Vanilla Genoise and Berries
6 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch salt
1 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup Grand Marnier
Raspberry or currant jam
Assorted fresh spring berries
Beat first four ingredients together with electric mixer on high until batter falls in ribbon from spoon. Then fold in flour with rubber spatula until well incorporated. Add butter in steady stream, folding in quickly so batter does not deflate.
Pour batter into long sheet pan that has been prepared with nonstick spray and parchment liner. Bake at 350 degrees 15 to 18 minutes, until golden brown. Invert on rack, and remove parchment. Lightly moisten with Grand Marnier. Allow to cool. Spread 1/8-inch layer of jam over top of cake. Refrigerate 2 hours or more. Cut crosswise with serrated Knife into 8-by-1/2-inch strips. Mold around cylindrical form (a tin can, for example), jam side up. Add strips to height of 3 inches. Invert last strip so no jam is on top. Remove form. Place in freezer at least 2 hours. Decorate plates with sauces, place génoise cups on plates, and fill with berries.
Raspberry Sauce
12-ounce package frozen raspberries
Chambord liqueur (optional)
Thaw berries, purée, and strain through fine sieve. Add Chambord.
Orange Sauce
1 cup orange-juice concentrate
1/2 cup sugar
Grand Marnier (optional)
Boil juice concentrate and sugar. Remove from heat. Add Grand Marnier.
Creme Anglaise
1 cup milk
4 egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
Grand Marnier or Framboise (optional)
In small saucepan, bring milk to boil. In small bowl, whip yolks and sugar. Still mixing, pour boiling milk into yolk mixture. Return to saucepan, and simmer. Do no boil. When sauce is slightly thickened, strain with fine sieve into iced bowl. Add liqueur. Serves 12.
From “A Grande Finale,” featured in Domain, March/April 1989
