How to make a tall cake: recipes and tips

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Whatever the fashion for cakes, the high fluffy biscuit remains timeless. All housewives dream of it: that two hundred years ago, when instead of a mixer, squirrels were whipped with a fork, that now, when the most ultra-modern orbital food processors are at our service. Decoration can be anything: mastic, heavy butter cream, airy mousse, and glossy mirror glaze, but the heart of the cake - delicate airy cakes - should captivate from the first piece. How to cook a high biscuit for a cake and not waste food, strength and nerves?

Twice baked and always fresh

The history of the biscuit goes back nearly 500 years. And initially it was not invented at all for the royal court and not even for a peasant dinner. It was the usual food for sailors on long sea voyages.

The secret is that baked and driedThe biscuit doesn't go bad. First of all, this is achieved due to the absence of oil in the composition. Time passed, and sea biscuits began to gradually conquer the land. Biscuits gained particular popularity during the time of Queen Victoria: it was then that they became an integral part of the tradition of five o'clock tea, which the British love so much. In those years, the dessert spread almost all over the planet, and hundreds of its variations appeared in various parts of the world.

For several centuries, the recipe for a tall biscuit for a cake has not changed much. A lot of well-beaten eggs, a minimum of flour, a gentle temperature - these are the three pillars on which the confectionery world rests. What other tricks are kept secret by the world's best confectioners?

The classic biscuit everyone gets

The right cakes are airy, soft and, like a sponge, absorb syrups and creams well. How do you make a biscuit that won't fall off?

The classic recipe uses 6 eggs, 130g flour and 210g sugar. For flavor, you can add a little vanilla or zest of 1 lemon.

Even before starting the preparation of the future cake, the oven should be heated to 180 degrees: biscuit dough does not like to wait, and therefore it must be sent for baking immediately after cooking.

Separate the whites from the yolks and refrigerate. At this time, mix the yolks with 100 grams of sugar and rub thoroughly. The mass should turn white and increase in size by 2-3 times. In this case, the grains of sugar should completely dissolve.

Sift the flour twice. This is done in order to saturate it with air. Take the egg whites out of the refrigerator and pour into a bowl. Make sure that it is clean, without the slightest trace of fat or yolk, otherwise the mass will not whip to the desired state, and the biscuit will simply settle in the oven.

Start at a low speed and gradually increase to a higher speed until you reach the maximum. Whisk in remaining sugar in a thin stream and continue beating until stiff peaks form. Be careful: over-whipped proteins have too small air bubbles and therefore are not suitable for making a delicious dessert.

Add flour to the yolk mass and mix thoroughly. After that, begin to gently introduce the proteins, kneading the dough with a wooden spatula after each serving. To get a tall biscuit for a cake, it is extremely important not to break the technology.

Line the bottom and edges of the mold with baking paper or cover with a "French shirt". When preparing a biscuit, it is extremely important not to grease the sides exclusively with oil: this type of dough grows gradually, as if "clinging" to a rough surface, so it simply cannot rise along a slippery edge.

Baking will take about 25-30 minutes. The finished dessert is soft, elastic and springs well when pressed.

Why is the window to blame?

And now a few secrets of the tall biscuit cake. Delicate dough does not tolerate drafts and shaking. It should be handled with the same care as a baby. Do not open the oven when bakingat least 20 minutes - otherwise the airflow will cool the top of the future cake and it will settle before it rises.

Ideally, the first time you can "spy" on the biscuit after 25 minutes. Then you should make the first test with a wooden toothpick: for short products in wide forms, this baking time is enough.

Correct volume

Today, hundreds of different, most incredible shapes can be found on the market for pastry chefs. However, not all of them are ideal for baking biscuits. The best option is a detachable design about 10 centimeters high, which will allow you to remove the finished cake without damaging it.

When baking a biscuit, it is important to remember that the dough should fill the form by 2/3 of the volume. If there is more of it, then there is a great possibility that it will "run away", if less, then most likely it will not rise.

Keep your balance and look for the right shape for a tall cake: in most cases, this is the reason for failure.

Upside down

If your biscuit, despite all the efforts, still falls off, try the following: immediately after baking, turn the form with the future cake over and place its edges on two bowls or two glasses so that the finished cake does not touch them. Leave to cool completely, and then carefully separate it from the walls with a knife.

Professionals use this method when preparing heavy biscuits with butter. ForceGravity will keep your artwork from sinking, leaving it airy and soft.

Don't add - replace

When you make a high cake recipe, it may seem that the resulting dough is too liquid and then there is a great temptation to add a few more tablespoons of flour. Sofa experts may advise adding a little cocoa for a rich chocolate flavor. Don't do this!

Proportions for biscuit dough have been verified by confectioners for more than one generation, and therefore any unauthorized amendments will lead to a deplorable result. If you want to end up with chocolate cakes, replace some of the flour with alkalized cocoa. However, never change the amount of dry ingredients.

