This SPONGE CAKE never misses.
8 eggs, separated
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup self-raising flour
5/8 cup all-purpose flour
5/8 cup corn starch
Preheat the oven at 325 F.
Grease 2- 8" springform pans, line the bottom of each with a
disk of wax paper and butter the paper.
Whip egg whites to firm peaks, with Mixmaster at speed 10.
Reduce speed to 3 and add alternatively egg yolks and sugar.
When well beaten, reduce speed to 1 and add gradually flour
through a strainer. Do not beat too long, only until mixing is
reasonably free of lumps.
Divide mix between the two pans and bake at 325 F for 10 minutes.
Then reduce temperature to 300 F and bake for 1 hour longer.
Remove cakes about 10 minutes after they are out of the oven and
place on grates to cool. Remove wax paper as soon as
practical.
NOTE: For a chocolate sponge cake add to the sugar 1/2 cup cocoa instead of the all-purpose flour.
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup whipping cream 35%
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
3 1/2 tbsp corn flour, level
Pour 1 cup of milk and cream in a heavy pan and scald almost to
boiling.
Whip with Mixmaster at speed 10 the egg yolks and sugar until a
yellow ribbon forms.
Reduce speed to 1 and add corn flour and mix well.
Add 1/2 cup cold milk and mix well.
Increase speed to 5 and gradually add hot milk.
Pour back in the pan and cook on medium fire, always stirring
with a wooden spatula until uniformly condensed.
Remove pan from fire, place on some water to cool, add a few pats
of butter and stir until butter is melted and mixed in.
Stir occasionally to prevent skin formation.
Use as a filler before it is too cold and dense.
NOTE: Before spreading the filler, cakes should be wetted with 1/2 cup of milk and 1/2 cup of coffee or liqueur or grenadine syrup.
A variety of icings can be used. Here is a suggestion:
Melt in a double boiler 4 squares of semisweet chocolate and
1 tbsp of milk.
Heat up 1/3 cup apricot or black currant jelly and spread
it over the cake top.
Let chocolate cool sufficiently and spread over top and sides of
cake.