But baking it is a different matter. Probably the hardest sponge batter I’ve ever made, a swiss roll is fatless (bar the eggs) and my recipe involves whisking egg whites to a soft peak and then oh-so-delicately folding in the yolks, sugar, a drop of warm milk and flour.
It takes only eight minutes to cook - too long, you get a flavourless, dense sponge; too short, you’re swiss roll will taste eggy - and rolling the darn thing up when it is fresh out of the oven really piles the pressure on.
You’re doomed if the inch-thick sponge cracks mid-roll - there’s no saving it then. But if you get it right (and you will with practice), a swiss roll is so worth the stress. Oh, and one golden tip: raspberry jam is the best filler to any swiss roll.
Swiss roll ='s jammy, happy, fun, stressful!
Swiss Roll (makes about 8 slices)
3 eggs, separated
110g caster sugar, plus extra for dusting
110g SR flour, at least double sifted
2 tbsp hot milk
160g raspberry jam, warmed
Preheat oven to 200C. Grease and line a 25cm x 30cm swiss roll pan - if you don't have one, a lasagne dish will do!.
Beat egg whites in small bowl with electric mixer until soft peaks form; gradually add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating thoroughly between additions.
Whilst the mixer is still whizzing, add egg yolks, one at a time, beating until mixture is pale and thick (this will take between 5 and 10 minutes).
Pour hot milk down side of bowl and add flour. Working quickly, use a plastic spatula to fold milk and flour through egg mixture. Pour mixture into prepared pan, gently tapping the pan so that the mixture spreads evenly into corners.
Bake for about 8 minutes, or until top of cake feels springy when touched lightly with fingertips.
Meanwhile, place a piece of baking paper the same size as the pan on the worktop surface. Sprinkle evenly with extra sugar. When the swiss roll is cooked, immediately turn cake onto sugared paper and use a serrated knife to cut away the crisp edges from all side of cake.
Gently roll the cake up (from the short end) with the lining paper still on it. Unroll, then peel away the lining paper. Spread evenly with jam, then roll cake up again, from same short side, by lifting paper and using it to guide the roll into shape
