Orange and Semolina Microwave Sponge
Microwave sponge or better named “siphon cake” is quick and easy to make using a siphon and microwave, and can be used as a delicious textural component for many desserts, whether it be plated, Verrines or entremets!
The batter is usually composed of eggs (whole eggs, egg whites or egg yolks), sugar, fats, milk proteins, plus some form of flavoring component such as chocolate, spices or even herbs.
To make the Microwave sponge all you need is a kitchen siphon and some N2O cartridges, 40 seconds later you have a perfectly soft & fluffy and aerated sponge:
Simply blend your ingredients into a smooth batter, pour into a whipping siphon, and charge with N2O cartridges to make a quick cake foam.
When cooked in the microwave, the egg and gluten proteins work as bonding and gelling agents, aiding in stabilising a solid foam.
The cake rises without a leavening agent because the air bubbles in the foam expand when heated in the microwave, puffing up the cake, much like a soufflé.
Once cooked, it can be frozen and used when necessary.
Ingredients:
(Recipe for 6 cups)
85g Egg whites
20g Egg Yolks
15g Veg oil
20g Plain flour
40g Semolina flour
5g Orange zest
55g Icing sugar
Weigh out all the ingredients into a jug and blend with a hand blender.
Pass through a sieve, and pour the mixture into a soda siphon and load it with 2 n20 charges.
Make some small holes at the bottom of a paper cup to allow steam to escape.
Pour the mixture into 6 paper cups (around 30g each) and cook one at time in the microwave for 40 seconds max powder.
Once cooked in the microwave, allow to cool completely upside down on a cooling rack. (Inverting the just cooked sponge will prevent the sponge from collapsing.)
Wait a few minutes before removing the cake from the mould so that it cools and sets firmly.
Store the sponges into an airtight container or freeze.
Orange and Semolina sponge is featured in one of my plated dessert “Sunshine" a monochrome dessert that I created for The Dessert Lab, monthly challenge.
The dessert is composed of a cheesecake mousse coated with a mango and passion fruit glaze, a light orange and semolina microwave sponge, a passion fruit Cremeux, and orange caviar.
As final step, I added thin slices of mango to give a touch of freshness to the dessert.
Hope you’ve enjoyed this recipe as much as I did. Have fun and if you would like to share with me your version, please send it to me on my social channels!