Gâteau de Savoie is one of the earliest French cakes to use whipped egg whites as a leavener. Savoie is the mountainous area between Italy and France, long used as a travel route, and home to many Jews from the twelfth century on. The area was first integrated into France in 1792. The similarity between the gâteau de Savoie, pan d’España, and Italian ladyfingers (also known as savoiardi) leads me to believe that the recipe may have traveled throughout the Mediterranean with Sephardic Jews and other travelers. This sponge cake tends to dry out after only a day, but it can also absorb a large amount of liquid. Serving it with a homemade fruit syrup, or just fresh strawberries with a little sugar, will keep it moist.

　　

Ingredients

8 to 10 servings

　　7 large eggs, separated

　　1 cup granulated sugar

　　1/8 teaspoon salt

　　1 teaspoon vanilla extract

　　1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

　　3/4 cup potato starch or cornstarch

　　2/3 cup all-purpose flour or matzo cake meal

　　Confectioners’ sugar for dusting

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees, and grease a 10-inch Bundt pan.

　　

Step 2

Mix together the egg yolks, granulated sugar, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer, and beat until they are pale yellow and make a thick ribbon, about 3 minutes. Mix in the vanilla and the lemon zest.

　　

Step 3

Stir the potato starch or cornstarch with the flour or matzo cake meal in a bowl, and then gently fold it into the egg-yolk mixture.

　　

Step 4

Beat the egg whites to stiff peaks in a clean bowl with clean beaters. Mix a third of the egg whites into the egg-yolk batter, and then gently fold in the remainder of the egg whites.

　　

Step 5

Pour the batter into the greased pan, and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out dry. Unmold the cake immediately onto a rack, and allow to cool completely. Dust with confectioners’ sugar, and serve as is or with fruit syrup, strawberries, whipped cream, or ice cream.

　　Quiches, Kugels, and Couscous