Daring bakers- biscuit joconde imprime/entremet

Ingredients

Joconde Sponge:

• ¾ cup/ 180 ml/ 3oz/ 85g almond flour/meal - *You can also use hazelnut flour, just omit the butter
• ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons/ 150 ml/ 2 ounces/ 75 g confectioners' (icing) sugar
• ¼ cup/ 60 ml/ 1 oz/ 25 g cake flour
• 3 large eggs - about 5 ounces/ 150 g
• 3 large egg whites - about 3 ounces/ 90 g
• 2½ teaspoons/ 12½ ml/ ounces/ 10 g white granulated sugar or superfine (caster) sugar
• 2 tablespoons/ 30 ml/ 1 ounces/ 30 g unsalted butter, melted

Patterned Joconde-Décor Paste:

• 14 tablespoons/ 210 ml/ 7 ounces / 200g unsalted butter, softened
• 1½ cups plus1½ tablespoons/ 385 ml/ 7 ounces / 200 g Confectioners' (icing) sugar
• 7 large egg whites - about 7 ounces / 200 g
• 1¾ cup/ 420 ml/ 7¾ ounces / 220 g cake flour
• Food coloring gel, paste or liquid
• COCOA Décor Paste Variation: Reduce cake flour to 6 oz / 170g. Add 2 oz/ 60 g cocoa powder. Sift the flour and cocoa powder together before adding to creamed mixture.

You may like

Biscuit cake, or bolo de bolacha - video recipe !

Preparation

• In a clean mixing bowl whip the egg whites and white granulated sugar to firm, glossy peeks. Reserve in a separate clean bowl to use later. Sift almond flour, confectioner's sugar, cake flour On medium speed, add the eggs a little at a time. Mix well after each addition. Mix until smooth and light. Fold in one third reserved whipped egg whites to almond mixture to lighten the batter. Fold in remaining whipped egg whites. Do not over mix. Fold in melted butter. Reserve batter to be used later.
• Patterned Joconde-Décor Paste:
  Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy (use stand mixer with blade, hand held mixer, or by hand). Gradually add egg whites. Beat continuously. Fold in sifted flour. Tint batter with coloring to desired color, if not making cocoa variation.
  Preparing the Joconde- How to make the pattern:
  Spread a thin even layer of décor paste approximately 1/4 inch (5 millimeter) thick onto silicone baking mat with a spatula, or flat knife. Place mat on an upside down baking sheet. The upside down sheet makes spreading easier with no lip from the pan. Pattern the décor paste Here is where you can be creative. Make horizontal /vertical lines (you can use a knife, spatula, cake/pastry comb). Squiggles with your fingers, zig zags, wood grains. Be creative whatever you have at home to make a design can be used. OR use a piping bag. Pipe letters, or polka dots, or a piped design. If you do not have a piping bag. Fill a ziplock bag and snip off corner for a homemade version of one. Slide the baking sheet with paste into the freezer. Freeze hard. Approx 15 minutes. Remove from freezer. Quickly pour the Joconde batter over the design. Spread evenly to completely cover the pattern of the Décor paste. Bake at 475ºF /250ºC until the joconde bounces back when slightly pressed, approx. 15 minutes. You can bake it as is on the upside down pan. Yes, it is a very quick bake, so watch carefully. Cool. Do not leave too long, or you will have difficulty removing it from mat. Flip cooled cake on to a powdered sugared parchment paper. Remove silpat. Cake should be right side up, and pattern showing! (The powdered sugar helps the cake from sticking when cutting.