Jelly Roll
I was bored, so I baked. Isn't that how many of my stories start? I was bored, I had an urge, I needed something to do to pass the time. Well, no matter how cliche it was in hindsight, I'm certainly glad that I made this.
That's right, a jelly roll! I was very nervous for this, beyond apprehensive. Not about the baking part. Nah, I have that down pat. No, the part I was worried for was rolling it. I was totally sure that it would crack and crumble and break into a million little, albeit delicious, pieces. And I would have uttered a few not so family friendly choice words.
The beginning of this is really easy. As is the end. But the middle, the rolling, is also pretty tame. If you know what you're doing, that is.
The beginning is making the cake. It's a sponge cake, so not that difficult, but there are certainly steps involved.
First, get out 5 eggs. Crack two of them and put them in a bowl. Next, crack two of them and separate them, putting the yolks in with the previously cracked whole eggs, and the whites in a different bowl. Finally crack the last egg and put the yolk in with the other yolks and eggs, and put the white away. We don't need that white.
Mix/sift/whisk together the flour and cornstarch.
Beat the eggs and sugar together for about 5 minutes. It should become lighter in color and thick-fluffy (I'm not exactly sure what that's supposed to look like). Beat in vanilla extract, and don't forget to to that. But if you do forget (like I may have), just add it and stir it around to incorporate. You could probably whip it up with the egg whites, too, but I had already stirred it.
Sift half of the flour over the eggs, and gently fold it in. Sift in the other half and gently fold that in too.
Beat the egg whites until they're foamy. This reminded me of meringues! So anyway, beat the whites to soft peaks, then add cream of tartar (don't go out to the store and get some if you don't already have it. You don't need to use it here.) sugar and beat until stiff peaks.
Add a little of the whites to the yolks to lighten it, gently stir those, then add the rest of the whites and gently fold that in. The keyword here being gently.
Pour the batter into a cookie sheet (make sure it has sides!) and bake for 6-8 minutes. I did 7, of course.
Now here comes the hard part. Immediately once you remove the cake from the oven, sprinkle powdered sugar all over the top of the cake. This will make sure it doesn't stick to the towel. Then, put a towel over the cake, and carefully carefully carefully flip it. Did you make it? I sure hope so. Remove the pan and parchment paper, and sprinkle that side with powdered sugar.
Here comes the other hard part. Take the overhanging end of the towel, put it over the end of the cake, and roll. Let that cool on a drying rack. Whew!
Now, make the whipped cream! Put cream, vanilla, and sugar in a bowl (it helps if the bowl is cold, so freezing it for a few minutes is not a bad idea) and whip until it gets to soft peaks. Add raspberry (or whatever kind you like) jam and beat until stiff-ish peaks! Tada! Beautiful, delicious whipped cream!
Unroll the cake (it should be cool by now) and spread the whipped cream on it.
Roll it back up, sprinkle the top with some more powdered sugar, and you're done!
Recipe (from Joy of Baking):
Sponge Cake
4 eggs
1 egg yolk
1/3 cup cake flour (if you don't have it, it's not totally necessary. You can use all-purpose flour, but your cake might not be as light and it could taste like cornbread. This is an ingredient I strongly advise using.)
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar (not necessary)
Raspberry Whipped Cream
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 - 2 tablespoons granulated white sugar
1/3 cup jam or 1/2 cup sauce
Cake
1. Preheat oven to 450 F. Butter or spray a baking pan (the original recipe used 17x12, I used 18x13). Line it with parchment paper, and butter/spray and flour the paper.
2. Separate two eggs, and add two whole eggs to the yolks. Add the additional yolk to the yolks and eggs.
3. Whisk/sift together flour and cornstarch.
4. Beat the eggs with the 1/2 cup of sugar for about 5 minutes. Beat in vanilla extract. Sift in half of the flour and gently fold it in. Do the same with the other half of the flour.
5. Beat the eggs whites in a separate bowl until foamy. Add cream of tartar and remaining tablespoon of sugar and beat until soft peaks form. Gently fold in a little of the whites into the batter to lighten it. Fold in the rest of the whites.
6. Pour the batter into the pan and spread it evenly. Bake for 6-8 minutes or until golden brown and when it springs back if you press it. Immediately when you remove the cake, sprinkle it (liberally) with powdered sugar. Invert the cake onto a clean dish towel. Remove the pan and paper, sprinkle with powdered sugar again, and roll up the cake with the towel. Place it on a cooling rack.
