My favorite biscuit impregnations

Hello, my darlings! Your permanent baking assistant Olya Athinskaya is with you again. I often come across the question “what should I soak the biscuit with?” and “Why create this at all?” But impregnations for a sponge cake are no less important part of the cake than the cake itself, cream or decor, for example. It is unacceptable to be able to bake a good biscuit and not know how and what to soak it with for the cake.

In the old days of my work in a confectionery, not a single biscuit left the shop without being generously poured with syrup.

It happened like this: the entire large desktop was filled with biscuits, 2 bottles were taken in hand, some with holes in the lid (remember how sprinklers were in childhood?), and with a deft movement of the hands the biscuits were generously poured with some reddish syrup of unknown origin with a clear smell of alcohol, vaguely reminiscent of cognac)).

So, after a certain number of years, I was completely convinced that all cakes made on a traditional sponge cake (the one with eggs + sugar + flour) must certainly be soaked in syrup .

And if previously I was afraid of soaking and dripped very little, now I pour the cakes directly so that the biscuit is specifically moist. In other words, at the moment it takes me about 200 grams. syrup for a 2-kilogram cake.

How to properly soak sponge cake layers?

There are 2 main methods to soak a sponge cake:

using a special bottle with holes
with an ordinary brush

I prefer to impregnate with a brush (I have a silicone one, but this is not important), because this way it is easier for me to regulate the amount of impregnation that gets on the biscuit. When pouring from a bottle, there is a very high possibility of overdoing the impregnation, especially when the area of the biscuit to be impregnated is small.

How to find the amount of impregnation needed? Firstly, I make sure that the entire surface is moistened with syrup, so that there are no dry “gaps”. Secondly, when you press the sponge cake with a brush, you should see that the sponge cake is already “drunk” and will not take any more soaking.

With all this, when you soak the biscuit, you don’t need to shake off the syrup from the brush: dip it in the syrup and go straight to the biscuit. Since the biscuit is a delicate creature, you shouldn’t rub it with a brush either. The impregnation should be applied with light, tapping movements, in much the same way as you apply eye cream .

Keep in mind! Impregnation gives the cake not only juiciness, but also additional sweetness. Therefore, your cream and biscuits should not be very sweet, otherwise the cake will turn out cloying.

So, what should you use to soak the sponge cake layers to make it juicy?

Impregnation recipes for sponge cake

1. Alcohol impregnation

Mixes with any biscuits and entrails depending on the added alcohol. Alcohol can be good fragrant cognac, rum, brandy, amaretto, liqueurs (orange, coffee, chocolate, coconut, etc.). Just not vodka! Yes, and don’t try to make a better cake with cheap alcohol. You will only make it worse. Instead of alcohol, you can add 1-2 tsp. extract or essence (vanilla, almond, orange, etc.). But we make sure that the impregnation is in harmony with the main insides.

For impregnation we will need:

*for a 2 kg cake

water - 100 gr.
sugar - 100 gr.
alcohol - 20-25 g. (see above) or food extract/essence - 1-2 tsp. ( you can order here )

How to prepare the impregnation?

In a small saucepan, combine water and sugar and bring to a boil over medium heat.
Boil for about 1 minute, remove from heat and add alcohol.

If we are afraid that the kids will get drunk, boil the syrup for about 1 minute after adding alcohol.

Follow the link to see an example of a cake with this impregnation: Caramel Banana cake.

2. Lemon impregnation for cakes

This impregnation is perhaps the best one. It’s just a pity that you can’t put the taste of lemon into just any cake))

For impregnation we take:

water - 100 gr.
sugar - 100 gr.
lemon zest - 2 pcs.
rum - 2 tbsp. or rum essence - ½ tsp.

Manufacturing:

In a small saucepan, mix water, sugar, the zest of 2 lemons, removed with a vegetable peeler (only the yellowish layer, because the snow-white one is bitter), and bring to a boil.
Boil for about 1 minute and add rum or rum essence.
Cover the saucepan with cling film and leave to cool with the zest to room temperature.
Before adding, remove the zest and soak the biscuits using a brush.

