Cool, creamy summer perfection.
Some of you might reember the colossal failure that was my mint chocolate mini rolls last Christmas: under-risen, overbaked sponges that split when I tried to roll them, cracking into something that looked more like a torn-up asphalt road than dessert.
That was eight months ago. So naturally it was time to try again.
My goal for this recipe was to reinvent a classic Midwestern dessert from my childhood: my grandmother’s angel food cake, which she always served with a dollop of whipped cream mixed with vanilla pudding, canned pineapple, and mandarin oranges. The entire dessert came from boxed mixes and the grocery store freezer aisle, but I still remember how heavenly the combination of the cold, sweet fruit, pillowy sponge, and light cream were, and I was determined to bring that childhood classic into the 21st century by transforming it into a delicious cream and curd-filled swiss roll.
So I needed to conquer that roll.
I decided to write my recipe from scratch, completely ignoring everything I had done before. I researched, reading articles and recipes from experts such as Mary Berry of GBBO, Stella Parks, of BraveTart fame and the Better Baking Academy team at Bake from Scratch magazine. I compared their different recipes and processes. What ratios of egg to sugar to flour did they use? Did they beat whole eggs or separate the eggs and the whites? Did the sponges include melted fat or baking powder? What size pan did they bake in? And—most importantly—how did they achieve the roll without cracking?
After all this research, I came away with three takeaways which I incorporated into my own recipe:
1. You don’t need to beat eggs and whites separately or even heat the whole eggs to achieve a light whisked sponge.
Both Stella Parks and Bake from Scratch beat the eggs whole (a method commonly used in a classic genoise sponge, which also uses fat—see below), which saves time and frustration of separating them. While Bake from Scratch’s recipe suggests heating the eggs and sugar to increase the egg’s elasticity and help them expand, Stella Parks actually whips them cold, maintaining that beating them hot increases the chance that they’ll overwhip and then collapse in the oven.
2. Adding baking powder and a small amount of fat with help with rise and add to the flavor of the sponge and its flexibility.
These tips are no-brainers. Baking powder helps with the rise. Fat will always contribute to flavor—especially when its butter!—and in this case, the fat also helps make the sponge more malleable and easier to roll.
3. Covering the sponge with foil immediately after pulling from the oven will steam the sponge as it cools, keeping it moist and allowing you to roll it easily without requiring you to flip it out and roll it up when it’s still hot, as many recipes suggest.
This tip is 100% Stella Parks. I have to admit I was skeptical, even though I trust her expertise. It worked perfectly.
In the end, I managed to create a light, pillowy sponge which I filled with cool, refreshing cream, tangy pineapple curd, and juicy, fresh fruit. Cool, creamy, summery perfection.
Some baking techniques may need a few extra rounds of practice, but that doesn’t make them unachievable. I hope you won’t be afraid to return to recipes or techniques that have been tricky to master. Keep trying! You’ll get there eventually. And in the meantime, you’ll have the delicious results of your practice trials to eat!
Enjoy!
Pineapple Orange Swiss Roll Cake
Serves 8-10
For the cake:
125 grams flour (about 1 cup)
1 teaspoon baking powder
4 large eggs
150 grams granulated sugar (about ¾ cup)
½ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
60 grams melted butter (generous 4 tablespoons), cooled
For the curd:
1 cup canned pineapple juice
1 tbsp lemon juice
6 tbsp granulated sugar, divided
½ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
4 large egg yolks
2 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp butter
To assemble:
360 mL heavy cream (1 ½ cups)
2 tbsp powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 ½ cups fresh pineapple, sliced
1 ½ cups mandarin orange segments (from about 3 oranges)
Special equipment: rimmed baking sheet, parchment paper, stand mixer
Method
For the cake:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and line the bottom of a 12 x 17 inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Sift together flour and baking powder together in a bowl.
In the bowl of a stand mixer using the whisk attachment, whisk eggs, sugar, and salt on medium-low speed until they are completely combined. Increase the speed to high and whisk until pale yellow and tripled in volume. The mixture should form a small mound of batter for a few seconds when the whisk is lifted from the bowl. The time on this can vary, depending on the temperature of the eggs and the power of the mixer, so go by visual clues, but it should take at least 6-8 minutes.
When the egg mixture is ready, pour vanilla and butter in down the side of the bowl and whisk on medium-low just until incorporated. Sift over flour mixture all at once and whisk until almost completely incorporated, then turn off the machine and use a plastic spatula to fold in the remaining flour in a few strokes. Be sure to get all around the sides of the bowl and down the middle to find and incorporate any pockets of flour and/or butter that may be lurking!
Pour mixture gently into the prepared pan, smoothing batter with a spatula so it lies evenly. Bake for 8-12 minutes or until golden on top and puffy. Remove from the oven and cover pan immediately with foil, crimping around the edges to trap the steam while you let it cool to room temperature.
For the curd:
Combine pineapple juice, lemon juice, 4 tablespoons granulated sugar, and kosher salt in a small sauce over medium heat; bring to a simmer.
Meanwhile, whisk egg yolks with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and cornstarch in a large bowl until thickened and light yellow. When the pineapple mixture is simmering, pour half of it into the egg yolk mixture in the bowl, whisking constantly. Set the remainder of the pineapple mixture in the pot back on the stove, then pour the egg yolk mixture back into the pot.
Cook on medium heat, whisking constantly—and careful to get in the corners of the pot to avoid scorching there—for 6-8 minutes, or until the curd has thickened to a pudding consistency. Remove from the heat and strain through a sieve into a heat-proof bowl. Stir in the butter, one tablespoon at a time.
Cover and leave to cool at room temperature, then refrigerate.
To assemble:
Whip heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla extract until soft peaks form.
Uncover the sponge cake—it should be at room temperature—and spread with about half of the cream. Drop blobs of curd across the cream and use the tip of a knife to swirl it through. Top with about a third of the pineapple pieces and orange segments.
Beginning at the long end closest to you, fold over the edge of the cake to begin the roll. Continue rolling, peeling back the parchment paper as you go and using it to guide the roll at the same time, until the entire sponge is rolled up.
Decorate the top of the sponge with whipped cream, additional curd, and fruit.
Originally posted August 30
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