6.1 Theory of ingredients and processing

Introduction
Most of confectionery products often require special ingredients. In this chapter the special ingredients for puff pastry, cake and sponges, choux paste, meringue and short paste will be discussed as well as the processing methods inclusive baking.

 6.1.1 Puff pastry
As the name implies, the goods produced from this kind of paste should be very light and flaky, yet there should be shortness about the pastry so that it eats crisp and is free from toughness or doughtiness. A laminated structure is build up by rolling and folding, to get alternating layers of dough and fat.

Several names are used for the same methods and recipes.

A classification can be made according to the:

Method used	All-in or Dutch method Universal or French method English method No time methods Combinations
Recipe used	Half puff pastry (50%) Three quarter puff pastry (75%) Full puff pastry (100%)
Products made	Sweet puff pastry Savory puff pastry

Any recipe or method can be used for any product.

Recipes
The main difference in the recipes is the amount of fat, although a few adjustments have to be made the different methods.
The following recipes are commonly used:

recipe	Half puff pastry	Three quarter	Full puff pastry
Flour *salt Water Color Pastry margarine	100 %     1 %   60 %     50%	100 %     1 %   60 %  75 %	100 %     1 %   60 %  100 %

Three quarter and half puff pastry are regularly used.

 Three quarter puff pastry recipe for the different methods

method	Dutch	French	English
Flour *salt Margarine(soft) Water Color  Pastry margarine	100 %     1 % -   60 %       50%	100 %     1 %       5 %   60 %   75 %	100 %     1 %  5 %   60 %    100 %

Although the total fat content is still 75 % a small amount (5%) is taken from he pastry margarine and added into the dough (French and English).
The addition of salt depends on the amount of salt present in the margarine (always enough) and the product produced (savory).
Sometimes butter is used in puff pastry, but in general it is to expensive and also very soft (cooling needed).

Processing methods
The choice of the processing method depends on the use of equipment, the amount of puff pastry to be made etc. The Dutch and the French method are often used in the bakery, the English method is more for domestic use.

Puff pastry, French method
RECIPE:     flour                             100 %      500 gram salt                                  1 %         5   gram margarine                        5 %        25 gram water                              60 %     300 gram pastry fat                       75 %      375 gram A drop of lemon can be used to soften the gluten.	Remarks the given processing method is based on a 75 % fat  addition, more fat will increase and less fat will decrease the number of turns before use, the pastry fat has to be made pliable to give nice layers during rolling and folding before folding, dusting flour has to be removed so the dough layers stick together during processing the pastry can be put in the refrigerator for a short period to harden.
Working Sequence Make a stiff dough of all ingredients, do not knead too long. Shape the dough into a round,rest for 5 minutes. Make pastry fat plastic, shape into a square. Cut a cross on top of the dough. Fold the pastry margarine into the dough. Pin the dough 60 x 20 cm, fold it into three parts. Turn the pastry 90 degrees before you start the next turn. After 2 turns the puff paste needs a rest of a minimum of 20 minutes. Depending on the kind of product and the amount of fat used this method needs 5 turns into 3 parts.	Notes

 

Puff pastry, Dutch or Scottish method
RECIPE:     flour                            100 %      500 gram salt                                1 %            5  gram water                              60 %     300 gram pastry fat                        75 %     375 gram A drop of lemon can be used to soften the gluten	Remarks the given processing method is based on a 75 % fat addition, more fat will increase and less fat will decrease the number of turns; before use, the pastry fat has to be made pliable to give nice layers during rolling and folding; before folding, dusting flour has to be removed so the dough layers stick together; during processing the pastry can be put in the refrigerator for a short period to harden.
Working Sequence Make pastry fat plastic, shape into a square, 1 cm thick. Cut cube pieces 1 X 1 cm. Mix flour and fat cubes shortly together. Add all water and salt directly and mix it shortly. You should still see the fat cubes. After mixing make a square piece. Pin the dough 60 x 20 cm, fold it into 4 parts This is also called a book turn. Turn the pastry 90 degrees before you start the next turn. After 2 turns the puff paste needs a rest of a minimum of 20 minutes. Depending on the kind of product and the amount of fat used this method needs 5 turns into 3 parts.	Notes