See the cake with this impregnation for us here: cake with sour cream.

3. Chocolate impregnation for the cake

This chocolate syrup is perfect for chocolate sponge cake.

Required ingredients:

water - 125 gr.
sugar - 100 gr.
salt - 1 pinch
cocoa - 50 gr.
vanilla extract - 1 tsp. or vanilla sugar with natural vanilla - 8-10 g.

Manufacturing method:

In a saucepan, mix water, sugar, a pinch of salt and bring to a boil.
After boiling, add 50 g. cocoa and 1 tsp. vanilla extract, cook for 5 minutes, stirring with a whisk.
Cool the finished syrup to room temperature, mix and soak the biscuit using a brush.

4. Cherry impregnation

Using cherry impregnation as an example, I will show how to prepare impregnation from berries or fruits.

For this we will need:

cherry - 500 gr.
sugar - 80 gr.
cherry liqueur – 70 ml

Preparation method:

Peel the cherries, put them in a saucepan, add sugar and liqueur, and simmer for a couple of minutes over moderate heat.

We don’t need the cherries to be cooked, but only for the juice to be released.

And here is a recipe for a cake with cherries and its impregnation: a cake with chocolate, cherries and mascarpone cream.

5. Coffee impregnation for sponge cakes

And at the end, I’ll share with you my little life hack.

If I want to create a tiramisu-style cake, then I don’t worry about syrups, but just go to the nearest cafe and buy a large glass of mocha or moccacino. In fact, this is the same latte, only with the addition of chocolate syrup or cocoa.

By the way, this cake is not bad because you don’t need to add any additional flavors to it. The most ordinary sponge cake with the most ordinary cream becomes a luxurious coffee cake if it is soaked in good espresso, latte or moccacino .

The best selection of creams for sponge cakes , as always, is here: https://sladkiexroniki.ru/krem-dlya-biskvitnogo-torta/

Juicy and delicious cakes for you, friends!

The best options for syrups for soaking biscuits

To make biscuit products even more tender, airy and fragrant, they are soaked in various syrups. Find out which impregnations are the best.

Why is impregnation needed?

Biscuit is a type of dough that is usually used to make cakes and muffins. Typically, baked goods come out quite fluffy and airy, but may seem dry. And to soften and moisten it, various impregnations are usually used. In addition, syrups improve the taste of the biscuit and give it a pleasant smell. Typically, impregnation is selected taking into account the component parts of the product, because it must be combined with them and complement other ingredients.

How to cook?

How to prepare syrup for soaking biscuits? There are a lot of different options, and the more successful ones are discussed below.

Option #1

The impregnation will turn out fragrant if you prepare it with cognac and sugar. You will need:

three tbsp. l. cognac;
five to six tbsp. l. Sahara;
5 tbsp. l. water.

Mix sugar with water, put on fire and bring to a boil, cook for 5 minutes. The mixture should not thicken very much, and it also cannot remain watery.
Cool the sweet syrup to 25-30 degrees, add cognac and stir everything thoroughly.

Tip: you can replace the cognac with high-quality rum; it will also give the biscuit a pleasant smell and tenderness.

Option No. 2

You can simply, quickly and virtually cost-free create a savory impregnation from jam. The following products will be useful:

glass of water;
half a glass of jam;
two tbsp. l. sugar (if the jam is not very sweet).

Bring the water to a boil, add sugar and stir until completely dissolved.
Add jam and either immediately turn off the heat to obtain a watery soak, or cook the mixture a little to obtain the thickest syrup.
If there are pieces of fruit in the jam, you can strain the liquid, but this is not necessary.

Option #3

Prepare a simple sweet syrup that is suitable for all desserts and baked goods. Here's what you need:

glass of water;
three quarters of a glass of sugar (you can use either regular snow-white or brown).

