jelly sponge

Photographer: Kate

Grandma Ada was my heroine as a child. She is really the reason I became so fascinated with food and in particular baking. Our family regularly visited the farm where Grandma and Granddad lived and were always spoilt with homecooked feasts and an endless supply of meticulously perfected baking.

Sponges were always light as a feather, moist and softly golden. In particular I have the fondest memories of the one filled with Jelly! Grandma used a good old packet of Gregg’s raspberry jelly crystals which to be fair is the traditional family favourite, and is in fact quite delicious. When Grandma died I inherited her collection of recipes, an oh so loved collection of handwritten recipes, bursting with newspaper cut outs, recipes written on the back of receipts stashed between the beautifully scribed blue pages of the original book . All this history held together with several layers of various kinds of tape! This is one of several sponge recipes that feature, but was described as being ‘for jelly or cream’.

In this recipe I have made a real raspberry jelly which gave the cake a real raspberry punch. Feel free to use Gregg’s (just reduce the amount of water in the jelly by half). The sponge can also be cooked in one tin and split but the cooking time will be longer. Enjoy. Thanks Grandma Ada xx

 

INGREDIENTS

Sponge
4 eggs
1tbsp hot water
Pinch of Salt
¾ cup caster sugar
1 tbsp flour (heaped)
1 cup cornflour
2 tsp baking powder

Raspberry Jelly
500g raspberries (fresh or frozen)
130g caster sugar
3 leaves of gelatin (gold grade)

Chantilly Cream
1 cup cream
½ tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp caster sugar

METHOD

Sponge
1. Preheat oven to 175ºC on Bake
2. Separate eggs and place whites in a large mixing bowl or stand mixer bowl.
3. Beat whites with hot water and a pinch of salt till stiff.
4. Add caster sugar and continue beating for about a minute.
5. Add yolks and beat a further minute.
6. Sift dry ingredients together and carefully fold into the egg mixture taking care not to knock too much air out of the mix.
7. Split the mixture between two lined or greased 20cm round sponge tins.
8. Drop the filled tin on the table or bench before placing in the oven.
9. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the sponge springs back when lightly pressed with a finger.
10. Allow the cakes to cool for 5 minutes, then remove from tins and place on a cooling rack until completely cool.

Raspberry Jelly
1. Place raspberries and sugar in a pot over a medium heat until the mixture becomes soft and juicy.
2. Place gelatine in a bowl of cold water to bloom
3. Pass the raspberry mixture through a fine sieve and make the liquid up to 300mL with water. Discard seeds and pulp.
4. Squeeze excess liquid from the gelatin and add to warm raspberry juice. Stir till dissolved.
5. Line a 20cm cake tin with cling film (lightly oiling the tin first will help the film to stick)
6. Pour the Jelly into the tin and place in the fridge to set for about an hour

Chantilly Cream
1. Place all ingredients in a bowl and beat until soft peaks form.

Assembly
1. Place first layer of sponge on a plate.
2. Remove jelly from tin and flip upside-down onto sponge.
3. Pipe or spoon the chantilly cream onto the jelly.
4. Place the top layer of sponge on the top.
5. Dust with icing sugar.