  

Puff pastry, English method
RECIPE:     flour                              100 %      500 gram salt                                    1 %         5  gram margarine                         5 %        25 gram water                               60 %      300 gram pastry fat                          75 %     375 gram A drop of lemon can be used to soften the gluten.	Remarks the given processing method is based on a 75 % fat   addition, more fat will increase and less fat will decrease the number of turns; before use, the pastry fat has to be made pliable to give    nice layers during rolling and folding; before folding, dusting flour has to be removed so the dough layers stick together; during processing the pastry can be put in the refrigerator for a short period to harden.
Working Sequence Make a stiff dough of all ingredients, do not knead too long. Shape the dough into a round, rest for 5 minutes. Make pastry fat plastic, shape into a rectangle 15 X 20 cm. Cut a cross on top of the dough, pin dough 15 X 30 cm. Fold the pastry margarine into the dough. Pin the dough 60 x 20 cm, fold it into three parts. Turn the pastry 90 degrees before you start the next turn. After 2 turns the puff paste needs a rest of a minimum of 20 minutes. Depending on the kind of product and the amount of fat used this method needs 5 turns into 3 parts.	Notes

 

Puff pastry, Quick method
RECIPE:   flour                              100 %      500 gram salt                                    1 %          5 gram pastry fat                         90 %      450 gram water                               60 %      300 gram A drop of lemon can be used to soften the gluten.	Remarks the given processing method is based on a 90 % fat  addition, more fat will increase and less fat will decrease the number of turns; before use, the pastry fat has to be made pliable to give nice layers during rolling and folding; before folding, dusting flour has to be removed so the dough layers stick together
Working Sequence Make a smooth dough of all ingredients, as long as you do not see any pastry fat. Shape the dough into a round, rest for 5 minutes. Cut a cross on top of the dough. Pin the dough 60 x 20 cm, fold it into 5 parts. Turn the pastry 90 degrees before you start the next turn. After 3 turns the puff paste is ready. No rest is necessary between the turns	Notes

Ingredients
Flour for puff pastry requires sufficient protein with a high water absorbing capacity and starch with a high water absorbing capacity.

Fat used in puff pastry has to be;

• Tough

• High melting point

• Long melting trajectory

For puff pastry special pastry margarine has to be used. If unsalted fat or margarine is used 2 % (of the flour weight) salt has t be used.

The origin of flakiness
During rolling and folding layers of fat are formed separated by thin dough layers. The better the processing is done the more even the dough structure will be. During baking fat melts, the moisture evaporates and fills up the space developed by the melting fat. Protein gelatinizes, the starch absorbs the water and the definite structure is established. At this stage the damper is opened. The moisture evaporates and the products become flaky and crispy.

Effects of rolling and folding
When one turn is carried out, the fat layer will be too thick. During baking the fat will melt and appear on the baking tray. He rolling and folding has to be done several times so the fat layers are thin enough. If the layers are too thin, the layers will disappear, consequently no flakiness ill appear in the products.

Making final products
During pinning out little flour should be used. The dough pinned out in different directions by turning it 90° will shrink evenly and keep a nice shape. During the processing of pastry dough the edges have to be wet, but when too wet the folded dough will not stick together and the filling will flow out of the product. After making the products some of them have to be egg washed for a nice gloss. When egg washed for a second time just before baking a better gloss will appear on the products.

Processing scrap dough
Scrap dough can be processed in different ways;

• put it between the layers of a fresh dough
• put it together and use it for less flaky products like custard slices

Storage
Ready puff pastry dough can be kept in the refrigerator for one or two days, wrapped a plastic. Ready puff pastry dough can be kept in the refrigerator for longer periods. The defrosting has to take place in the refrigerator to reduce condensation on the dough.

