Light Sponge Roulade Recipes

SPONGE CAKE

Steps:

• Arrange an oven rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 325 degrees. If making a roulade, brush the bottom of a 10-by-15-inch jelly roll pan with a light coating of oil. Do not brush the sides, as the cake needs to be able to cling to the pan as it rises. Line only the bottom of the pan with a piece of parchment paper, smoothing to eliminate air bubbles. If baking in a 9-inch springform pan, leave the pan ungreased and unlined.
• In a wide, medium bowl, combine the egg whites, 1/4 cup sugar, the kosher salt and cream of tartar. Beat the mixture with a hand mixer fitted with the beaters on medium-low speed until the mixture looks frothy, then start to slowly increase the speed to medium-high. Continue to beat the egg whites until you have a dense, voluminous, glossy foam that forms stiff peaks, about 4 minutes. When you lift the beaters out of the bowl, the egg whites should come to a straight point that doesn't droop. Don't beat beyond this point, or the whites will become dry and lumpy. Set the bowl aside.
• In a separate wide bowl, combine the egg yolks and the remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Beat with the hand mixer (no need to wash it after you beat the egg whites) on medium-high until the mixture is very pale and fluffy and forms a slowly dissolving ribbon as it falls off the beaters back into the bowl, about 4 minutes. Slowly stream in the 1/4 cup oil, beating constantly to ensure it emulsifies into the yolk mixture, until you have a smooth, light mixture that looks like mayonnaise.
• Reduce the mixer to the lowest speed, add half of the flour and mix just until incorporated. Add the vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon water, mix until incorporated, then add the remaining flour and mix just until it disappears. The mixture will have thickened and look a bit like cake batter.
• Fold the yolk mixture once or twice with a large flexible spatula to make sure it's evenly mixed, then scrape about a third of the egg white mixture into the yolk mixture and thoroughly fold in the whites until the mixture is loosened. Working more gently, fold in half of the remaining egg whites until only a few streaks remain. Fold in the remaining whites, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl, until you have a light, smooth, evenly mixed batter.
• Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth into an even layer. Firmly rap the pan on the surface once or twice to pop any large air bubbles. Bake the cake until it's golden brown, firm and springy to the touch across the entire surface, 25 to 30 minutes for a jelly roll and 30 to 35 minutes for a 9-inch cake. Remove the cake from the oven and immediately invert the pan onto a wire rack. Let the cake cool completely upside down to prevent it from collapsing.
• Reinvert the cooled pan and cut along the sides with a small offset spatula or paring knife to loosen the cake. It will sink a bit, which is normal. If making a jelly roll, turn the sponge out onto the wire rack and peel off the parchment. If making a 9-inch cake, remove the ring of the springform pan, invert the cake onto the rack, and carefully peel off the bottom of the pan (it should come away cleanly, leaving behind just a thin film).
• Use the sponge as desired. The unfilled sponge cake will keep at room temperature, tightly wrapped, for several days, but will become sticky after the first day.

RASPBERRY AND CREAM ROULADE

Steps:

• Place a clean dish towel on a large cutting board and lightly dust all over with confectioners' sugar. Place the sponge cake on top of the towel, parchment side up; peel off and discard the parchment. Dust the cake lightly with more confectioners' sugar. Starting at one of the longer sides, loosely roll up the sponge inside the towel. Set aside the sponge while you prepare the filling. (This will "train" the sponge and make it easier to roll up after it's filled.)
• In a small bowl, mash together the fresh raspberries and raspberry jam until the berries break down; set aside.
• In a medium bowl, combine the heavy cream, mascarpone and kosher salt. Whisk vigorously by hand, or beat with a hand mixer on medium-high, until the mixture is thick and light, and holds a medium peak. Chill the bowl of whipped cream while you start to assemble the cake.
• Carefully unroll the cake so the short sides are to your right and left, and the longer sides near and away from you. Spread the raspberry mixture in a thin, even layer across the entire surface, leaving a border of about 1 inch along the longer side that's farther from you. Pull the cream from the refrigerator and dollop all across the surface of the cake. Spread it in an even layer over top of the raspberry layer, this time leaving a 1-inch border on each of the longer sides.
• Roll the cake back up, starting with the longer side closest to you and using the towel to help you (without rolling the towel into the cake). Wrap the towel around the cake, allowing it to rest on the seam. Transfer the cutting board to the refrigerator and chill until the cake has had a chance to absorb some of the raspberry juices and set, at least 1 hour.
• Remove the cutting board from the refrigerator and gently unwrap the cake. Use a serrated knife to trim off the ends of the cake, exposing a clean spiral. Use the towel and/or cutting board to transfer the cake to a serving platter. Dust with more confectioners' sugar, cut crosswise into slices with a serrated knife, and serve. The cake is best served the day it's made, but will keep, covered and chilled, for up to 3 days.

BASIC SPONGE ROLL FOR ROULADES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
• Select a jellyroll pan measuring about 10 by 15 inches. Cut a rectangle of heavy-duty aluminum foil to fit inside the pan with an overlapping margin of about one inch all around. Place the foil inside the pan, shiny side up. Carefully fold the overlapping edges of foil around the pan to keep it firmly in place. Put the one teaspoon of butter in the pan and place the pan in the oven until butter melts. Brush this melted butter over the foil-lined bottom.
• Melt the remaining one-quarter cup of butter in a saucepan and add the flour, stirring with a wire whisk. Add the milk, stirring rapidly with the whisk, and cook until thickened and smooth. Simmer, stirring, about one minute.
• Put the egg yolks in a small mixing bowl and beat well. Add a little of the hot sauce to the yolks, beating constantly. Off the heat, add this mixture to the sauce, stirring constantly. Add the salt to the egg whites and beat until they are stiff. Fold them into the sauce.
• Pour the batter into the pan and smooth over the top. Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until the cake rebounds to the touch and is golden brown on top. If the cake splits on top, don't worry. It will seal itself once it cools. After cooling, turn the cake out onto a clean dish towel. Carefully remove and discard the foil. The cake is now ready to be spread with a filling and folded.

MANGO & PASSION FRUIT ROULADE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Grease and line a 30 x 24cm Swiss roll tin with nonstick paper. Put the eggs and sugar into a large bowl and beat with electric beaters until thick and light, about 5 mins. Fold in the flour and baking powder, then the vanilla. Tip into the tin, tilt to level the mix, then bake for 12-15 mins until golden and just springy. Turn onto another sheet of paper, dusted with 1 tbsp caster sugar. Roll the paper up inside the sponge, then leave to cool completely. Sponge can be frozen for up to 1 month.
• Fold sugar, passion fruit pulp and one-third of the mango and raspberries into the yogurt. Unroll the sponge, spread with filling, then roll up. Serve with the rest of the fruit on the side. Roulade can be filled and rolled up to 2 hrs before serving and kept in the fridge.