Love this imperfectly perfect Swiss roll. Why imperfect?

Because it transformed from this …

Because I didn’t have the patience to level it flawlessly smooth. Yet it baked perfectly soft fluffy and light, and rolled beautifully.

… to THIS!

This Imperfectly Perfect Swiss Roll is super soft, fluffy, creamy & not overly sweet. Filled generously with fresh whipped cream … it’s an exquisite blend of classic flavors. Simply … Divine.

WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT!

If you like this recipe tutorial and like to see more, subscribe to my YouTube channel here 😊

If you like My Imperfectly Perfect Swiss Roll, you may also like these other recipes:

• Putu Piring Cake
• Light it Up Dulce de Leche Cake
• Coriander Chiffon Cake
• Eton Mess
• Forgotten Cookies
• Merry Wreath Pavlova
• Coffee Doorstop Cake
• Easy Genoise Strawberry Shortcake

TIPS!

#1 How level and smooth must the top of the sponge be? 

It can be as level and flawless as you want it to be! Because a perfectly level sponge roll is not a strict requirement! IMHO, whilst a perfectly baked and level Swiss roll sponge is a great goal, it’s never essential for it to be perfect … especially when the topside will be filled and rolled as the inner of the Swiss roll. 

My simple spread and swirl

That’s why I almost never try and level my sponge batter perfectly. I am usually happy with a basic spread and swirl on top. Any imperfections in leveling can be concealed during filling and rolling and it will not be detected. What is more important is the texture of the sponge. It should bake perfectly soft and fluffy and roll without cracking (See tip #5 below)

#2 Why add lemon juice to the egg whites? 

Adding acidity when whipping egg whites helps to stabilize the foam and create a firmer meringue or whipped egg white structure. For my Imperfectly Perfect Swiss Roll, if you don’t have lemon juice on hand, you can substitute it with 1/2 tsp cream of tartare or vinegar.

Acidity reinforces structure in meringue

In essence, lemon juice (or other acids) acts as a stabilizing agent, helping the egg whites to hold their shape and volume while being whipped, resulting in a more stable and desirable meringue. 

#3 Chilled egg whites vs egg whites @room temperature

Ok, there are really two schools of thought on this. In the beginning when I started to bake, it is always recommended to bring your egg whites to room temperature. Why? Because it will whisk up more stable, more voluminous and also melts and absorbs the sugar more easily. In recent years, I find that there is a 2nd school of thought advocating using cold or highly chilled whites for meringue which whips up more gradually and therefore gives a more stable structure.

Chilled whites or room  temperature?

So which is right? 

From my experience, both works. I used room temperature egg whites for my Genoise Strawberry Shortcake, Coriander Chiffon Cake, and even my Putu Piring Cake (which incorporates a gluten free sponge using rice flour) and they baked beautifully. 

This firm curl is what you want …

Since my curiosity was piqued about chilled egg whites, I started using them (sometimes even slightly icy at the edges) to whisk my meringue for sponge cakes and it similarly produces a lovely and fluffy bake. I find the main difference is the chilled whites whip up more gradually (takes a longer time) and hence provides a more stable albeit less voluminous meringue. One is also less likely to over-whisk the meringue as the whites whip up more gradually. 

Whichever one you choose, mind these tips and your meringue should turn out nicely!

• Fat-free please. As yolks contain fats, be careful when separating the eggs to not get any yolk in the whites. Make sure your whisking gear and bowl are clean and free of grease.  Any hint of fat or grease can cause the meringue to fail to whip up properly. 

• Slow and steady does it. This is the key rule for whisking a stable meringue. Start slow whipping the whites until foamy. Up the speed slowly so that you do not over-beat and gradually add the sugar. Once the sugar is added, switch to high speed and whip until the meringue is thick and glossy.

• Be careful not to under or over whisk the meringue. The ideal stiff peak stage for making chiffon cake is somewhere between medium and firm stiffness. How do you recognize that? As you lift the whisk with the meringue, it should hold a firm shape and droop just a bit, a small but firm half curl (see photo above).

#4 Gently, gently …

The sponge attains its airy crumb very much from the air in the meringue. Therefore always whisk and mix gently so as not to deflate the air built up in the batter. I find it useful to fold in with a whisk as the meringue incorporates well and with minimal loss of volume.

Always mix with a most gentle hand

Mix the yolk mixture into the meringue until just combined, do not over-mix. To reduce air pockets in the batter, so that there are no big gaping holes in the sponge, after filling the pan with the cake batter, I also like to tap the pan gently on the work station just before baking. 

#5 The art of rolling 

Roll when the sponge is still warm. If you are planning to have more elaborate filling than whipped cream i.e. chopped fruits etc. suggest you can slice and dice ahead so that once the cream is whipped, the filling can go on the cake. I think the sponge rolls best when it is still slightly warm. If it cools down completely, it tends to be less malleable and may crack when it is rolled.

Roll courageously!

Be not afraid of the roll, it does not have to be perfectly round! Use the parchment to gently guide, roll and tighten up the sponge. You can also use a rolling pin to help this process. As you use the parchment or rolling pin to tighten the roll, gently round it to create a nice circular (ish) roll shape.

#6 Make ahead and storage 

This Imperfectly Perfect Swiss Roll is best made and consumed on the same day. Given a couple of hours to set in fridge, I find it is most delicious as the roll is still extremely moist, soft and fluffy. I usually bake it in the morning and enjoy it at afternoon teatime or as after dinner dessert and it’s perfect. You can also make it a day ahead and let it chill overnight in the fridge before slicing and enjoying the next day. Always keep the roll chilled and it can keep well, stored cold and airtight for 2-3 days. 

Teatime!