The baking process
The trays are washed with water, greased or baking paper is used. For products covered with sugar the trays are greased or baking paper is used. The baking temperature is lower when the products are bigger, have sugar on top or have a wet filling. So smaller products, with no sugar on top and a dry filling require a higher baking temperature.

Faults in puff pastry products

Faults	Causes
Insufficient oven spring, poor volume	Ingredients  too hard a fat  too soft a fat too strong or too weak a flour
	Processing skinning of the dough at all stages forced rolling too many turns insufficient turns too low a baking temperature
Too high a volume	Ingredients
	Processing not enough rest during rolling and folding  not enough rest  before baking dough is pinned out too thick too little turns too high a baking temperature  too much steam in the oven
Misshapen products	Ingredients
	Processing not enough rest during rolling and folding  too little turns not equally pinned out  too high a baking temperature too much steam in the oven
Fat running out	Ingredients too hard a fat
	Processing not enough turns

6.1.2 Short paste

Introduction

As the word implies, this type of pastry, when baked, should be tender and fairly easily broken. When eaten it should “melt in the mouth” suggestion a complete absence of toughness. This is brought about by the balance of ingredients used in the processing method.

There is a big variety of short paste obtained through differences in:

• Recipes
  - Sweetened
  - Unsweetened
  - Ratio flour, fat and sugar and the usage of a variety of secondary ingredients

• Processing methods
  - Rub in/crumbling method
  - Creaming/sugar batter method
  - High speed method
• Shapes
  - Biscuits
  - Shortbread
  - Fruit pie pastry

Recipes

The basic ingredients for these products are flour, fat and sugar. The other ingredients used are eggs, water, salt, corn flour, flavour, baking powder etc.The average ratio flour, fat and sugar is 3: 2: 1.  A biscuit made from this recipe will keep its shape. Sugar and fat make the dough/biscuit flow, flour will prevent the dough from flowing.More fat will increase the crispness, more sugar will give brittleness and colour to the paste.All recipes can be related to the 3:2:1 ratio and give you an indication about the baking and eating qualities.A small amount of baking powder is sometimes used to replace some fat and remain the required properties.

• Recipe writing

Grams	Ingredients	% of flour	Parts per 100	Lb                         oz
500	flour	100	50
400	margarine	80	40
110	sugar	45	11
10	yolk	5	1

• Sweet pastry recipe construction

Ingredients	Shortbread	Fruit pie pastry	Pinning	Blocking
bread flour	-	-	50	50
soft flour	100	100	50	50
butter/margarine	60	30	25	50
white shortening	-	30	25	-
lard	-	-	-	-
castor sugar	30	15	18,.5	18.5
Egg	As required	-	-	-
milk	-	15	-	-
water	-	-	12.5	6.25
salt	-	-	1.25	1.25
baking powder	-	1.5	1.25	-
Total	200	190	175	170

 

Processing methods

• Rub in/crumbling method
  - Crumble fat and flour to a fine consistency
  - Add salt and sugar to the liquor and dissolve
  - Add the liquor to the crumble and mix until clear
  - Cool the dough
•  *Creaming/sugar batter method
  - Cream the fat and sugar
  - Cream in the liquor
  - Fold in the flour
• High speed
  - All in method
  - 25 seconds mix

*In some recipes/products no air has to be mixed in. 

The baking trays have to be very clean and greased with fat.

The baking process

When the products are put into the oven the following processes take place:

• Fat and sugar start melting
• The active ingredients and the moisture present vaporize, consequently lifting up the product
• The flour protein starts coagulating and form the skeleton  of the product
• Finally the starch gelatinizes
• When all the moisture is vaporized the product starts colouring.

