Swiss Not-Quite Roll

Introducing, the Swiss not-quite-a-roll and the "giant lemon slug" (thanks Dad.)

Needless to say, my Swiss roll technique definitely needs work. These roly-poly disasters have been made on various occasions throughout the last few years, no matter how appalling my rolling technique is, they are always in high demand as they just taste so good!

The recipes are from Mary Berry's "Baking Bible," and are as follows:

4 large eggs
100g caster sugar
100g self raising flour
4 tablespoons of raspberry or strawberry jam (for the filling)

Preheat the oven to 220 degrees Celsius (200 for a fan oven.) Grease a 33 x 23cm swiss roll tin and line with baking parchment.

Whisk the eggs and sugar together in a large bowl until the mixture is light and frothy, and the whisk leaves a trail when lifted out. Sift the flour into the mixture, carefully folding it in at the same time. Turn the mixture into the prepared tin and give it a gentle shake so that the mixture finds its own level, making sure it spreads evenly into the corners.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes or until the sponge is golden brown and begins to shrink from the edges of the tin. While the cake is cooking, place a piece of baking parchment a little bigger than the tin on the work surface and sprinkle it with caster sugar.

Invert the cake onto the sugared parchment whilst still hot. Quickly loosen the parchment from the bottom of the cake and peel it off. Trim the edges of the sponge with a sharp knife and make a score mark 2.5cm in from one shorter edge.

Leave to cool slightly, then spread with jam. Roll up the cake firmly from the cut end.

To make the lemon swiss roll, add the finely grated rind of one lemon to the sponge mixture before cooking. (I also like to add a little bit of juice for extra lemoniness, but Mary doesn't!) Spread with lemon curd instead of jam. 

A really traditional British tea time treat and very impressive to look at; whether its for the right reasons or not!