Ingredients / Shopping List
3 large eggs90g caster sugar90g plain flour2 tblsp raspberry seedless jam1 tblsp caster sugar for topping
Prep to Cook: Hand held electric whisk, mixing bowl, tablespoon, spatula, swiss roll tin lined with non-stick paper, spare sheet of non-stick paper, scissors
Prep: Put the eggs and the caster sugar into the mixing bowl
Whisk on high speed until thick, pale and frothy
Lightly sieve the flour over the surface
Fold very gently to mix in flour
Do not overmix
Pour into lined swiss roll tin
Tip the tin to spread the mixture – do not spread
Bake for 12 – 15 minutes until golden and springy
Tip straight onto non-stick paper sprinkled with sugar
Trim all edges with a sharp knife
Spread with soft raspberry jam
Carefully cut a line 1 cm from the end of the roll furthest away from you.
Pull the paper to roll the cake gradually towards yourself
Stop when the cake sits on the end of the cake.
Transfer to cake plate
Swiss roll does not originate from Switzerland but probably from Austria. It is a classic, rolled up cake, filled with jam.
Cooks Know How: A whisked sponge makes a swiss roll by a process called the 'whisking method'. Traditionally the eggs were placed over a bowl of hot water to help hand whisking create a foam. Nowadays the electric hand-held mixers do a good job without the bowl of hot water being needed. The whole cake relies on the trapping of air in the egg foam. The caster sugar stabilises the foam so that it becomes very thick, pale and frothy. Once maximum foam formation has been achieved the flour must be added by folding in very carefully using a spatula to prevent loss of air and volume. The cake mixture can be poured into the prepared swiss roll tin and allowed to ‘flow’ by tipping the swiss roll tray so that the mixture gets into the corners. If you spread the cake mixture many of the air bubbles are lost and the cake does not rise so effectively. Cooking is short and fast. The air in the foam expands and then the egg proteins coagulate and set along with the gluten, a protein from the flour. The sugar caramelises on the surface making the crust brown slightly. Once a light, bouncy set is achieved the cake is ready. Working quickly, the flat cake needs trimming all round so that it will roll up well. Softened jam is spread over the surface and the whole cake is rolled up using the non-stick paper. The cake is air risen, no chemical raising agents are used. Plain flour is the best choice. A swiss roll does not keep well as it is almost fat-free. Eat on the day you make it.