 Baking time and temperature

Type of product	Baking time in minutes	Pay attention to	Baking time dependent on
Small biscuits	7 -15	Nice colour=well baked	Thick biscuit longer baking time Thin biscuit shorter baking time
Pieces of 100 grams or more	10-60	Nice colour=well baked	Higher temperature shorter baking time Colder oven longer baking time

 

Faults in short and sweet pastry

causes

faults

Faults in goods made

jam

custard

Tough pastry

shrinkage

Distorted shape

Poor texture

Too much oven colour

Insufficient oven colour

Pastry too short

Brown spots on crust

in tarts boiling over

in tarts  spilling over

boiling

spilling  over

breaking through pastry

breaking through pastry

Insufficient fat/egg/sugar used

X

X

X

X

Use of too strong a flour

X

X

X

X

Poor rolling out technique

X

Insufficient moistening agent used

X

X

Excessive moistening agent used

X

X

X

Insufficient rest prior to baking

X

X

Insufficient aeration

X

X

Excessive aeration

X

Oven temperature too high

X

X

X

Oven temperature too low

X

Insufficient fat/egg used

X

excessive fat/egg used

X

Insufficient sugar used

X

Excessive sugar

X

X

Seal insufficient dampened

Under mixing

X

Over mixing

X

X

X

X

Undissolved sugar

X

Jam too thin

X

Too much filling

X

X

X

Excessive shrinkage of pastry

X

X

Poor blocking or thumbing

X

Pastry too thin

X

 

6.1.4 Meringue

Introduction

The term meringue covers all forms of beaten egg whites and sugar, almost irrespective of the proportions used, the additions and any combinations. Meringue is used as a filling on its own or in combination as a cover or to produce a range of meringue based goods. 

Recipes

They can be subdivided under three headings:

• Cold meringue
• Hot meringue
• Boiled meringue (Italian)

ingredients	light	ordinary	heavy
Egg whites	200 g	200 g	200 g
Sugar	500 g	600 g	700 g

The greatest care must be taken to keep all equipment and materials free from fat (flour too).
No trace of egg yolk should be allowed in the whites. Fat will shorten the protein strands and prevent the enclosure of air. 

Working sequence cold meringue

• The egg whites are placed into the machine and whisked until a stiff "snow" is produced;
• While the whisking continues on medium speed, 25 % of the total sugar is added a little at the time until a stiff meringue is formed;
• Any colour and flavour is now added and mixed in;
• The balance of the sugar is added by folding in with a spatula;
• When all the sugar has been added mixing has to be stopped;
• Pipe the required models;
• Bake at 125° C for about 20 - 40 minutes until they are loose from the tray or paper

Working sequence hot meringue

• warm egg whites and sugar
• mix the mixture until stiff foam is obtained
• Pipe the required models;
• Bake at 125° C for about 20 - 40 minutes until they are loose from the tray or paper

Working sequence boiled meringue

• put sugar and water in a saucepan after the sugar is dissolved heat till 96°R
• remove any scum and wash the sides of the pan with a brush dipped into clean water
• while the boiling is in progress, the whites are whipped to a stiff snow on medium speed, so that it reaches the peak as the sugar solution reaches the desired temperature.
• with the whisking speed reduced the boiling sugar solution carefully poured in, then with the seed increased to medium, whipping is continued until the meringue is firm
• do not attempt to scrape out the pan or graining will start
• add colour and flavour carefully.
• Pipe the required models;
• Bake at 125° C for about 20 - 40 minutes until they are loose from the tray or paper

Remarks

• before whisking the egg whites, tools, equipment as well as raw materials should be clean and free from fat;
• for whisking the egg whites an equal weight in sugar has to be used as anti curdling sugar;
• if sugar is added too fast the foam will not come up, if the sugar is added too late the foam becomes dry and the foam separates;
• colour and flavour is added after finishing the meringue because it might contain fat;
• prevent the meringue from collapsing by carefully folding in the remaining sugar, colour and flavour;
• with more or less sugar you can make the meringue heavier or lighter. For decoration, fondant, water icing, chocolate, icing sugar, etc. can be used.
• the meringue is not baked but thoroughly dried;
• after drying the meringue should be stored in a dry place because it is very hygroscopic;
• the meringue should not change colour during baking;

Characteristics of meringue

Cold meringue	Boiled or hot meringue
Very high volume	Less volume
Crispy inside	Tough inside
A coarse surface	Very smooth surface

Ingredients

• Egg white

Chicken egg white  consists of 89% water and 11% albumin. The albumin has three important characteristics:

• Air can be whipped
• It can retain air
• It coagulates at 70°C

Some proteins can retain air but do not coagulate.

