For the last few weeks, we’ve been concentrating on a whole slew of savory dishes that celebrate Spring. Today we thought we’d delve into something on the sweet side, and indeed, we have settled on a well-known dessert that should be a staple in everyone’s kitchen. I asked Chef Jerry Pellegrino, where would the Blues be without mention of the good old Jelly Roll? It would be a poorer place, he replied.
The Jelly Roll Cake is an exercise in making sponge cake, the light and airy cake that is so appealing. Although baking show contestants seem to just crank it out, a sponge cake does take a bit of technique. Jerry has put together a step-by-step recipe that is a virtual tutorial. Pay attention to all the steps and you’ll come out a winner.
BASIC JELLY ROLL RECIPE
Ingredients:
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
½ teaspoon baking soda
1⁄3 cup cold water
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
jelly, of choice
confectioners' sugar
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Spray an 11 x15 baking/jellyroll pan with a light spritz of non-stick spray.
- Fit with waxed paper and spray again.
- In a stand mixer or with a hand-held mixer set on medium speed, whip eggs, sugar, vanilla and water until light and fluffy.
- Mix in dry ingredients until just combined.
- Pour thin batter onto the sheet.
- Bake until the sponge is golden and springs to the touch.
- Turn out dish towel wrung in cold water.
- Remove waxed paper.
- Spread with jam/jelly.
- Using the cloth as an aid, roll up the cake into a roll and trim the ends.
- Place on platter.
- Sprinkle with confectioner sugar.
Taking that recipe as a starting point, you can go in any direction you want given the stuffing you want to use. Here’s one idea.
CHOCOLATE CAKE JELLY ROLL
Ingredients:
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup natural cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Dusting
- 20 grams (1/4 cup) natural cocoa powder or Dutch-processed cocoa powder, sifted, for dusting only
- Cream filling
- 1 ¼ cups heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
- 2 cups fresh strawberries, cleaned, hulled and quartered
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (standard) or 320 degrees F convection oven.
Grease and line a 9 by 13-inch baking pan or Swiss roll pan with baking or parchment paper.
Place eggs in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment or in a large mixing bowl. Beat eggs for 1-2 minutes using an electric mixer on medium speed. Once eggs start to become thick and foamy, add the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, while continuing to mix.
Turn the mixer up to medium-high speed and continue to beat until eggs become pale and fluffy, and triple in volume – this is called ribbon stage. It will take around 5-7 minutes.
You’ll know your eggs have reached ribbon stage when you can use the whisk to draw a figure 8 on top of the batter. If the number 8 is still there when you have finished drawing, your eggs are ready.
Sift together the flour and cocoa powder. When the eggs are ready, add half the flour and cocoa and start to gently fold with a spatula. Add remaining flour and cocoa and continue to gently fold the mixture until there are no more pockets of flour or cocoa powder. Use a light hand, so you don’t lose the air in your eggs.
Drizzle the oil and vanilla down the side of the bowl. Gently fold until combined.
Transfer your cake batter to your prepared pan and gently smooth out to form one even layer. Bake for approximately 11 minutes or until cake is no longer sticky to the touch.
Prepare a clean, dry tea towel by generously sifting over half of the cocoa powder reserved for dusting. Take the cake out of the oven and let it sit for 2 minutes just to firm up ever so slightly. Then, in one swift movement, tip the cake out onto the prepared tea towel, then very gently remove the baking paper.
Sift over the remaining cocoa powder on top of the cake. Then gently roll up the cake, from the short side, keeping the tea towel wrapped around the cake.
Place the cake on a cooling rack and leave to cool completely before filling – around 1-2 hours.
In a large mixing bowl, add your cream and whisk on medium speed until whipped and soft peaks form. Stir in vanilla and sugar. Fold in the strawberries.
Very gently, unroll your cake, keeping the end slightly curled. Spread whipped cream mixture over the cake, going right to the edges. Then, gently re-roll the cake back up.
Place the cake in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before slicing.
