Remove the Swiss Roll ends for a neat presentation – they’re the chef ’s perk!

We’re a little bit late this week’s #BettysBakingSecrets, those who follow us on social media will know that we’re away on holiday in Devon and a late trip back from Brixham last night meant we missed bake off too, thank goodness for iPlayer.

What a media rich couple of weeks it’s been for The Great British Bake Off, Channel 4 have affectively bought a tent and a Liverpudlian for an extortionate sum of money whilst the rest of us morn the loss of those cheeky presenters Mel & Sue and of course friend of Yorkshire Pudd, the one and only Mary Berry.

We have offered our services to Love Productions but as yet we’ve heard nothing, we’ll keep you posted.

Anyway, let’s get to the main event; Super Swiss Roll

SWISS ROLL INGREDIENTS (serves 6-8)

  • 4 eggs (medium)
  • 100g caster sugar
  • 100g plain our
  • 1⁄2 tsp baking powder
  • 1⁄4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 150g strawberry jam
  • 200ml double cream, lightly whipped Caster sugar (for sprinkling)

METHOD

  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (fan assisted). Grease and line the base and sides of a baking tray with baking parchment. Sprinkle caster sugar over the paper.
  2. Beat the eggs and sugar in a large mixing bowl over a saucepan of simmering water until thick and creamy.
  3. Remove the bowl from the heat and continue beating until the mixture is cool and forms a gure of eight when the beaters are lifted out of the bowl.
  4. Sift the self raising our into the bowl and with a metal spoon quickly and carefully fold into the mixture.
  5. Spoon into the prepared baking tray. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 8-10 minutes, until golden and ‘springy’ to the touch. Remove from the oven and leave for 5 minutes.
  6. Place a clean tea-towel on the bench and top with a piece of baking parchment.Turn the sponge onto the baking parchment.Carefully remove the baking parchment from the sponge.
  7. Roll up across its width enclosing the baking parchment as you go. Place on a wire rack and leave to get cold.
  8. Unroll the sponge and spread with the strawberry jam and the whipped cream. Re-roll.Trim the edges. Dust with sifted icing sugar.

BETTYS TOP TIPS

ZONE THE MIX

Use a glass bowl – it’ll keep the batter at the right temperature.

Whisk until you’re able to make a full gure of eight in the mix.

Use a large metal spoon – the attest you have.

Hold your baking paper in place with few dots of mixture.

Don’t pour the mix – ‘zone’ it and then join the mixture together for an even covering.

MAKE ITS MEMORY

Invest in an oven thermometer for accurate temperature readings. Sprinkle sugar on some baking paper so your sponge doesn’t stick to it.

To release the sponge from the paper it was baked on, wet your hands and massage the back of the paper.

Score a little wedge in the sponge and roll it to make its ‘memory’.

Do this while it’s warm – it will remember that form and roll more easily later. Allow to cool.

See the recipe card for Bettys Baking Secrets Week Three, Perfect Piping, for our tips about whipping cream.

CHEF’S PERK

Apply your jam rst – it’s a barrier to the cream which can dissolve your sponge.

Loosen your jam by working it with a teaspoon so it spreads more freely and doesn’t tear the sponge.

Zone it and join the dots (like you did with the sponge mix) for an even spread. Don’t spread to the edge – it will spill out when you roll.

Whenever cutting cake use a serrated knife – saw and let the knife do the work. Remove the ends for a neat presentation – they’re the chef ’s perk!

For more Bettys Baking Secrets, including our own recipes and secret tips for piping, visit www.bettys.co.uk/bettysbakingsecrets