• Sugar

The best sugar to use is castor sugar. Sugar with invert sugar or molasses is not suitable because it will give a poor quality. He invert sugar will attract moisture after baking and the molasses will give a brown colour.

• Colour, aroma other ingredients

Usually these products are added after finishing the meringue. Sometimes they contain fat or acid which reduces the aeration of the protein.The basic aroma is vanilla. Other aromas are; liqueurs, fruit aromas, chocolate and cocoa. Other ingredients which can be used are; chocolate chips, broken nuts, nut crunch.It is important to mix colour, aroma and other ingredients very carefully otherwise the meringue will collapse.

Processing

• Whisking egg white

By whisking egg whites in a bowl the proteins form large cells filled with air. The volume will increase and the substance will become thicker and will get more body. By continuous mixing the large cells will break and form several small cells. During this process these cell walls are stretched. As the moisture evaporates these cell walls will dry and break. You will then see small particles of egg white. This is albumin. Now the protein has been curdled.

• Anti-curdling sugar

We avoid curdling by adding anti-curdling sugar (the first amount) which will form syrup around the cell walls. The syrup will prevent the walls from drying out. If we add the ant-curdling sugar too late the cell walls are already dried and will break. We then get a soft meringue with little volume. If we add he sugar to soon the syrup will be too heavy whereby the cell walls collapse.

• Fat in meringue

If fat is present in egg white it will not be possible to aerate that egg white. The fat can be present through egg yolk, dirty tools, flour in the gar etc.The fat will be set between the protein cell wall and the sugar syrup layer and decrease the amount of air which can be kept by the protein cell. Therefore fat reduces the aeration of the protein cells because the protein becomes weak.So to make meringue, clean tools and ingredients are needed. Sometimes some acetic or lemon acid is used to toughen the protein when a little bit of fat is present to improve the aeration.

• Baking

Meringue will be baked between 125°- 150°C and tried after that. During baking the developed steam will increase the volume. At about 70°C the protein will coagulate and will give body to the final product. The sugar will melt and will come back in a different form(syrup). Originally the products of cold meringue have to be completely dry and the boiled meringue should have a syrup like inside.

• Faults and causes

faults	causes
Cracks in the products	- Not enough air in the egg white - Some fat - Too fast addition of anti-curdling sugar - Too much manipulation after whisking
Too little volume	- Not enough air in the egg white - Some fat - Too fast addition of anti-curdling sugar - Too much sugar - Too much manipulation after whisking
Brown colour	- Too high a baking temperature - Too much acid - Not very much refined sugar

6.1. 5 Cake and sponges

Introduction

Several names are used for the same products or the name cake is often used for different products.

A cake is a baked mixture of fat, sugar, eggs and flour, with or without milk, baking powder, fruits, etc. A good cake should show a multitude of evenly distributed minute cells without any large holes. It should have good color and sheen, should eat moist, have a good flavor and the general appearance should be attractive, with a good eye appeal.

