Punch Biscuit Paste

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •8-cup (2 L) simple ring mould
• •Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
• •Two large mixing bowls
• •Broad flexible spatula
• •Fine-mesh sieve
• •Digital kitchen scale
• •Fine skewer or cake tester

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the mould

   Set a rack in the middle of the oven and heat it to a moderate 350°F (175°C conventional, 165°C fan). Brush every surface of a simple 8-cup (2 L) ring mould generously with the softened butter, paying particular attention to the central tube and upper rim. Sift the flour twice onto a sheet of parchment. Rub each measured spoonful of citrus sugar with its zest until fragrant and slightly damp, keeping the orange and lemon sugars ready together.

   Choose a simple ring rather than an elaborately creased Bundt mould. The source calls for a buttered mould, and a smooth shape releases cleanly without adding a flour coating that would dull the fine crust.
2. 2

   Beat the yolk foam

   Put the granulated sugar, yolks, and measured whole egg in a large bowl. Beat at medium-high speed for 8 to 10 minutes, scraping the bowl once, until the mixture is very pale, thick, and frothy enough to fall from the whisk in a ribbon that remains visible for several seconds. Add the orange sugar, lemon sugar, and rum only after this foam is established, then beat for 15 seconds to distribute them. If the mixture remains coarse and heavy, set the bowl over barely warm water for 20 seconds while whisking, then remove it and continue; gentle warmth helps the sugar dissolve, but the bowl must never become hot enough to cook the yolks.

3. 3

   Fold flour and butter

   Sift one-third of the flour over the yolk foam and fold with a broad spatula, cutting down through the centre, sweeping along the bottom, and lifting the mixture over itself. Repeat with the remaining flour in two additions, turning the bowl as you work. Melt the butter gently and cool it to about 95 to 104°F (35 to 40°C), fluid but no longer hot. Stir a generous scoop of batter into the butter, then pour this lightened butter around the inside edge of the bowl and fold just until no yellow slick remains on the bottom. If the butter forms firm beads, warm the underside of the bowl over barely warm water for five seconds and fold twice more. Do not beat.

4. 4

   Fold the whites last

   Set aside 1 tablespoon of the measured egg whites. In a spotless bowl, beat the remaining whites until they hold firm, glossy peaks, then whisk in the reserved white a little at a time and stop when the peak stands stiff but still looks supple. If the whites turn dry and clumpy before that point, add the reserved white by teaspoons and whisk by hand until the gloss returns. Ça se rattrape. Fold one-third of the whites into the batter with a slightly firmer hand to loosen it, then fold in the rest gently in two additions. Stop as soon as the white streaks disappear; the batter should fall in a broad, airy ribbon.

   Stiff froth does not mean dry froth. Glossy whites bend into the batter; overbeaten whites break into little rafts and force you to overmix.
5. 5

   Bake without delay

   Transfer the batter immediately to the buttered mould and level it with one gentle sweep of the spatula. Bake for 32 to 38 minutes without opening the oven during the first 25 minutes. The biscuit is ready when the crust is evenly bronze-gold, the top springs back under a light fingertip, and a fine skewer inserted midway between the wall and central tube comes out clean or with one tender crumb. If the centre still trembles or leaves wet batter on the skewer, return it to the oven for 4 to 6 minutes; if the crust is already dark enough, cover it loosely with foil.

6. 6

   Rest and unmould

   Let the biscuit stand in its mould for 10 minutes, then loosen the edges and tube with a thin blunt knife and invert it onto a cake plate. If it clings, wrap the outside of the mould in a warm, damp towel for 30 seconds and try again rather than tearing at the crumb. Cool for at least 15 minutes before cutting. Serve slightly warm or fully cooled, plain and confident, so the rum and citrus remain clear. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Orange sugar and lemon sugar are concentrated flavorings, not spoonfuls of raw zest. For each one, rub only the finely grated colored skin into its measured sugar until the crystals smell vividly of the fruit; white pith brings bitterness and has no place here.
• •Weigh the beaten whole egg. Halving three eggs gives 75 g, and the scale preserves the source formula without forcing a second cake onto your evening. Keep the unused beaten egg for tomorrow's omelet.
• •The butter must be fluid but merely warm. Hot butter collapses the yolk foam, while cool butter sets into beads; lightening it with a scoop of batter lets it enter without sinking.
• •A ring mould is the most reliable home shape because the central tube brings heat into this rich batter. The same paste may fill 12 sturdy paper cases two-thirds full; begin checking them after 16 minutes.
• •Keep the finished biscuit covered at room temperature for up to two days. Refrigeration hardens its generous measure of butter and makes the crumb seem heavier than it is.

Advance Preparation

• •The orange and lemon sugars may be prepared a day ahead and kept tightly covered so their perfume remains in the sugar rather than escaping into the cupboard.
• •The biscuit may be baked one day before serving. Cool it completely, then wrap it closely and keep it at room temperature; the rum and citrus settle through the crumb overnight.
• •For longer keeping, wrap the cooled cake twice and freeze it for up to one month. Thaw it while still wrapped so the crumb keeps its moisture.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 75g)