

I know the traditionalists only do strawberry jam and cream in the middle with icing sugar on top, but I wanted cream on top, so I added mock cream to the centre (beat equal quantities butter, sugar, boiling water).

Does this excite you? Do you want to make a sponge? Do you want to eat a sponge? You don't find them in cafes these days, and even if you did, would you choose it over a brownie or a lemon syrup cake? I really enjoyed it very much, but feel as though it's a rare occasion that calls for a sponge. Perhaps just an ordinary Sunday summer afternoon is all you need. I could definitely eat this often. It's a sugar hit though, so don't do it every Sunday. Glucose/dextrose doesn't work so don't attempt it (believe me), you'll have to go for the full-fat version this time.

Aside from a few wording changes from me, all credit to Team Holst for the recipe below.



Cornflour Sponge

4 large (size 7) eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (170g) sugar (caster if you have it)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup (150g) maize cornflour
3 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons boiling water

Separate eggs, placing whites in a large bowl and keep yolks to one side. Add the salt to the whites and beat until they form soft peaks. Gradually add the sugar, beating the mixture until it becomes glossy and shiny and forms stiff peaks. Gently fold in the yolks and vanilla.

Sift the cornflour and baking powder into another bowl, then sift again in to the egg whites. Add the boiling water and fold the mixture together.

Line two 20cm cake tins with baking paper, and grease both the paper and the sides (with butter or non-stick spray). Smooth and level the tops as much as possible.

Bake at 180 degrees for 20 minutes.

Let cool a little in the pan, then tip on to a cooling rack covered with a tea towel.

14 comments:

  1. Hmmmmmm sponge cake, I have really fond memories of eating massive slabs of sponge filled with jam and cream and dusted with icing sugar down in Invercargill, there was a woman at our church who was famous for her sponges, i swear they were 20cm high and unbelievably good and i've always kicked myself that I didn't at least attempt to bribe the recipe out of her! So will I be trying this recipe - yip it really will need to be attempted - i'll report back when it happens.

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    1. Great! You never let us down KellyO, I look forward to hearing of your success.

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  2. I gave up on making sponges after so many failures. I will definitely be trying this recipe! Looks absolutely perfect. Cookbook worthy photographs too.

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    1. Thank you HV! If you keep failing they must be hard. This should be good therapy for you then. Do try, and all your failures will fade from memory.

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  3. I've never tried a sponge, but I'll definitely try this one - just have to wait for an occasion to use "real sugar" instead of glucose! (Someone challenged me to only use glucose in my home baking. :P)

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    1. Ha! Yes, definitely wait for an occasion, with a challenge like that. I'm sure you'll find people to eat it for you too...

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  4. Yum - sounds divine. I've never made a sponge but just might have to give it a try! I have memories of my Nana making sponges with duck eggs which gave the sponge a slightly orangey colour but still tasted just as good.

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  5. My goodness. I'd never considered I had a problem with making sponges (and I do make them quite frequently), nor had I thought they were a particularly rare beast (maybe another UK/NZ difference? they are certainly still a staple in cafes here), but then I've never had a sponge rise quite like that! It looks amazing. I'm excited to try it and see what the difference is to my usual efforts... Will be racking my brains to concoct a suitable excuse - does "it's Monday" count?!

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    1. Mondays definitely count! We used to get together with a friend when we were living in London for an amazing meal every Monday, just because who says you can't do extravagant things on a Monday? I'm glad to hear you are a regular and successful sponge maker, I should have come to you. Yes I'm certain it's a UK/NZ difference. We're not very traditional us Kiwis, as you are no doubt discovering (eg. Christmas meals).
      PS - a suitable excuse is also me encouraging you.

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    2. Ha! I'm starting to think maybe it was just my definition of "successful" that was at fault... Wiping down my kitchen surfaces and about to bake now. Will report back.

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    3. Have posted my result to your FB page...
      The scientist in me thinks it would only be fair to do a repeat some time with my usual sponge recipe to compare and contrast, although I can tell you now for nothing that it wouldn't rise anywhere near that much.
      (NB I don't normally put fresh cream inside my cakes, but thought I should live up to my growing "traditional" reputation! Plus I had some leftover in the fridge.)

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  6. I love your photos :) This sponge looks delicious. Definitely don't see spongecake over here in the US. we do have pound cake but that seems denser and not the "light and fluffy" ness or with whipped cream... My grandma used to make spongecake with lots of cream.. Oh dear I feel kiwi nostalgia coming on :)

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    1. Perhaps you should whip one up and decorate it with kiwifruit :)

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