The preparation is as simple as possible: mix water with sugar, put the mixture on fire and cook until the syrup thickens slightly and acquires the consistency of watery jelly. The impregnation can then be used.

Option No. 4

Try to create a creamy finish. Useful:

a third of a glass of whole milk;
three tbsp. l. cream liqueur;
half a glass of sugar;
a quarter glass of water;
little vanilla extract or vanillin.

Combine milk with water and bring to a boil.
Add sugar, stir until completely dissolved and keep the liquid on low heat for about 5 minutes.
Cool the mixture, then add vanillin and cream liqueur. Mix everything thoroughly and use the fragrant syrup to soak the biscuit dough.

Option #5

If you are preparing a citrus cupcake or cake, then it will be perfectly complemented by lemon soaking. To get it at home, prepare the following set of goods:

glass of water;
a teaspoon of leaf green tea;
half a glass of sugar;
a third of a lemon or a whole small lime.

First, brew some tea. Boil water, pour it over the tea leaves, leaving for 5 minutes.
Strain the finished and slightly cooled drink through rolled up gauze or tissue (medical system of cells and intercellular substance, united by a common origin, structure and functions) .
Squeeze the juice from the lemon, add it to the tea, then add sugar.
Stir everything and soak your shortcakes or cupcakes with fragrant citrus and sweet green tea.

Option #6

Warm and sweet impregnation will be made from condensed milk. For production you need:

half a can of natural condensed milk from whole milk;
70 grams of butter;
glass of water.

Boil water, immediately add condensed milk to it and cook the mixture for almost a minute.
Add butter to the hot, watery mixture until it melts one hundred percent.
Use this syrup right away, while it is hot and watery, so that the butter and condensed milk perfectly saturate the dough. This option is perfect for dry and low-fat biscuits.

Option No. 7

The coffee impregnation will be fragrant. You will need:

three quarters of a glass of sugar;
three quarters of a glass of water;
three tbsp. l. coffee (it is better to use natural ground coffee, but high-quality freeze-dried coffee is also suitable).

Dissolve sugar in water.
Cook the mixture for 5 minutes.
Add coffee and stir it thoroughly.

Option No. 8

Use fragrant and tasty cherry syrup for impregnation. Useful:

a glass of cherry juice;
three tbsp. l. Sahara;
two tbsp. l. cognac

Preparing this impregnation is simple: add sugar to the juice, cook it for 5 minutes, cool slightly, add cognac and soak the shortcakes.

Option No. 9

How to create chocolate impregnation? For production you need:

half a stick of butter;
100 condensed milk;
three tbsp. l. cocoa powder

Heat condensed milk on the stove, add cocoa, stir everything.
Add chopped butter to the mixture.
Bring the mixture to a boil and cook for a minute.

How to properly soak a biscuit?

In order for a sponge cake or cake to be a success and come out airy and tender, it is important to follow certain rules for soaking the cakes. Firstly, the amount of syrup must be moderate: the biscuit dough quickly absorbs water, so it may seem that there is not enough impregnation. But if you increase its volume, the product will become wet and quickly deteriorate.

Secondly, it is important to soak the shortcakes moderately. To do this, almost all housewives use a teaspoon, but this method is not entirely comfortable. The dough may remain dry in some places, but at the same time, some areas will be waterlogged. To distribute the syrup evenly, you can use a pastry brush or a spray bottle.

Thirdly, do not forget about the laws of physics. The liquid sinks down, so soak the bottom crust a little, the middle ones evenly, and the top one generously. The impregnation will seep into the lower layers, providing uniform moisture. Fourthly, it is better to process the dough hot or at least warm, not cooled. As it cools, it begins to become stale, and in this case, adding syrup will not help achieve a better effect.

Advice: consider the original properties of the biscuit. If it is dry on its own, then more impregnation will be needed. If the dough comes out quite wet, then there should be less syrup.

