Swiss Roll is the first thing I ever remember baking from scratch! I was probably about 13 years old when I first made it in high school. Back then we filled it with just jam, but I love jam and cream together to I had to put both in this Swiss Roll to make it extra yummy! I've made so many Swiss Rolls now I've lost count, I absolutely love the light sponge paired with the tasty filling, it's one of my favourite things to make. The vanilla sponge of the Swiss Roll is so lovely and light! And who can resist a filling of jam cream?! You can use your favourite jam flavour to make it perfect for you!
How to make Swiss Roll
Line a tray with baking paper, the neater you can do this the better the sponge will look. Using an electric food mixer whisk the eggs and sugar together until the mixture reaches 'ribbon stage'. This is when you can drizzle the mixture into itself in a figure 8 and it doesn't sink in for several seconds.
Then mix in vanilla extract and fold in flour. Pour the mixture into the tray, then tilt the tray so the mixture spreads evenly. Bake it for 12 minutes until golden. Tip it out onto a fresh piece of baking paper and immediately roll it up then leave it to cool.
Once the sponge is cool, unroll it and spread jam on it, then a layer of whipped cream.
Then tightly, but gently, roll up the sponge. Put it on a serving plate and cut off the ends to give it a neater, more presentable look. Add some extra whipped cream on top for decoration with a sprinkle of freeze dried raspberries if you like.
My tips for getting the perfect Swiss Roll!
- Don't overfill it. Being overly generous with the filling means you won't get a nice tight roll.
- Don't cut or score it to "start the roll off", this can too easily go wrong and the whole section will break off
- Start the roll off as tight as you can and the rest will follow
- When folding the flour in, be gentle and go slowly to avoid losing volume
- Don't worry if it's not perfect!
Recommended equipment & ingredients*
- Swiss Roll tin
- Mixing bowls
- Cooling rack
- Kitchen scales
- Stand mixer
- Electric hand mixer
- Piping bags
- Wilton 2D Piping nozzle
- Freeze dried raspberries
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Ingredients
For the sponge
- 3 Eggs large
- 75 g Caster sugar
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 75 g Plain flour
For the filling and decoration
- 200 ml Double cream
- 100 g Strawberry or Raspberry jam
- Freeze dried raspberries optional
Instructions
- Pre-heat your oven to 160C Fan/180C/400F/Gas Mark 6, line a swiss roll tin or a baking tray with a lip, with baking paper. The one I used was a Wilton tray that is 33.7 x 23.5 cm (13.25 x 9.25 inches)
- For the sponge, whisk the eggs and sugar together with an electric whisk or in a food mixer for 8 minutes until it reaches 'ribbon stage' - this is when you can drizzle the mixture in a figure 8 and it takes at least 3 seconds to sink back in
- Add the vanilla and whisk a little to mix it in
- Gently fold in the flour, trying not to lose the volume
- Pour into the tin, and tip the tin to spread the mixture around. Bake for 12 minutes
- Remove from the oven and tip onto a clean sheet of baking paper
- Remove the baking paper the sponge was baked with, then roll up the sponge, taking the clean baking paper with it, then leave to cool completely
- Whip up the double cream for the filling
- Gently unroll the sponge and spread a layer of jam all over it, then all a layer of the whipped cream
- Re-roll the sponge and place onto a serving plate
- If you like, pipe some extra whipped cream on top and sprinkle over some freeze dried raspberries
- Serve immediately, store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 2 days
Sarah Barnes
I remember doing this in Home Ec too and making a right hash of it. I also remember the teacher's awful joke: How do you make a Swiss roll? Push him off an Alp. Sorry!!! Good work 🙂
kerrycooks
Well done on getting a nice tight roll as Paul H would say!
Kat Buckley
Thanks guys! Sarah - my housemate told that exact joke when I was making it haha.
Jade
From which side do you roll, the short or longer side?
thebakingexplorer
Hi Jade, from the short side, I hope you enjoy the recipe!