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1
Place a 1-quart saucepan half filled with water over high heat and bring it to a simmer.
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2
Make a double boiler by setting a large mixing bowl over the simmering water.
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3
Place the whole eggs, egg yolks, sugar, and honey in the mixing bowl and make an egg foam by whisking the mixture to 113 degrees F (45 degrees C) on a candy thermometer, about 7 to 10 minutes.
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4
The egg foam passes through various stages becoming foamy, then smooth and finally it thickens.
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5
When it is thick, it will be hot to the touch, tripled in volume, and light in color and the sugar will have completely dissolved.
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6
If you dip the whisk into the mixture and pull it out, the batter should fall back into the bowl in a thick ribbon.
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7
Remove the mixing bowl from the heat and whip the batter with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until it cools, increases in volume, stiffens slightly and becomes pale yellow, about 7 to 10 minutes.
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8
Take the time to whip it well; if the mixture is underwhipped, the baked genoise will be dense.
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9
Very, very carefully, fold in the flour with a rubber spatula until the flour is no longer visible, making sure to fold to the bottom of the bowl.
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10
Do not overmix or the batter will deflate.
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11
I bake the genoise on a baking sheet 99 percent of the time because then I can cut it to any size I want.
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12
Spread the batter over a parchment paper-covered baking sheet and bake in a preheated 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) oven until lightly and evenly browned and springy to the touch, about 10 minutes.
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13
If using cake pans, fill buttered and parchment paper-lined 8-inch round cake pans three quarters full.
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14
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) until well-risen and golden brown, about 30 minutes.
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15
Genoise is baked at a higher temperature for a shorter period of time on a baking sheet than when baked in a cake pan to allow it to retain moisture; if overbaked, it will be dry and crunchy.
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16
Let the genoise cool slightly.
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17
Unmold and finish cooling on a wire rack to allow the air to circulate evenly around the cake.
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18
The baked genoise can be stored in the freezer for 2 to 3 weeks if well wrapped in plastic wrap.
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19
Return it to room temperature before using it.
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20
VARIATION: You can easily make this recipe into a Chocolate Genoise by substituting unsweetened cocoa powder for 10 to 20 percent of the weight (a scant 1/4 cup to a full 1/3 cup/0.8 to 1.6 ounces/25 to 50 grams) of the flour.
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21
Weigh the cocoa powder before you sift it.
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22
SIDEBAR: Genoise can be made with butter.
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23
In this recipe, you can substitute butter (5 1/2 tablespoons, 2.7 ounces or 75 grams) for the 3 large egg yolks.
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24
Melt and cool the butter and fold it in after the flour is added.