Choose any recipe, prepare the impregnation and use it to improve the parameters of muffins or cake layers.

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Impregnation for biscuit - 8 best impregnations for biscuit

Biscuit baking itself has a delicate thickness and excellent taste, therefore any interference in its structure can make it heavier, or even completely spoil the best properties of a unique product. Do no harm - this is the main task of the confectioner when using different impregnations for a complex dessert, which is considered a sponge cake. If the impregnation for a biscuit is moderately sweet and has a pleasant smell, it can give the dish extraordinary attractiveness. An error in the composition can lead to a nasty sour taste or even some bitterness to the whole cake.

More popular ideas for making impregnations

Posted by RECIPES LIFE HACKS REVIEWS (@krem.tort) November 10, 2019 at 6:02 PST

Syrup made from water and sugar mixes well with various flavorings. Depending on the composition of the ingredients, impregnations for biscuit dough can be divided into two groups:

Publication from 🔥 LIFE HACKS 🔥 RECIPES 🔥 REVIEWS (@krem.tort) Aug 18, 2019 at 10:31 PDT

Impregnations for biscuit without alcohol.
With alcohol content.

Based on the popularity of biscuit moisturizing syrups among countless consumers, we have compiled our recipe ratings.

Top 6 alcohol-free impregnations

Chocolate (cocoa flavored).
Vanilla.
Tea room.
Lemon.
Dairy.
Honey.

The main rules for working with cake impregnations

It is believed that only sponge cakes need to be moistened. With the help of impregnation, the top crust is softened, and the corresponding dryness of the entire product disappears. Unlike sponge cake, shortcakes made from puff pastry or shortcrust pastry can simply become soggy from excess moisture, for their rather ordinary cream.

When making sponge cakes, you need to adhere to the following tips:

One of the main rules is that before applying cream to the biscuits, you need to wait until the biscuit has completely cooled. If you start frosting hot baked goods, the top layers will be saturated with melted cream, while the middle and bottom of the cake will be dry.
To preserve the natural moisture of the sponge cake, you need to cool the product slightly after the oven, wrap it in cling film, and put it in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours.
The pause between soaking in the watery syrup and applying the cream should be between 20 and 30 minutes.
Such cakes do not belong to the accelerated production group. Moistened shortcakes must sit for at least 6 hours before serving.

Our article will describe recipes for the best types of syrups for biscuit dough. As always, we will begin the description with the most common methods.

How to soften a sponge cake

Biscuits baked according to a similar recipe acquire a new taste if the impregnation is changed each time. Almost all recipes are based on a sweet syrup made from water and sugar.

The most common recipe for sponge cake impregnation:

water – 3 tablespoons;
sugar – 2 tbsp. l.

Step-by-step recipe for soaking sponge cake

Specifically in the same proportion as presented in the previous chapter, sand is poured into a bowl, filled with water, stirred and brought to a boil over low heat. With all this, foam appears, which must be removed. Impregnation for sponge cakes made from sugar and water is considered traditional, even in this lightweight form it is ready for use. After the syrup has cooled to +40°C, its composition can be decorated with any aromatic additives.

Photo of traditional impregnation:

How to prepare chocolate impregnation for sponge cake

This type of syrup will give the finished product additional softness and enhance the taste of cocoa. To make it you will need the following ingredients:

cocoa powder – 1 tablespoon;
condensed milk – 100 g;
butter – 100 g.

How to prepare impregnation for chocolate sponge cake:

Combine cocoa with condensed milk in a separate saucepan.
Stir and place in a water bath to completely dissolve.
Stir thoroughly until a homogeneous mass emerges.
Add butter to the mixture and continue heating until the butter is one hundred percent melted.

Fundamentally: It is recommended to grease the cakes with chocolate impregnation before it has cooled down; in a hot, liquefied state, it will penetrate deeper into the porous structure of the dough and give the cake juiciness and softness, enhancing the unique taste of cocoa grains.

