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Torta Saint Honoré with Sponge Cake

17/11/2023

The Torta Saint Honoré is a classic of French pastry that is named after the patron saint of pastry chefs and bakers, Saint Honoré. The traditional version involves the use of puff pastry as the base, but if you wish to use sponge cake, I will provide you with a variant that suits this request.

Ingredients

For the sponge cake base:

  • 120g of flour
  • 120g of sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • A pinch of salt

For the custard cream:

  • 500ml of milk
  • 1 vanilla pod
  • 120g of sugar
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 40g of flour
  • 20g of cornstarch

For the pâte à choux:

  • 125ml of water
  • 60g of butter
  • A pinch of salt
  • 1 teaspoon of sugar
  • 75g of flour
  • 2 large eggs

For the chantilly:

  • 250ml of fresh cream
  • 20g of powdered sugar

For the caramel:

  • 150g of sugar
  • 50ml of water

Preparation

  1. Sponge Cake: whisk the eggs with sugar until the mixture is frothy and light. Add the sifted flour and salt, mixing gently. Pour the mixture into a buttered and floured cake tin and bake in a pre-heated oven at 180°C for about 20 minutes. Let it cool.

  2. Custard cream: in a saucepan, bring the milk with the slit vanilla pod to a light boil. In a bowl, beat the yolks with the sugar, then add the sifted flour and starch. Drizzle in the hot milk, stirring, and return it all to the heat to thicken. Cover with cling film in contact and let cool.

  3. Pâte à choux: bring the water with butter, salt, and sugar to a boil. Turn off the heat and incorporate the flour all at once, mixing vigorously. Put back on the heat and dry out the mixture. Allow it to cool and then incorporate one egg at a time. Create small balls on a baking tray lined with parchment paper using a pastry bag and bake at 200°C for about 20-25 minutes.

  4. Assembly: fill the choux puffs with custard. Prepare a caramel with sugar and water and, when golden, dip the base of the choux puffs and then attach them around the edge of the sponge cake.

  5. Chantilly: whip the cold cream with powdered sugar and fill the center of the cake.

  6. Finish decorating with caramel and chantilly on top of the choux puffs, and if you wish, with caramel threads.

Curiosity

This cake lends itself to numerous variations and personalizations. Incorporating the sponge cake as the base adds a soft texture that contrasts with the crispiness of the pâte à choux and the creaminess of the custard. A nice way to combine French tradition with a more familiar touch of Italian pastry.