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Making a Whisked Sponge
Appears in
By Jeni Wright, Eric Treuille and Le Cordon Bleu
Published 1996
Pastry chefs use a very large balloon whisk to incorporate as much air as possible, but you can use a hand-held electric whisk if you prefer. To speed up the thickening process, the bowl is set over hot water - take care not to let it touch the water or the mixture will start to cook.
- Put the eggs and sugar in large heatproof bowl and whisk vigorously for a few seconds to break up the eggs and start mixing them with the sugar.
- Put the bowl over a pan of hot water and whisk until the mixture is thick enough to leave a figure-of-eight ribbon nail on the surface when the whisk is lifted.
- Remove the bowl from the heat and continue whisking until the mixture has cooled and is very thick, 3—5 minutes.
- Fold in flour in batches with a rubber spatula. Cut cleanly through, to avoid knocking out the air.
- Pour finished batter slowly into the prepared tin, gently guiding it in with the spatula.
- When fully cooked, the sponge will be golden, well risen and firm but spring) to the touch.