Vanilla impregnation

The syrup with a subtle vanilla scent is considered an all-purpose softening agent; it does not contain alcohol, and therefore is ideal for the production of cakes for adults and children of any age. The vanilla composition is applied to the shortcakes using a spray bottle.

This recipe contains the following ingredients:

sugar – 2 tbsp. spoons;
water – one glass 200 ml;
vanilla sugar – 15 gr.

Step-by-step description of making vanilla syrup:

10 unusual recipes for syrup for soaking sponge cakes at home

How to create a cake so that your spouse considers you the mistress of the year, and your friends beg you to share the recipe? The secret, of course, is in the soaking of the cakes.

Baking a biscuit on its own is not a tricky thing, but without soaking it is like balls from a funny story: everything seems to be in order, but it’s not fun. Biscuit impregnation will come to the rescue. Usually it is soaked in sweet syrup, to which are added cognac, cherries, coffee and anything else that the imagination gives a hint, as long as it is edible and smells pleasant. Making them at home is easier than it seems.

1 How to prepare a base syrup for soaking a biscuit at home?

The most common syrup for soaking cakes can be made from sugar and water. To do this, you need to take, in fact, water and sugar in a ratio of 6 to 4, respectively. Mix the ingredients in a thick-bottomed saucepan, wait until the sugar dissolves, and bring the mixture to a boil. The syrup must be removed from the heat immediately after boiling: it is not allowed to let it darken and thicken. Afterwards, the impregnation needs to be cooled, and then put into action.

You can add vanilla extract to such a syrup, but not vanillin itself, otherwise the shortbread will taste bitter.

This impregnation is the most suitable: it is suitable for light and black cakes, any kind of cream and interiors. If you are still a beginner cook, feel free to choose this option, nothing can be spoiled here.

See how the process of soaking a sponge cake looks in our gallery, and later move on to free improvisation of the basic recipe or use one of those that we found for you.

2 Cognac impregnation for the cake

Rum or cognac impregnation for a cake will literally appeal to adult family members. Minors may also be attracted to it, but it is harmful to health and completely illegal.

To prepare this impregnation, take half a glass of sugar and water, and another 2 tablespoons of cognac. Place sugar in boiling water, boil the mixture for 5 minutes and remove from heat. Afterwards, you need to cool the syrup to room temperature and add cognac.

Since alcohol in the recipe is needed to give the dessert a unique smell and delicate taste, the cognac for the recipe must be taken frankly expensive, from the spouse’s gold reserves. If you don’t find one, then you shouldn’t use it at all to soak a sponge cake or another recipe at home. We have other options.

By the way, this impregnation is suitable for both light and black cakes, but it is especially good for chocolate sponge cake.

3 Coffee impregnation for biscuit

This syrup is prepared quickly and will be a delight for coffee lovers. You will need one and a half glasses of water, two teaspoons of ground coffee and a glass of sugar. Boil water, put all the sugar in it and boil for a couple of minutes. Brew coffee using the remaining water and 2 teaspoons of ground beans. When both waters are warm, strain the coffee and mix with the syrup. Under no circumstances should you use instant coffee, the soaking will only disappoint you.

If desired, alcohol can be added to this impregnation. It is perfect for desserts similar to tiramisu or chocolate biscuits.

4 Cherry impregnation for biscuit

Take half a glass of water and cherry juice, boil them, and add one tablespoon of sugar. Boil the mixture for 5 minutes. A small amount of sugar is necessary so that cherry juice retains its distinctive taste and smell. If desired, you can boil the syrup with a cinnamon stick or a couple of cloves. When the impregnation has cooled, you can add a tablespoon of cognac. Or not.

The impregnation is perfect for traditional chocolate-cherry cakes, in the spirit of "Drunk Cherry". But it’s better not to water the snow-white sponge cake - the color of the cakes will be different.

