Dulce de leche is a little like sweetened milk; a thick cream which has a mild caramel taste with a milky flavour. Or, put another way, it is a light brown caramel coloured sticky spread, whose flavour is legendary: rich, milky and smooth. In Argentina and South America in general, it is eaten as an everyday delicacy; it can be found on the table at every meal time. Also, it is easily purchased in any country. The version used here is one that is specially thickened for use in baking.
This recipe makes a two layer 23cm (9in) diameter Classic birthday cake.
Ingredients:
Génoise type sponge 2 layers
Milk jam 1.5kg (approx.)
Day
This is concerned with: making the Génoise type sponge layers; assembling the cake with the filling; applying the topping; and, if required, applying any decoration.
Génoise
This Gluten-free recipe is for a round génoise. It is based upon the Gluten recipes of: Shirley Corriher (BakeWise); Bruce Healy and Paul Bugat (The Art of the Cake, and Mastering the Art of French Pastry); Jacquy Pfeiffer (The Art of French Pastry); and Sherry Yard (The Secrets of Baking).
It will be noted that in the recipe below that extra egg yolks are added to the whole eggs. This is to obtain the stable egg foam needed to produce a successful génoise. The reasoning as given by E J Pyler in Baking Science and Technology (as quoted in BakeWise) is that modern eggs may be deficient in yolk proteins so it is common practice to add 20 – 50% more yolks to improve both aerating ability and foam stability. Also, E B Bennion states in The Technology of Cake Making (again quoted in BakeWise) that the best quantity of yolks to add is 20% for similar reasons. On top of this there are two approximate rules for génoise recipes: the weight of the flour and sugar to be close to equal; and the amount of sugar to be less than 1.25 of the weight of the eggs. This recipe falls within both guidelines, with the ratio of sugar to eggs being 0.55; well below the 1.25 limit.
Ingredients: (makes two 23cm (9in) round génoise layers)
Gluten-free flour mix* 225g
Cane sugar 220g (11 + 209g)
Eggs 398g (7 Large plus 3 yolks)
Butter 45g (sliced and cubed)
*Gluten-free flour mix: 440g Brown Rice flour, 125g Sweet Rice flour, 45g Potato starch, 95g Tapioca starch, and 55g Arrowroot. Total weight: 760g
Method:
Lightly grease two 23cm (9in) round cake pans (3.5cm (1 3/8in) high) with softened butter. Line the bottom and the sides up to the top of the pan with parchment paper, and then lightly grease with softened butter.
Adjust a rack to the middle of the oven, and preheat the oven to 190°C for 45 minutes.
Sift the gluten-free flour mix into a medium sized bowl (1), add in 1Tbsp (11g) cane sugar, and whisk to incorporate. This is to help later when folding in the flour with the whipped egg mixture; it will make it easier. Set aside.
If adding the optional butter, fill a medium saucepan (2) with about 5cm (1in) of water and over medium heat bring to a simmer. Place a small bowl (3) on top containing the sliced and cubed butter. Using a metal dessert spoon, melt the butter, when it is approximately three quarters melted, remove the bowl from the heat and continue to stir to completion. Set aside.
Rinse a stand mixing bowl (4) with hot tap water to warm it, then dry well.
If not already done so, fill a medium saucepan (2) with about 5cm (1in) of water and over medium heat bring to a simmer.
Add the eggs and yolks to the warm mixing bowl (4) and break the yolks with either a fork or a whisk; add the rest of the cane sugar and whisk to combine for a minimum of 30 seconds. Then, place the warm, filled mixing bowl (4) on top of the saucepan (2) containing the simmering water; turn the heat to low. If whipping by hand, tilt the mixing bowl forward, almost horizontal, and sweep the whisk around the bottom of the bowl, with each revolution lifting the whole of the mass of egg mix to incorporate air into the process. If using a hand-held mixer, use a similar process. Whisk continuously for 4 – 5 minutes, or until the egg mix reaches a temperature of 40°C and the mix is frothy and pale yellow.
Remove the filled mixer bowl (4) from the double boiler and wipe the bottom dry. Place the filled bowl on a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, or use an electric mixer. Whip at medium speed for 12 – 17 minutes, until the egg-sugar mixture is three times the original volume, is thick, is almost white in colour, and is completely cool to a finger dipped in it. During the last 4 – 5 minutes of whisking stop from time to time to check the ribbon thickness when dropped from the whisk. There will be some definition of it in the filled bowl, it will initially stay on top of the mixture before spreading slightly and slowly flattening as it dissolves into the mass of whipped egg-sugar mix.
