imPECKable eats

Ingredients

6 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup all purpose flour sifted with
1/2 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and lightly flour two 9-inch layer cake pans.

In a large bowl combine eggs and sugar. Stir for a minute ot until they are just combined. Set bowl over a saucepan containing 1 or 2 inches of hot water. Water in pan should not touch bowl nor should it be allowed to boil. Place saucepan containing bowl over low heat for 5-10 minutes or until eggs are lukewarm, stirring frequently. Heating the eggs helps them whip to greater volume.

When eggs feel lukewarm to your finger and look like a bright yellow syrup, remove bowl from heat. Begin to beat, preferably with an electric mixer. Beat at high speed for 10-15 minutes, scraping sides of bowl with a rubber spatula when necessary, until syrup becomes light, fluffy, and cool. It will almost triple in bulk and look much like whipped cream. It is the air beaten into the eggs that gives genoise its lightness.

Sprinkle flour/cocoa powder, a little at a time, on top of the whipped eggs. Fold in gently, gradually adding slightly cooled butter and vanilla. Be careful not to overmix.

Pour batter into prepared pans and bake for 25-30 minutes or until cakes pull away from sides of pans and are springy when touched lightly on top. Remove from pans immediately and allow to cool.

Adapted from “The Art of Fine Baking,” by Paula Peck.

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