5 Jam impregnation

You can also soak sponge cake layers using regular jam. At the same time, jam can be successfully made of any kind (life hack: break up your mother’s supplies, winter is already over anyway) - berry, lemon, apple. To make this tasty syrup, you need to take two or three spoons of jam, stir them in a glass of water, and bring to a boil. After the mixture has cooled, you can add rum, cognac or liqueur that was left in the bar from the last reception.

This impregnation is suitable for any kind of cakes, but syrup from light jam, for example, apple or lemon, is perfect for snow-white cakes, but save berry or cherry jam for chocolate ones.

6 Syrup for biscuit with Cahors

Cahors will give the dessert new colors of taste, so be sure to try preparing such an impregnation. To cook it, take a glass of sugar and water, bring this mixture to a boil, add two tablespoons of Cahors and a tablespoon of lemon juice. Immediately remove the syrup from the heat. If desired, you can add a little vanillin or vanilla extract to it.

A chocolate cake with cherry insides, soaked in this syrup, will literally please your guests. Children can also be allowed such a delicacy: there is very little alcohol in there, and besides, most of the alcohol will have time to evaporate.

7 Impregnation for biscuit with condensed milk

For biscuits made with milk, impregnation with condensed milk is perfect. The step-by-step recipe is very simple: you need to take a glass of water and three tablespoons of condensed milk, bring the mixture to a boil, boil for one minute and cool one hundred percent. If desired, you can add a tablespoon of alcohol to the finished impregnation.

This impregnation is suitable not only for milk biscuits, but also for custard and butter biscuits. The basic rule is that the biscuit should be snow-white.

8 Honey soak with lemon

Gourmands will love the honey and lemon coating for the cake. Take 10 tablespoons of honey and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Stir them and bring to a boil, cook the syrup for 5 minutes, and then cool one hundred percent.

This is a perfect impregnation for Honey cake - the cake will be very tender, and lemon juice will give an exciting fresh note. But fruit cakes with such impregnation are also unsurpassed, especially if you add the freshest berries to the inside.

9 Caramel impregnation for biscuit

Dissolve 100 grams of sugar in a third of a glass of water (it’s better to take brown sugar), and add a teaspoon of lemon juice. The mixture must be brought to a boil and the heat reduced to low. Cook it over low heat for 10 minutes until amber in color. Remove from heat, add two-thirds cup of heavy cream and a walnut-sized piece of butter. Allow the impregnation to cool before applying.

The syrup is perfect for soaking a cake with sour cream or curd cream, and also for various recipes with nuts. But it’s better not to soak chocolate shortcakes in it: the taste will be very rich.

10 Orange syrup for soaking the biscuit

One orange must be doused with boiling water, thoroughly washed and the zest removed from the fruit. Squeeze out the juice. Combine 80 grams of sugar with 50 grams of water and bring to a boil. The purchased syrup must be boiled in half. Then you need to add orange juice and zest to the saucepan. Cook for one minute and remove from heat. Afterwards, the syrup needs to be strained and cooled. If desired, you can give the impregnation a cognac note by adding a spoonful of strong alcohol.

This syrup mixes perfectly with chocolate biscuits, and you can’t spoil the snow-white ones!

How to soak a cake correctly?

Now you know what to soak the sponge cake with and how to prepare syrups correctly. What other subtleties should be taken into account:

There is a so-called “perfect cake formula”, according to which 1 part should be a sponge cake, 0.7 - impregnation, and 1.2 - cream. This particular proportion is the secret of a perfect dessert.
Soak the cake sparingly. You should not use a spoon: for impregnation it is better to use a spray bottle or a culinary brush.
The syrup is best absorbed into warm (not hot!) shortcakes. It is best to wrap the cooled shortcakes in cling film and leave them in the refrigerator overnight (that is, in the dark) so that they are soaked, so they are soaked. And in the afternoon we decorate with cream and entrails - that’s it, the cake is finally ready.