Rhubarb & Custard Genoise Cake
This delicate genoise cake recipe marries the classic flavour
combination of rhubarb and custard, teaming it with orange for extra
deliciousness. It produces a wonderfully delicious light sponge cake which is
perfect for sharing over afternoon tea.
Servings: 8
Equipment
- 21cm Spring Form or deep loose bottomed cake tin.
- baking parchment
- piping bag
- Electric hand whisk
Ingredients
For the Creme Patissiere
- 500 ml (18floz) milk ideally whole milk
- 4 egg yolks
- 125 g (4oz) caster sugar
- 50 g (2oz) plain
- 25 g (1 oz) butter unsalted
- 1 teaspoon orange extract
For the Genoise Sponge
- 4 large eggs
- 125 g (4oz) caster sugar
- 125 g (4oz) plain flour + 1 teaspoon for preparing the cake tin
- 1 orange
- 40 g (1½oz) melted butter + extra butter (not melted) for preparing the cake tin.
for the Rhubarb Jam
- 4-5 stems forced rhubarb about 300g (11oz), washed
- 1 Orange
- ½ lemon juice only
- 4 tablespoon Sugar
to complete
- 2 stems of forced rhubarb about 100g (3½oz) , washed
- 75 g (3oz) icing Sugar
Instructions
To make the Crème Pâtissèrie
- Pour 500ml (18floz) milk into a saucepan. Heat gently and allow to come almost to the boil. Set the pan aside.In a large bowl whisk 5 egg yolks and 125g (4oz) sugar together until pale, then whisk in 50g (2oz) plain flour and mix until smooth.
- Pour half of the hot milk mixture over the egg mixture, whisking all of the time, then pour the egg mixture back into the pan, continuing to stir all of the time. Return to a low heat and cook whilst stirring constantly until the mixture thickens then reduce the heat and cook for 1–2 minutes.
- remove from the heat and add 25g (1oz) butter and 1 teaspoon orange extract. stir until it has melted and combined with the custard. Pour the custard passing it through a sieve into a clean bowl. Cover with crumpled piece of dampened baking parchment ensuring that it is in direct contact with the custard to prevent a skin from forming. Set aside to cool.
To make the cake
- Prepare the cake tin. Thoroughly grease the bottom and sides of the cake tin with a little butter. Line the base with baking parchment. Place a teaspoonful of plain flour into the cake tin. Rotate the tin to encourage the flour to stick to the buttered sides of the cake tin. Ensure all of the sides are floured. Tap out any excess flour.
- Preheat the oven to 180℃ (160℃ fan)/350°F/gas mark 4.
- Place 125g (4oz) caster sugar and 4 eggs in a large heatproof bowl and place over a pan of gently simmering water. Whisk the eggs and sugar together until very thick. The whisk will leave a trail when lifted from the mixture. Remove from the pan and continue whisking for a few more minutes.
- Sift 125g (4oz) plain flour over the mixture and gently fold in with a spatula or large metal spoon along with the grated zest of 1 orange until just combined. Drizzle 40g (1½oz) melted butter over the surface and fold in. Pour into the cake tin and bake in the centre of the oven for 20 -25 minutes until golden and springy to the touch.
- Remove the cake from the oven and set onto a cooling rack. Once the tin is cool enough to handle release the sides of the tin from the cake and transfer the cake to a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the rhubarb jam
- Remove the ends of 300g (11oz) rhubarb. Cut the rhubarb into roughly 2cm (1in) pieces and put into a small pan. Finely grate the zest from 1 orange and add half to the pan (save the remaining zest to finish the cake). Squeeze the juice of 1½ oranges and add to the pan with the juice of ½ lemon.
- Add 4 tablespoons sugar and cook over a medium heat until the rhubarb has broken down and reduced in volume to form a thick mixture. Stir frequently especially as it thickens, to prevent it burning on the base of the pan.
To prepare the rhubarb batons
- Once the cake has been removed from the oven, reduce the temperature to 130℃ (110℃ fan)/230°F/gas mark ¼. Trim the ends off 100g (3½oz) rhubarb stems. Cut the stems into 5-6cm (2in) long batons. Lay them on a baking tray. Place into the cooled oven and bake for 10 minutes. They should be tender when a sharp knife is inserted. Remove the tray from the oven and set the batons aside to cool.
To complete
- Place 75g (3oz) icing sugar into a small bowl. squeeze the juice of the remaining orange and stir into the icing sugar to make a smooth thin icing adding a little water if needed or adding a little more icing sugar if it becomes a little too loose.
- Carefully slice the cake in half horizontally and place the base on a serving plate. whisk the cooled Crème Pâtissèrie to loosen and spread a little over the base of the cake.
- Arrange the baked rhubarb batons on top of the custard, positioning the ends of the batons so that they are at the edge of the cake and pointing towards to centre. Spoon the rhubarb jam into the centre of the cake.
- Fill the piping bag fitted with a plain nozzle with the remaining Crème Pâtissèrie and pipe 'blobs' of the custard between the rhubarb sticks. Pipe smaller blobs of custard on top of the rhubarb batons, aiming to get a level surface for the top of the cake to rest on. Place the top layer of cake over the filling.
- Spread the water icing over the top of the cake and sprinkle with orange zest. Enjoy!
Notes
Cook's tips
- The egg whites remaining from making the Crème Pâtissèrie can be placed into an airtight container and kept in the refrigerator for a few days or frozen for later use..
- The Crème Pâtissèrie can be made the day ahead if necessary. Store it in the fridge once it has completely cooled.
- The jam can also be made a few days ahead and stored in the fridge until required.
- The genoise batter will take longer to beat if the eggs are cold from the fridge. Aim to work safely with the bain marie. If the beaters do not reach the pan safely allow the eggs to warm over the bain marie until they feel lukewarm (neither warm nor cold) to the touch and then remove the bowl from the pan beating the mixture on the work surface as normal.
- The cake will keep for a few days if stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Bring to room temperature to serve.
- Not suitable for freezing.