Changes during processing

Cake batter is an emulsion of the oil-in-water type with air bubbles entrapped in the fat phase, and the remainder of the ingredients dissolved or dispersed in the water phase.
It is generally accepted that the aeration of the cake depends on the expansion of the gases, air and carbon dioxide if baking powder is used, together with the water vapor pressure within the air bubbles.  As the volume of a cake batter is increased by  about 3,5 times during baking, this could not be due solely to the gases, and is has been found that the air content accounts for little more than 10% of the total expansion. The remaining 90% is obtained by the conversion of water into steam within the bubble.
As the temperature rises during baking the batter thins and some coalescence of the bubbles occurs with some loss of gas. The rate of coalescence depends on the bubble size and, more important, the variation in bubble size. Fine bubbles of even size and the presence of large bubbles results in an unstable mix, producing cakes of coarse and even more uneven texture.
The process of coalescence is finally arrested by a thickening of the batter due to the swelling of the starch and the coagulation of the egg and flour proteins. Some authorities regard the coagulation of the flour proteins as being of little importance, as quite a good cake can be made with all starch and no protein. This does not explain why, for example, it is necessary to use a high-protein flour in high-sugar, high-liquid fruit cakes.
The presence of the air bubbles, therefore, is essential, and they can be regarded as the nucleus for the expansion of the cake, controlling it and governing it.

Object of mixing

The purpose of batter mixing is:

• To disperse all the ingredients as efficiently as possible

• To incorporate air into the mix

Incorporation of air

Incorporation of air takes place in two stages:

• A period of rapid incorporation in the form of large bubbles

• A stabilizing period when the bubbles are reduced in size.

Cake making methods

Sugar batter

• The fat and sugar are first creamed during which air is beaten in and held by the fat.

• The eggs are beaten in a proportion at a time and more air is incorporated.

• Finally the flour is carefully folded in and milk, if any, is added.

• Any fruit is added finally.

Remarks

• All ingredients should be at room temperature, ingredients straight from the refrigerator are too cold

• The addition af eggs has to be stopped because of a curdled batter; to make the batter smooth again some flour has to be added; from now on each egg addition is followed by the folding in of flour.

Flour batter

• The fat and an equal amount of flour are well beaten together

•  Any eggs with an equal amount of sugar, are whipped to a half sponge and carefully mixed with the fat/flour mix

• Any balance of sugar is dissolved in the milk with the flavor added. Half is added to the mix, to be followed by the balance of flour and the rest of the sugar /milk solution

• The baking powder, if any, is sieved with the flour.

Remarks

• If no milk is added all the sugar should be mixed with the eggs

• All ingredients should be at room temperature, ingredients straight from the refrigerator are too cold

Recipes

There are many possibilities in the recipes for cake depending on the sales price, special purposes etc. Here you see how recipes can be changed starting with the basic recipe. There are many more possibilities.

ingredients	Expensive recipe		Basic recipe		Cheaper recipe
flour	100 %	1500 g	100 %	1500 g	100 %	1500 g
margarine	100 %	1500 g	70 %	1050 g	70 %	1050 g
Sugar	100 %	1500 g	70 %	1050 g	70 %	1050 g
eggs	100 %	1500 g	70 %	1050 g	50 %	750 g
milk	-	-	-	-	30 %	450 g
Baking powder	-	-	1 %	15 g	2 %	30 g
vanilla	-		-		-
egg yellow	-		-		-

 

Recipe construction and balance

The basic ingredients in batter type cakes each perform a particular function.

• Those ingredients which provide strength and structure to the cake i.e. flour and egg
• Those ingredients which open the texture i.e. sugars, fats, baking powder
• Those ingredients which close the texture and which reduce lightness i.e. milk and water

For a cake recipe to be correctly constructed it must have a good balance between those ingredients which open the texture and those which close it. This in fact is what is meant  by recipe balance.If a cake contains too much sugar, then the structure is weakened to the point where it collapses. This takes place in the centre of the cake, producing the well known “M” fault.Similarly, a cake with too much baking powder will sink in the centre. Conversely, a cake containing too much liquid will have a tough very close rubbery structure collapsing after baking, and a tendency to shrink. These results in a cake pulling away from the cake bands or paper cases, forming concave sides to produce what is known as the “X” fault.The “X” and “M” faults will cancel one another out to a large extent. That is to say, a cake of high sugar and/or baking powder content can be prevented from sinking by adding more liquid. Similarly, a high liquid cake can be balanced by increasing the sugar or baking powder.Egg is very important in providing strength and structure, but excess of tends to produce a tough rubbery cake.The function of the fat, in addition to air, is to shorten the structure and make the cake more tender.  The fat and the egg produce opposite effects and it is generally accepted that for the production of satisfactory cake the ratio of egg to fat should be of the order of 1.25: 1. When considering the construction of a recipe the most commonly accepted method is to relate the quantities of the various ingredients to the flour.

