INTRODUCTION

I have my first piece of my strawberry Swiss rolls almost immediately after I baked it yesterday morning. Last night I took another piece, tried the texture and gave every family members a piece. This morning, I have another 2 pieces for breakfast and my kids are fighting for it… The conclusion is simple it is tasty, soft and nice..

Why I started the post in this manner is because I am contemplating whether I should issued the post! The Swiss rolls in the picture apparently are too thin as compared to the commercially sold thickness. This is definitely not a failed recipe, it is the result of using the incorrect baking tray size. I have many baking equipment in my house but I am unwilling to spend any more money just to acquire an odd size  Swiss roll tin.

The baking tin that I am using is the standard size of 32cm x40cm and the recipe that I have used is recommending a 32cm x 23cm baking tin. Therefore, effectively, my thickness (citreous paribus and assuming all other factors constant) should be 40/23 = 1.73 times my thickness. The thickness of my Swiss roll as in the image is about 0.5 cm, therefore, the theoretical thickness of the Swiss roll will be equal to 1.73 x 0.5cm = 0.87 cm if I used the 32cm x 23 cm baking tin. Of course there are other factors that could Therefore, if you follow the standard baking tin of 32cm x 40cm as in my illustration, you will have a thin Swiss roll and you can roll a few times more. However, if you used the recommended baking tin of 32cm x 23cm as in the original recipe, it should be much thicker and you can only roll once.

As Swiss roll is a rather common pastry item, I do not think I need to introduce it to readers, This Swiss roll is a very basic plain Swiss roll and there are only 3 basic ingredients. In addition, I have used a very traditional combination of strawberry jam and whipped cream as its fillings.

WHAT IS REQUIRED

Recipe adapted from: VANILLA SWISS ROLL BY DELICIOUX.COM

• 3 eggs separated into egg whites and egg yolks

• 100 grams of self raising flour

• 50 grams of icing sugar

• 85 grams of milk

• 5o grams of cooking oil

• 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla essence (not in picture)

• 1/4 teaspoon of cream of tartar (optional)

• Pinches of salt (not in picture)

For filling

• Some strawberry jam (not in picture)

• Some whipped cream (not in picture)

STEPS OF PREPARATION

Preparation

• Pre-heat oven to 180 degree Celsius

• Line a 32cm x40cm baking tin or 32cm x 23cm with baking paper. Get another one more piece of paper which is about at least 2 cm longer than the first baking paper. Set aside for later use after the Swiss roll is baked.

Preparing the meringue (Beating of egg whites)

• In a big mixing bowl, place your egg whites and beat using the machine whisk to whisk the egg whites until soft peak. Note that the bowl have to be extremely clean, dry and free of any oils.

• When the volume expands and reach the soft peak, add in about half of the sugar gradually, beat until thick and glossy and until all the sugars dissolved (firm peak). Spoon the filling into a clean bowl and set aside for later use. (Firm peak basically mean that if you over turn your mixing bowl, the egg whites stick to the mixing bowl and would not fall down)

• Use the same mixing bowl, beat the egg yolk and remaining icing sugar together until well mixed. Add in vanilla essence and gradually add in the cooking oil.

• Take out the bowl and add in half of the flour and half of the milk. Stir using a large spatula until well mix. Repeat for the other half of flour and milk.

• Once the batter is well mixed, quickly fold in the meringue. The mixing action should be fast and swift to avoid over handling of the meringue.

• Transfer the batter to the lined baking tin, level the batter and bake the batter at 180 degree Celsius  for about 15 minutes or when the sides of the Swiss roll start to shrink.

• After taking out from the oven, take out from the baking tin. Use something to level the cake if necessary. Put another piece of baking paper on top of the cake. Quickly turn the cake with the bottom of the cake facing you. Tear off the baking paper.

• Spread a layer of strawberry jam on the cake followed by another layer of whipped cream. Once even,  take the width of the cake and roll the cake (like the way of rolling the Sushi) and make sure that the ending portion is facing downwards.

• Cut into about 1.5 cm thick and put in the fridge. Before serving, dust with additional icing sugar if desired.

Towards the end of the picture taking, some of the jam and whipped cream have started to slightly melt and sipped into the sponge cake causing the look to be dense. In fact, it is still light and fluffy.

CONCLUSION

As I do not wish to purchase a cake tin specially for this cake, the cake is slightly thinner. Though it is thinner, personally, I think that the cake was unique in its very own way.  It had more rolls as compared to the traditional Swiss roll of only one roll. The texture did not differ much as compared to the thicker version.

Of course, if reader wants to make a thicker Swiss roll, you can try the following ways;

• Use 6 eggs for 32cm x 40cm trays; or
• Use 3 eggs for 32cm x 23cm baking trays

Hope you like the post today and have a nice week ahead. Cheers.

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