Caramel Apple Génoise

It's funny how things work out sometimes. Like the fact that my friend P's mom's birthday was on Thanksgiving this year, and that we happened to be having the holiday meal with their family. P and I made this surprise birthday cake for her and served it as a Thanksgiving dessert. It felt great to make my first fondant cake, but it felt even better presenting it after dinner and seeing her mom's look of surprise and happiness.

P's family moved to our neighborhood a couple months ago. They are Columbian, so my parents are overjoyed at having another Spanish-speaking family in the area. It really couldn't have worked out more perfectly, since P is my age, we both speak Spanish, and she is a sweetheart. Since our families get along so well, we all decided to have Thanksgiving together. My parents made the bird and P's parents cooked all kinds of rice, veggies, and other side dishes. P and I provided the surprise end to the meal.

Originally, the cake was a disaster. A delicious disaster (we snuck tastes of the Bavarian creams while assembling it), but a disaster nonetheless. While it tasted great, it looked hideous; we had transfered it to a too-small plate after assembling it and that had forced the cake in on itself, so that the layers looked crooked. The top also wasn't too pretty, as the layer of cream on top just looked messy. At the last minute, I decided to roll out some fondant and cover the whole thing. It's not the most gorgeous fondant cake, but it was enough to make P's mom smile, and it was so much fun covering a cake for the first time! I also wrote, "Felicidades, Ana Lucía" on some parchment paper in chocolate and then, when the chocolate had hardened, applied the lettering to the cake.

I know it's after the fact now, but I'd like to say that I'm thankful for our wonderful new Columbian neighbors, for the wonderful P, and for her help in making this cake. Moreover, I'm thankful for the few of you who read this blog and comment faithfully; you remind me that I'm not just writing into thin air and that someone is listening. Thank you so much, and I hope to share the upcoming holiday season with you!

Your Baking Soundtrack for Caramel Apple Génoise

I'm Alive, I'm Dreaming, The Ready Set

DON'T JUDGE ME, he's really cute. And catchy. But mostly really cute.

Caramel Apple Génoise

All components adapted from Tartelette via Whisk Kid

I suggest making the components in the order in which I've presented them here, so that the caramel sauce and simple syrup have time to come to room temperature.

Caramel

Ingredients

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

2 tablespoons butter

1/8 cup heavy cream

Cook the sugar and water in a small saucepan with the lid on until the sugar has dissolved.

Remove the lid and cook without stirring until the caramel is a dark amber. Be careful not to burn.

Remove from the heat.

Add the butter and stir.

Pour in the cream (the caramel will bubble and spit at this point, so be careful).

Stir until smooth.

Allow to cool.

Cinnamon and Nutmeg Génoise

Ingredients

4 eggs

4 egg yolks

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup sugar

2/3 cup flour

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons cornstarch

Grease and line an 8x8-inch square pan.

Weigh the bowl in which you will make the genoise and write down this number.

In a large bowl over a pan of simmering water, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, vanilla, salt, and sugar until warm to the touch.

Pour the mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on medium-high until the bowl is cool. The mixture should triple in volume and will fall from the whisk in a slowly dissolving ribbon.

Sift the flour, cornstarch, cinnamon, and nutmeg into a medium bowl.

Add a third of the flour mixture to the egg mixture. Gently fold it in, making sure to reach the bottom of the bowl with the spatula. Repeat with another third and then fold in the final third.

Weigh the bowl with the batter and subtract the weight of the bowl. Divide by four to get the weight of one fourth of the batter. Measure out one fourth into the prepared pan.

Smooth the top with an offset spatula until the batter is even throughout the pan, being careful not to lose the air in the batter.

Bake at 400˚F for 12-12 minutes, until the top of the cake springs back when lightly touched.

Repeat three more times to end up with four layers.

Simple Syrup

Ingredients

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup sugar

In a small saucepan, bring the water and sugar to a boil.

Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.

Caramel Bavarian Cream

Ingredients

1 tablespoon powdered gelatin

3 tablespoons water

4 egg yolks

1/4 cup sugar

1 cup milk

1/2 cup caramel (see above)

1 cup heavy cream, cold

Bloom the gelatin in the water and set aside.

Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar in a large bowl until pale and lightened.

In a saucepan over medium heat, bring the milk to a simmer.

Temper the eggs by slowly about a half cup of the hot milk into the yolks, whisking constantly.

Pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan with the milk, whisking constantly.

Cook, stirring constantly, until the cream coats the back of a spoon.

Add the gelatin and stir until completely combined.

Add the caramel and stir until completely combined.

Allow to cool to room temperature.

In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the cream to stiff peaks.

Add a small portion to the cooled cream base and fold in to lighten it.

Add the rest of the cream and fold in gently until just incorporated.

Apple Bavarian Cream

Ingredients

1 tablespoon powdered gelatin

3 tablespoons water

4 egg yolks

1/4 cup sugar

1 cup milk

1/2 cup apple butter

1 cup heavy cream, cold

Bloom the gelatin in the water and set aside.

Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar in a large bowl until pale and lightened.

In a saucepan over medium heat, bring the milk to a simmer.

Temper the eggs by slowly about a half cup of the hot milk into the yolks, whisking constantly.

Pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan with the milk, whisking constantly.

Cook, stirring constantly, until the cream coats the back of a spoon.

Add the gelatin and stir until completely combined.

Add the apple butter and stir until completely combined.

Allow to cool to room temperature.

In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the cream to stiff peaks.

Add a small portion to the cooled cream base and fold in to lighten it.

Add the rest of the cream and fold in gently until just incorporated.

Assembly

Place one layer of génoise on a (large enough) serving platter.

Using a pastry brush, brush with simple syrup.

Top with about a fourth of the caramel bavarian cream.

Add a layer of about a fourth of the apple bavarian cream.

Place another layer of génoise on top and repeat the simple syrup-bavarian creams in order.

Repeat with the remaining layers, ending with the apple bavarian cream as the very last thing on top.

Refrigerate until set.