Middle line

In order for the biscuit to bake evenly, it must be exactly in the middle of the oven. Set too high, it will most likely darken quickly and burst on top, and set too low, it will burn, but will not have time to bake.

Use a wire rack instead of a baking sheet if possible: it provides more even heating.

Better sooner than later

Often we think about how to make a tall cake right on the eve of the holiday. This is fundamentally wrong: if you want to get a really good result, start preparing at least a day before the upcoming feast.

Freshly baked sponge cake does not cut well and absorbs moisture, and therefore experts strongly advise to withstand it for at least a day before proceeding with the assembly of the cake.

Followtemperature

Biscuit is a rather whimsical confection. It is extremely important for him that all the ingredients are at the same temperature, which, by the way, also applies to the dishes in which the dough is prepared.

And since warm proteins practically do not whip, this means that absolutely all the components of the biscuit must be kept in the refrigerator before cooking.

Thread or string?

It's not enough to bake a good biscuit - it still needs to be correctly cut into cakes. In the photo, tall cakes always look very even. All their layers are the same height and look neat and tidy. But not every housewife manages to do this with a knife the first time. What is the secret of professionals?

Before dividing the biscuit into cakes, you should let it cool in the mold for at least 5 hours. Optimally - a day. Only after 24 hours will it acquire the necessary elasticity and will crumble less.

First, measure the height of the biscuit and divide it by the required number of cakes. The average height of one piece should be at least 1 centimeter, ideally 1.5 cm.

Carefully make a few notches with a knife around the entire circumference and insert a nylon or nylon thread into them. In the absence of such, you can use a new dental floss. Gently cross the ends and start pulling them in different directions.

If cakes are your element, and therefore you bake a lot and often, then you should think about purchasing a confectionery string - a special device for cuttingbiscuit.

Good impregnation is half the battle

The right biscuit can absorb up to 2 liters of syrup. Depending on the humidity you want, you can use a little more or a little more frosting, but don't skip it completely, otherwise the finished cake will be dry and tasteless.

The liquid that you soak the cakes with can be completely different: these are various syrups, and alcohol, and berry decoctions, and even ordinary sugar water.

Do you still remember that we prepare the cake much in advance? Keep in mind that before soaking the finished cakes should be at least 8 hours in the refrigerator. And after - at least 6 hours to wait for the arrival of guests. If you add time for decor here, it turns out that it costs to start baking a biscuit about two days before serving.

Queen Victoria Biscuit

And finally - a recipe for a tall cake with a photo, which conquered the whole of Great Britain in the 1900s. This is a chiffon biscuit with a delicate filling of strawberries and whipped cream. You can use jam and cream cheese.

Chiffon is a special type of biscuit made with butter. It is more wet and heavy. But unlike the classic one, it can be used without impregnation and cream.

Ingredients:

• 250g softened butter.
• 250 g sugar.
• 250 g flour.
• 8g baking powder.
• 4 medium sized eggs.
• 300g strawberries.
• 200 ml of cream at least 30% fat.

In a containerWhisk the butter and sugar until white. This will take at least 5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly until smooth after each. Continue whisking until you get a stable, homogeneous mass.

In a bowl, mix flour and baking powder. Gradually add it to the egg-butter mixture. The result should be a dough that resembles rustic sour cream in consistency.

Pour it into the mold and smooth it out gently with a spatula. Bake for 25 minutes at 190 degrees. Readiness check with a wooden skewer.

Cool the biscuit in the form, turning it upside down. After 5-6 hours, carefully separate it from the walls, wrap it in cling film and put it in the refrigerator.

Cut into cakes and soak in sugar syrup. Layer the future cake with whipped cream and fresh strawberries. Delicious, fragrant dessert ready for five o'clock tea!

Tender than tender: the Japanese biscuit that took the internet by storm

Recently, a recipe for cotton biscuit straight from Japan has appeared on the World Wide Web. It is much taller than its counterparts in name, has a very delicate texture and practically does not need to be soaked.

When warm, it is very similar to a sweet omelette, so it is recommended to keep it in a cool place for at least 8 hours.

Ingredients:

• curd cheese - 300 g,
• milk - 180 ml,
• butter - 75 g,
• sugar - 150 g,
• eggs - 6 pcs,
• flour - 50 g,
• corn starch - 30 g,
• vanillin - on the tip of a knife.

Mix cream cheese with milk until smooth. Add melted butter to the resulting mass and mix well again.

Separate the whites from the yolks, add 75 grams of sugar to each part and beat with a mixer. The yolk mass should increase 2-3 times, and the whites should take the form of hard peaks.

Mix the yolks with the curd base and add the whipped protein foam to it in parts. Stir gently with a wooden spatula. The dry ingredients go into the dough last.

Line a baking dish with paper and place in a baking tray filled with 1 cm of water. Transfer the dough to the prepared container and bake at 200 degrees for at least 25 minutes. Readiness is checked with a wooden skewer. Chill the biscuit well and serve.

High cake is the best decoration of the festive table and a tasty treat for children and adults.