Cutting parchment paper (04:56)
Texture is the key to a good génoise. If the egg mixture is underbeaten, the cake will not be moist enough. Over beating, on the other hand, makes the batter too fluffy, producing a cake that is dry and crumbly. And if the flour is not properly folded in, the cake will be gooey and heavy. Nonetheless, the process is straightforward.
A génoise is unusually versatile, lending itself to an enormous variety of pairings with creams, custards, fruits, and syrups.
Cutting a génoise (01:28)
Many recipes call for very strong coffee to flavor cakes, creams, or syrup. You can use instant espresso powder mixed with boiling water, or the first few tablespoons of espresso from the machine, or even the initial stream of coffee from a regular coffeemaker, which is stronger than the full portion from the pot.
Cut a right triangle of parchment paper measuring about 12 inches on the long side. Grab the 2 opposite ends of the triangle, each with the thumb and forefinger of one hand, and twist the paper onto itself to make a cone. Don’t worry if the cone isn’t very pointed at this time. Holding the cone with both hands, your thumbs inside and your forefingers on the outside, move your thumbs down and your fingers up to make the paper slide up between them, and tighten the cone in this way to make the cornet needle-sharp at the tip. Fold the top edge of the paper inside the cone to secure it and prevent the cone from uncoiling.
To use, fill the cornet, fold the top over, and cut off the tip to make a very small opening.