Raspberry Whipped Cream
1. Place whipping cream, vanilla, and sugar into a (cold) bowl and beat until soft peaks form. Add the jam and beat until it's just at stiff peaks.
Assembly
1. Unroll the cake, spread the cream evenly, and reroll. Dust with powdered sugar.
Make sure to keep this in the refrigerator. The whipped cream is a dairy product so it would spoil if it was kept out.
The beginning of this is really easy. As is the end. But the middle, the rolling, is also pretty tame. If you know what you're doing, that is.
The beginning is making the cake. It's a sponge cake, so not that difficult, but there are certainly steps involved.
First, get out 5 eggs. Crack two of them and put them in a bowl. Next, crack two of them and separate them, putting the yolks in with the previously cracked whole eggs, and the whites in a different bowl. Finally crack the last egg and put the yolk in with the other yolks and eggs, and put the white away. We don't need that white.
Mix/sift/whisk together the flour and cornstarch.
Beat the eggs and sugar together for about 5 minutes. It should become lighter in color and thick-fluffy (I'm not exactly sure what that's supposed to look like). Beat in vanilla extract, and don't forget to to that. But if you do forget (like I may have), just add it and stir it around to incorporate. You could probably whip it up with the egg whites, too, but I had already stirred it.
Sift half of the flour over the eggs, and gently fold it in. Sift in the other half and gently fold that in too.
Beat the egg whites until they're foamy. This reminded me of meringues! So anyway, beat the whites to soft peaks, then add cream of tartar (don't go out to the store and get some if you don't already have it. You don't need to use it here.) sugar and beat until stiff peaks.
Add a little of the whites to the yolks to lighten it, gently stir those, then add the rest of the whites and gently fold that in. The keyword here being gently.
Pour the batter into a cookie sheet (make sure it has sides!) and bake for 6-8 minutes. I did 7, of course.
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| Pre Bake |
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| Post Bake |
Now, make the whipped cream! Put cream, vanilla, and sugar in a bowl (it helps if the bowl is cold, so freezing it for a few minutes is not a bad idea) and whip until it gets to soft peaks. Add raspberry (or whatever kind you like) jam and beat until stiff-ish peaks! Tada! Beautiful, delicious whipped cream!
Unroll the cake (it should be cool by now) and spread the whipped cream on it.
Roll it back up, sprinkle the top with some more powdered sugar, and you're done!
Recipe (from Joy of Baking):
Sponge Cake
4 eggs
1 egg yolk
1/3 cup cake flour (if you don't have it, it's not totally necessary. You can use all-purpose flour, but your cake might not be as light and it could taste like cornbread. This is an ingredient I strongly advise using.)
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar (not necessary)
Raspberry Whipped Cream
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 - 2 tablespoons granulated white sugar
1/3 cup jam or 1/2 cup sauce
Cake
1. Preheat oven to 450 F. Butter or spray a baking pan (the original recipe used 17x12, I used 18x13). Line it with parchment paper, and butter/spray and flour the paper.
2. Separate two eggs, and add two whole eggs to the yolks. Add the additional yolk to the yolks and eggs.
3. Whisk/sift together flour and cornstarch.
4. Beat the eggs with the 1/2 cup of sugar for about 5 minutes. Beat in vanilla extract. Sift in half of the flour and gently fold it in. Do the same with the other half of the flour.
5. Beat the eggs whites in a separate bowl until foamy. Add cream of tartar and remaining tablespoon of sugar and beat until soft peaks form. Gently fold in a little of the whites into the batter to lighten it. Fold in the rest of the whites.
6. Pour the batter into the pan and spread it evenly. Bake for 6-8 minutes or until golden brown and when it springs back if you press it. Immediately when you remove the cake, sprinkle it (liberally) with powdered sugar. Invert the cake onto a clean dish towel. Remove the pan and paper, sprinkle with powdered sugar again, and roll up the cake with the towel. Place it on a cooling rack.
Raspberry Whipped Cream
1. Place whipping cream, vanilla, and sugar into a (cold) bowl and beat until soft peaks form. Add the jam and beat until it's just at stiff peaks.
Assembly
1. Unroll the cake, spread the cream evenly, and reroll. Dust with powdered sugar.
Make sure to keep this in the refrigerator. The whipped cream is a dairy product so it would spoil if it was kept out.
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