Methylcellulose F50, genoise, and structure

[cteavin]

I'm not sure if this is the best place to post, if not and the moderators would like to move, feel free.

The other day I took out the methylcellulose F50 and proceeded with the following:

• 120 grams egg white
• 60 grams methylcellulose F50 hydrated overnight (3 grams F50, 1 gram Xanthan, 150 grams water)
• 150 grams white sugar
• 100 grams AP flour

Method: Whipped the whites and F50 until they started to foam, added sugar and whipped util they still (about 10 minutes). Folded in the flour and baked in floured cake pan 30 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius. Five minutes after taking out, inverted the cake pan with the cake inside.

The next morning the center collapsed a bit. Cutting, the center fell further. There were lots of air pockets which when collapsed form layers. There's nothing gummy about it. The taste and mouthfeel remind me of a sweat bread than a cake. Taste, moist and wonderful.

Aside from a savory cake another goal is to make a genoise with reduced sugar and no fat. My thinking was that since the F50 holds 40 times its weight in water then the cake should be moist without syrup and fat. Yes. After 24 out without a cover, it's still moist and the flavor is good.

I'm thinking the weight of the water has caused the cake to collapse. Does anyone know a formula for how much sugar stabilizes x grams of egg white? In other words, do you think an increase in sugar would help stabilize the cake? Also, do you think that using a bread flour would give the cake the structure it needs? Ideas on preventing it from deflating are appreciated.

Thanks

[Tri2Cook]

I'll have to dig through my notes but I developed a recipe a few years ago for a savory biscuit roulade. It had almost no sugar in it and the texture, crumb, etc. worked out great. I developed it at someone else's request, they were wanting a savory "jelly roll" type thing with a mushroom mousse. I realize you're not looking for savory and what I did wasn't a genoise, the reason I mentioned it is because the lack of sugar didn't seem to have any real negative effects when baked in a thin layer. I didn't try baking it in deeper pans. I'm curious now how it would have stood up to that.

[cteavin]

Actually, the holy grail for me is a savory cake. If you have your notes, I would be extremely grateful if you would share.