Brazo Gitano Recipes

BRAZO GITANO DE GUAYABA (JELLY ROLL WITH GUAVA)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease and flour a 15x10x1-inch jelly roll pan.
• Break eggs into a small mixing bowl; beat with an electric mixer until thick and lemon-colored. Beat in sugar gradually. Add water, lime zest, and vanilla extract and blend well. Beat in flour gradually until smooth. Pour into the prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and loosen the edges with a sharp knife. Turn out immediately onto a tea towel sprinkled with powdered sugar.
• Cut guava paste into chunks and place in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring in between, until spreadable. Be careful, it will get hot because of the high sugar content.
• Trim any stiff edges off of the cake and spread guava over. Roll up carefully in jelly roll fashion from the narrow end, using the towel to ease the cake over. Let cool in the towel on a wire rack for about 30 minutes.
• Remove the towel carefully and sprinkle additional powdered sugar over the top if desired. Slice to serve.

BRAZO DE GITANO (CREAM ROLL)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an 18x12x1-inch aluminum pan. Line with parchment paper and grease paper generously.
• Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl. Set aside.
• Combine water, vanilla extract, and lime juice in a separate bowl. Set aside.
• Beat eggs in a mixing bowl using an electric mixer on high speed for 1 minute. Reduce speed to medium and add white sugar gradually. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture alternately with water mixture, mixing until well combined. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes.
• While cake is baking, dissolve cornstarch in 1 cup milk in a saucepan over medium heat until well blended. Add egg yolks and mix well. Pour in remaining milk, sugar, salt, and lime zest. Mix over medium heat using a wooden spoon until boiling; remove from heat. Keep filling warm if cake is still baking.
• Place a large, damp cloth on a table and sprinkle generously with sifted confectioners' sugar about 5 minutes before cake has finished baking.
• Remove cake from the oven. Release edges of cake using a knife. Turn cake over onto the sugar-coated cloth; remove parchment paper from cake and trim edges. Pour cream filling over cake immediately, spreading almost to the edges. Roll cake up from the bottom.
• Cut roll in the middle to divide into two 9-inch rolls. Transfer to 2 flat platters using 2 wide spatulas. Sprinkle rolls with additional confectioners' sugar just prior to serving.

BRAZO DE GITANO -- ROLLED SPONGE CAKE (SPAIN)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F & lightly butter a 15"x8" baking pan or sheet. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or wax paper, then butter that well & dust lightly with 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar.
• In a mixing bowl, beat egg yolks & 1/4 cup granulated sugar until thick & smooth.
• Stir in flour, cocoa & vanilla extract, blending well.
• In another bowl, whip egg whites until stiff, but not dry, then fold them into the yolk/flour mixture.
• Pour batter into prepared baking sheet & spread out evenly.
• Bake 15 minutes, then cool for 5 minutes before turning onto a cloth to cool.
• After another 10 minutes peel off the paper.
• Combine whipped cream, rum & superfine sugar, & adjust to taste.
• Spread this cream mixture over the cake & then roll the cake like a jellyroll, starting with the long edge.
• Sprinkle with remaining powdered sugar, before slicing into 3-inch long slices & serving.

GYPSY ARM (BRAZO GITANO)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Beat eggs for 10 minutes.
• Add sugar and continue beating.
• Add water, baking powder and vanilla, keep beating.
• Gently fold flour into batter.
• Line a large cookie sheet (make sure not to use the largest size as cake will come out too thin) with foil and grease well.
• Pour batter evenly onto lined cookie sheet.
• Bake approximately 20 minutes or until golden brown and well done.
• While cake is baking, dampen two clean dish towels. Towels should be slightly larger than the cookie sheet.
• When cake is ready, lay one towel on counter and transfer cake with foil onto towel.
• Lay the second towel over the top of the cake and roll the cake length-wise forming a cylinder shape.
• After about a minute or two, unroll cake and flip cake with towels upside down to remove foil then flip cake over once more to fill.
• Spread filling of choice (e.g. vanilla/lemon/chocolate pudding or mousse) all over the cake taking care not to go completely to the edges.
• Once filled, gentle roll cake back into cylinder shape.
• Top either with confectioner's sugar or a Syrup Topping (see below). Serve chilled.
• Note : Syrup Topping - mix 1 part sugar to 2 parts water, pour over cake. Rum or whiskey or vermouth may be added for additional taste if desired.

BRAZO GITANO NAVIDEñO ( NIñO ENVUELTO )

Steps:

• Whisk egg whites with the salt until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
• Beat egg yolks with the sugar until light and fluffy. Add the butter and half of the flour.
• Gently fold in half of the egg whites. Then fold in the remainder of the flour and last the rest of the egg whites.
• Heat oven to 450 degrees fahrenheit/ 240 degrees celsius.Grease and line a baking sheet with wax paper, then grease the wax paper again.
• Then spread batter evenly onto sheet. Bake for aprox. 7 minutes or until firm and pale but not golden.
• While it bakes get your filling ready and set a moist,clean towel on a clean flat surface, which should be big enough to cover the entire cake.
• Remove the cake from the oven and quickly invert it onto the towel, remove the paper and spread dulce de leche and top with marmalade on top and roll the cake. Wrap cake with the towel and refrigerate up to a day before or 3 hours minimum. Remove and decorate.