The first of the two cakes we made on Saturday was adapted from Flo Braker’s “La Fleur” cake recipe (from the Simple Art of Perfect Baking). It’s a bit involved, but it’s worth it.
Honey Génoise
1 cup (100 grams) sifted cake flour
1 tbsp granulated sugar
1/8 tsp salt
2 tbsp (1 ounce) unsalted butter
1 tsp lemon zest
3 large eggs, separated, room temperature
2 egg yolks, room temperature
1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
1 tbsp honey
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Butter the bottom and sides of an 8-inch round cake pan and dust generously with flour. Tap out the excess and insert a parchment liner.
Sift together the flour, 1 tablespoon of sugar and salt over a sheet of parchment paper; set aside.
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat and add the lemon zest; set aside to cool slightly.
Add the eggs, egg yolks and honey to the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer and stir on low speed to combine. Rest the bowl in a shallow saucepan or skillet filled with 1-inch of hot water. Whisk the eggs continuously until the egg mixture reaches body temperature (the sugar should be completely dissolved and the mixture should feel slightly warm to the touch).
Place the bowl in the mixer and whip on medium speed (#5) until the mixture has at least tripled in volume and appears light in texture and pale in color (about 5 minutes). Lift the whisk attachment out of the mixture. If the mixture falls back in ribbons and remains on the surface, proceed. If it sinks back into the batter right away, continue mixing for a few more minutes.
Scoop one-third of the flour on a flexible metal spatula and sprinkle it over the batter. Gently fold it into the batter using a rubber spatula until just incorporated. Repeat one or two more times, gently folding until all the flour is incorporated.
Gently pour about 1 cup of the batter into the melted butter and fold until just combined. Then incorporate the butter mixture into the remaining batter, again gently folding to combine.
Very gently pour the batter into the prepared cake pan, taking care not to deflate the foam structure. Bake for 25 to 27 minutes, or until it springs back slightly when touched, the sides begin to contract from the pan and the top is a golden brown.
Place the cake on a rack to cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Loosen the edges with a knife, if necessary, before inverting it onto a cooling rack. Remove the parchment paper and invert the cake again onto another cooling rack, so that the cake is now right side up. Cool completely.
Poached Apples
2 medium sized apples
4 cups water
2 1/4 cups (1 lb) granulated sugar
1 vanilla bean
1 strip lemon peel (zest only)
Pour water into a 2-quart saucepan. Stir in sugar to combine. Add the vanilla bean (cut lengthwise) and lemon peel. Bring just to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved.
Peel the apples and cut them in half. Using a melon baller or small spoon, remove the seeds and core. Add fruit to the syrup and return to a simmer (if necessary, cover the apples with a piece of paper towel to keep them from turning brown). Simmer the fruit on low heat, turning them over once so that both sides are cooked evenly, until a sharp knife inserted into the apple meets no resistance, about 15 minutes (depending on how ripe the apples are). Let the fruit cool in the poaching liquid.
Soaking Syrup
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
1/4 cup Calvados
Pour water into a 1 1/2 quart saucepan. Add sugar and stir to blend and bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove from heat, cover and cool.
Once the syrup has cooled completely, stir in the Calvados and set aside.
Milk Buttercream
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 large egg
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup milk
1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
Add the egg and egg yolk to the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer. Whip on medium speed (#5) until the egg foams slightly and increases in volume (about 1 minute).
Heat the milk and sugar in a 1 1/2 quart saucepan over medium heat, stirring or swirling occasionally until the sugar is completely dissolved (about 1 minute).
Increase heat to medium-high and boil syrup until it registers 220 degrees F on a candy thermometer.
With the mixer on medium speed (#5), pour milk syrup in a steady stream down the side of the mixing bowl. Whip until it cools to body temperature (about 10 minutes).
Maintaining medium speed (#5 or #6), slowly add the butter one tablespoon at a time. Whip until the butter is completely incorporated before repeating, until all the butter has been added. When half the butter has been added the mixture will appear to break – it will look sloppy and lumpy – but this is fine. Keep adding the remaining butter and the mixture will eventually become smooth again.
Assembling the Cake
Carefully cut the cake into two layers. Generously brush the soaking syrup evenly over the cut sides of both the top and bottom layers of the cake. Spread a very thin layer of buttercream over the bottom layer to prevent liquid from the apples to soak into the cake.
Cut the apples into 3/8-inch slices and arrange them evenly over the bottom layer of the cake, leaving a 1/4-inch gap around the edge. Pipe a coil of buttercream around the edge. Center the top layer on top and spread a thin crumb-coat layer of buttercream over the top and sides of the cake. Refrigerate for 15 minutes, or until the crumb-coat sets.
Finish with a final layer of buttercream and decorate as desired.