Turn the speed down to the lowest, then drizzle in the cooled, yet liquid, melted butter (bowl 3) and mix for 15 seconds until incorporated. If the butter has cooled too much and it is no longer liquid, place it in a microwave oven and briefly heat to liquify.
Sift a quarter of the Gluten-free flour mix over the top of the whipped egg-sugar mix, avoiding the edges of the bowl. Imagine a clockface. Gently immerse a whisk vertically into the foam, facing forward at the 12 o’clock position and drag it across the bottom of the bowl. At the 6 o’clock position, lift up the whisk, and with it a large dollop of the mix, turn it over and spread it across the top of the sifted flour, folding the flour into the mix. Rotate the mixer bowl one quarter turn, sift another quarter of the flour mix and fold again. Repeat with the third batch of flour, and again with the last quarter of sifted four mix and folding that in to fully incorporate the flour into the cake batter.
Pour and scrape the cake batter into the prepared cake pans, filling them to between two thirds and three quarters of their height. Tap each pan lightly on the worksurface a few times to eliminate any air bubbles. Then, smooth the surface of the batter with a spatula, pushing it out to the sides to make a slight depression in the centre.
Place the filled cake pan on a baking sheet on the middle shelf of a preheated oven and bake for 15 – 25 minutes, or until the génoise is golden brown, starts to pull away slightly from the sides of the pan, and is firm to the touch. As an additional test, place the tip of a paring knife in the centre of the cake, and if it comes out wet yet clean, the génoise is done. If it doesn’t, bake for a further 5 – 10 minutes.
Remove the génoise from the oven, place it on a wire cooling rack, and slide the tip of a paring knife between the edge of the génoise and the cake pan; to fully loosen the edge, if necessary. Let the génoise cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Unmould the génoise on to another wire cooling rack covered with a sheet of parchment paper. Remove the parchment paper that the génoise was baked on and cool right side up for at least 2 hours before using.
Génoise may be kept at room temperature for up to 2 days, or covered airtight in a fridge for 2 days too. Alternatively freeze for up to 2 weeks in a freezer. If frozen, defrost overnight in a refrigerator, then unwrap the génoise for at least 2 hours before using.
Assembly 1.1
To assemble the cake, first, cut three or four strips of wide (enough to fit under edge of cake and overlap plate edge, all the way round) parchment paper; place on top of one of the génoise layers, place a plate on top, and invert so that the flat, baked bottom of the génoise layer is on top, and the plate is on the bottom. Secondly, invert the other layer onto a parchment covered cooling rack, again with the flat, baked bottom of the génoise layer on top.
In a small bowl, over a small saucepan of simmering water, add 2Tbsp of milk jam and a splash of water; stir until the milk jam has melted, is combined with the water, and has the consistency of heavy, or double, cream. Allow to cool to a pouring temperature, approximately 29 – 32°C. This will serve as the crumb layer.
Spread the crumb layer of cooled melted milk jam over the first (cake layer on plate) flat surface, starting around the outer perimeter, going almost to the edge. Allow the crumb layer to set for 30minutes.
Then, generously spread the milk jam over the entire surface; finally, place any milk jam left into the centre of the cake surface. Spread the milk jam evenly with a thin metal spatula, smoothing the milk jam in towards the centre.
Then, place the other cake layer, with the flat side uppermost, on top of the layer of milk jam filling. Press down to firm up the filling, to force it right out, even outside of the cake. Then, using a thin, offset metal spatula, clean up any excess filling and smooth the filling edges flat to the cake layers.
Cover, and place the filled cake in a refrigerator to firm up the milk jam filling.
Assembly 1.2
Remove the filled cake from the refrigerator.
In a small bowl, over a small saucepan of simmering water, add 1Tbsp of milk jam and a splash of water; stir until the milk jam has melted, is combined with the water, and has the consistency of heavy, or double, cream. Allow to cool to a pouring temperature, approximately 29 – 32°C. This will serve as the crumb layer.
Spread the crumb layer of cooled melted milk jam over the first (cake layer on plate) flat surface, starting around the outer perimeter, going almost to the edge. Allow the crumb layer to set for 30minutes.
Using a thin metal offset spatula, quickly spread a thin layer of the milk jam over the complete top surface of the cake, going right out to the edges. Smooth as much as possible.
*BURP!*
'Scuse me!
Ok that's amazing, yes, let's just tell everyone it was intended..