Meringue Layers

This chapter is about how eggs, or just egg whites, can absorb and trap air and use steam during baking to create leavening. Genoise is the classic French sponge cake, made with whole eggs, enriched with extra yolks, warmed with sugar, and whisked to a dramatic increase in volume before the dry ingredients are added.

Nut sponge cakes are made with separated eggs and a portion of the sugar is separately whisked with the yolks and whites before they’re combined and the ground nuts and flour are added.