Factors governing cake quality

• Correct preparation of hoops and other containers so that adequate protection is given  during baking

• Careful preparation of all the ingredients prior to mixing, especially with regard to temperature and to fruit, if it is being used.

• Careful handling of the batter during scaling and depositing.

• Correct baking

Depending on the size, thickness, shape, etc., the baking time and temperature vary accordingly

- queen cake	200° - 220° C	between 20  - 30  minutes
- slab cake   (500 g)	160° - 180° C	between  50  - 60  minutes
- wedding cake(3000 g)	160° - 170° C	between 150 - 180minutes

Cake faults  1

CAUSES	FAULTS
Sad streak under top of cake	Under baking Cake being knocked or moved during baking Too hot an oven
Sad streak at bottom of cake	Too much liquid Insufficient baking powder Insufficient sugar Too soft a flour Weak or insufficient egg
Collapsed in centre of cake –white spots on crust	Excess sugar
Collapsed in centre of cake-dark crust	Excess baking powder
Small volume-collapsed at the sides, shrinking from sides	Excess liquid Insufficient egg Flour too soft
Small volume-“cauliflower” top	Too hot an oven Insufficient steam in oven Too strong flour Too much egg Insufficient sugar
Long holes in texture	Insufficient aeration Insufficient creaming Poor creaming fat Bad scaling Too much mixing
Discoloured crumb	Badly balanced baking powder – excess alkali
Too tender crumb	Too much fat in relation to egg
Crumbly crumb-coarse open texture	Weak flour Insufficient egg in relation to fat Too much sugar Too much baking powder Cool oven - slow baking
Fruit sinking	Weak or insufficient flour Insufficient egg Too light a mixing Over creaming - Insufficient mixing - Insufficient egg Too light a mixing - Over creaming - Insufficient mixing Cool oven – slow baking Fruit too heavy -  Very wet - Syrup not removed in case of cherries Batter insufficiently acid Too much sugar Too much baking powder

Sponge

A sponge is a light cake usually containing eggs, sugar, flour and sometimes butter; in the latter case it is usually referred to as butter sponge. The character of a cake can be altered by adjustments in the amount of materials used and or by additions. Genoese is quite close to sponge, sometimes it is the same. Light sponge = butter sponge. When 50% or more fat is used on a sponge recipe it is often called Genoese. Most of the products are used as a base for gateaux, fancies or decorated cakes. Most of the recipes are not very suitable for fillings like fruits. Different recipes sometimes require different processing methods. The main differences are within the recipe.

• Extra egg yolk for finer structure and better taste
• Extra starch for better moisture absorption, which give a more stable batter and a softer product
• Special sugar which improves the softness
• Separate egg white and separate egg yolk addition, which gives a lighter product and the possibility of adding fruits
• Fat addition in different quantities which will improve the softness and taste of the final product
• For a balanced recipe adjustments are necessary when the above mentioned ingredients are added.

Almost any shape can be made. Some models require a different recipe. Products made out of these recipes are Swiss Rolls, Othello”s, Fingers, bases for Gateaux and Fancies.

Processing method

Warm method

• Eggs and sugar are mixed together and warmed until the sugar is dissolved
• The mixture is whipped until it is light; after the initial stage of aeration, the mixer will be slowed down and the batter will be whipped in a way that improves the stability
• When the mixture is aerated and stable enough the flour is carefully folded in
• The boiled butter is folded in and the batter is put in greased and lined tins
• Clean all tool thoroughly
• All ingredients have to be at room temperature
• During whipping big gas bubbles are formed which aerate the mixture; reduce the aeration and try to get small gas bubbles to increase the stability of the dough
• Bake immediately without resting.