Today we are going to talk about technique, but more particularly about the central element when you make pastries: a “biscuit”. Be careful, here “biscuit” is a French word and don’t refer to cookies or biscuits. In France ”biscuit” has two meanings : a biscuit or a sponge cake for entremets, here we are talking about sponge cake. ”Biscuit” is the base of 90% of pastries and can totally change the taste of a dessert. In France there are several types of “biscuits” to make cakes & entremets. In this article, I will detail and explain which elements distinguish “biscuits” from each other.
“Biscuits” doughs are light, beaten mixtures made from a large amount of eggs, sugar and flour. In general, these doughs are made cold by raising stiff snow white.
Here is a list of basics to know:
Sponge finger : a soft and sweet base, it is the perfect biscuit to make charlottes or tiramisus. It can be eaten plain for a snack and soaks very well with coffee, syrup ...
Joconde biscuit: this biscuit is made with almonds. It is used to make desserts such as Yule log,strawberry cream cake or opera cake. The difference between this biscuit and the sponge cake the joconde biscuit contains almond powder and is therefore sweeter to the taste.
Sacher biscuit: it is a base of chocolate and almond paste “biscuit”. It is the secret of soft and melt-in-the-mouth desserts.
Biscuit from Savoie: this biscuit should theoretically be the lightest of all because it contains starch. The gluten will then be less important and therefore chewing will be more airy. In addition, a mould is dedicated to it, the Varenne mould, which gives it a singular presentation.
Dense doughs are thicker preparations often used to make cakes because they have a dense consistency that makes them self-sufficient. Most of these mixtures are (very) compact, which brings texture to the dessert.
Here is a list of basics to know:
Cake: this is the basic to make if you start as a beginner and want to enjoy a good dessert. Quite dense,a cake is rarely used as a base for entremets. However, with this base, you can let your imagination run wild and add your favourite ingredients for more indulgence. The basic cake is usually a mixture of egg, flour, sugar, butter and yeast.
A financier: the financier cake looks like a dacquoise, only you don't make a meringue, and you add flour and butter, which gives it a little more texture and density. In general the base of this biscuit is almond powder, however we often find recipes with other powders such as hazelnut, pistachio, etc ...
A madeleine : similar to the cake, the madeleine is a small cake generally prepared for snacking. Its mould gives it a very original shape. It's conducive to creativity and revisited versions. There are a thousand ways to indulge yourself with this cake.
Meringue “biscuits” are obtained by incorporating powder (almonds, hazelnuts, pistachios, walnuts, flour, etc.) into whites, more or less beaten into a meringue. White eggs give the volume of the beaten dough. Depending on the meringue, we obtain a heavy or light dough.
To get into pure technique: when you whisk, you add air and the volume of the dough increases. The flour follows the baking process and the air cells expand and increase in volume to make the dough swell. The heat coagulates the egg white, which is why the dough keeps its volume.
Here is a list of basics to know:
The dacquoise (or success): it is a mixture of French meringue and almond powder (as much sugar as almond powder) with an addition of flour making this “biscuit” slightly drier, more swollen, with a crunchy exterior and a soft interior.
The progress “biscuit”: looks like the success “biscuit”; the proportions are the same but the almond powder is combined with hazelnut powder. Flour is sometimes added to swell it slightly and make it crunchier on the outside.
Each biscuit will have an article dedicated to it so that you understand in more detail how to master them, and how to use them for your pastries.
Don't hesitate to give me your opinion on the one you are most interested in, so that I can post your favourite “biscuit” first.
Hope you enjoyed this global article about French “biscuits”, and see you soon on TPB !
Lea from The Paris-Best.
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