Food glossary

Sponge

Sponge

Sugar and fat are creamed together, then eggs and flour are added to make a basic sponge. The mixture is then poured into a prepared tin and baked until it rises and is soft to the touch. A wide variety of flavours including chocolate, lemon and coffee can be added to the basic mixture.

Sponge cake

A wide variety of sponge cakes are available from Waitrose including Coffee and Walnut Sponge Sandwich (a coffee and walnut all butter sponge sandwiched with coffee buttercream with a coffee fudge and chopped walnut topping); Chocolate Fudge Sponge Sandwich (a chocolate sponge layered and decorated with chocolate fudge icing and finished with milk and white chocolate shavings); Lemon Drizzle Sponge Sandwich (a lemon all butter sponge sandwiched together with buttercream and lemon curd and topped with a crisp lemon sugar coating) and Victoria Sponge Sandwich (a light all butter sponge sandwiched together with buttercream and strawberry conserve topped with a light sugar dusting).

To store: Keep in a cool, dry place. Once opened store in an airtight container and eat by the best before date.

Sponge flan case

Plain sponge mixture is baked in a round, fluted flan case which is then ready for filling. Waitrose sell 16 cm Soft Sponge Flan Cases.

Uses: Fill with single or mixed fresh sliced fruit such as strawberries or kiwi fruit or with drained, canned fruit such as peaches or pineapple for a quick and easy dessert.

To store: Keep in a cool, dry place. Once opened store in an airtight container and eat by the best before date.

Trifle sponge cakes

These are small oblongs of sponge, coated in sugar. They are sold in packs of 8.

Uses: Place in the bottom of a glass serving dish as the base layer for a trifle. The sponges can also be broken into crumbs to make home-made truffles.

To store: Keep in a cool, dry place. Once opened store in an airtight container and eat by the best before date.

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