Did you make this? I would love to know how it turned out. Tell me more! 😊  Please leave me a comment or tag me on Instagram, FB hashtag #thesugarcrumble 

Print Recipe

My Imperfectly Perfect Swiss Roll

Love this imperfectly perfect Swiss roll. Why imperfect? Because I didn’t level it flawlessly smooth. Yet it baked perfectly soft fluffy and light, and rolled beautifully. Filled with fresh cream … just the best!

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time25 minutes mins

Chilling time2 hours hrs

Total Time2 hours hrs 45 minutes mins

Course: teatime

Keyword: classic vanilla with fresh cream, Swiss roll

Servings: 9 inch roll

Author: Kai

Ingredients

6 eggs separated

I) Yolk mixture

• 6 yolks
• 55 g milk
• 50 g oil
• 60 g cake flour

II) Meringue

• 6 whites
• 50 g sugar
• ~ 1 tsp lemon juice

III) Filling

• 1 cup heavy cream

Instructions

• Separate 6 eggs. Freeze the whites for 10-15min and start on the yolk mixture.

Yolk Mixture

• In a medium size bowl, add oil and milk and mix till it is combined. Then sift in the cake flour and mix into a paste. At this point, add in the yolks and gently mix in with a whisk. The batter will be lumpy at first but keep mixing gently till the batter becomes smooth and ribbony. Set aside.

Meringue

• Remove the egg whites from the freezer. They should be super chilled and maybe just a little icy at the edges. Add a few drops of lemon juice to the whites and whisk on low. When it turns white and foamy, add in the sugar in 3 parts. Once the sugar is completely added, whisk on medium high speed until the smooth shiny firm peaks.

Combining the batter and baking

• Add 1/3 of the meringue into the yolk mixture and whisk gently to loosen it. Once the meringue is incorporated and the yolk mixture is light and fluffy, add it to the remaining meringue and incorporate gently by hand with a spatula. Always mix with a gentle hand to not deflate the meringue and stop when the batter is just nicely combined. *Do not over-mix*
• Pour the batter into a 28x28cm lined square pan. Spread it out evenly and smooth the top as much as you like. Note: I did not level mine perfectly. I was happy with a basic spread and swirl on top and put it bake that way since the top will be the inside of the Swiss roll.
• Once happy with your levelling, tap the pan a few times on the table top to remove air bubbles and bake at 150C (lower middle rack) for ~ 25 minutes.
• Once removed from the oven, tap the pan on the table top to slightly deflate the sponge and slide it out of the pan to cool for 5-10 minutes. Once cooled for ~ 10min, flip the cake out and remove the base lining to show a smooth clean crumb. Note: sometimes there may be some remnant skin that doesn’t come off completely with the base lining. Simply lift them gently with a small knife and they will come off clean.
• The smooth crumb side will be the outer side of the Swiss roll. Flip the cake once more, back to the original topside for the filling. Set aside to cool and start on the filling.

Filling and rolling

• Whisk the cold heavy cream until stiff peaks. Spread the whipped cream generously on the topside of the cake. Leave ~1-2 cm at the top and bottom of the side you intend to roll from. Once filled, use the parchment as a guide to help gently roll up the cake. Note: the cake is still slightly warm at this point and should roll nicely. Once the cake is rolled up, bring a rolling pin against the parchment to tighten up the roll. Chill for 2 hours for the roll to set.
• Once the Swiss roll is chilled and nicely set, slice off the ends (about an inch) to get a beautiful neat roll. Make your cuppa tea or coffee, slice and enjoy!

Video

Notes

If you like this recipe tutorial and like to see more, subscribe to my YouTube channel here 😊

 

#1 How level and smooth must the top of the sponge be?

It can be as level and flawless as you want it to be! Because a perfectly level sponge roll is not a strict requirement! IMHO, whilst a perfectly baked and level Swiss roll sponge is a great goal, it's never essential for it to be perfect … especially when the topside will be filled and rolled as the inner of the Swiss roll.

That’s why I almost never try and level my sponge batter perfectly. I am usually happy with a basic spread and swirl on top. Any imperfections in leveling can be concealed during filling and rolling and it will not be detected. What is more important is the texture of the sponge. It should bake perfectly soft and fluffy and roll without cracking (See tip #5 below).

 

#2 Why add lemon juice to the egg whites?

Adding acidity when whipping egg whites helps to stabilize the foam and create a firmer meringue or whipped egg white structure. For my Imperfectly Perfect Swiss Roll, if you don’t have lemon juice on hand, you can substitute it with 1/2 tsp cream of tartare or vinegar. In essence, lemon juice (or other acids) acts as a stabilizing agent, helping the egg whites to hold their shape and volume while being whipped, resulting in a more stable and desirable meringue.

 

#3 Chilled egg whites vs egg whites @room temperature

Ok, there are really two schools of thought on this. In the beginning when I started to bake, it is always recommended to bring your egg whites to room temperature. Why? Because it will whisk up more stable, more voluminous and also melts and absorbs the sugar more easily. In recent years, I find that there is a 2nd school of thought advocating using cold or highly chilled whites for meringue which whips up more gradually and therefore gives a more stable structure.

So which is right?

From my experience, both works. I used room temperature egg whites for my Genoise Strawberry Shortcake, Coriander Chiffon Cake, and even my Putu Piring Cake (which incorporates a gluten free sponge using rice flour) and they baked beautifully.

Since my curiosity was piqued about chilled egg whites, I started using them (sometimes even slightly icy at the edges) to whisk my meringue for sponge cakes and it similarly produces a lovely and fluffy bake. I find the main difference is the chilled whites whip up more gradually (takes a longer time) and hence provides a more stable albeit less voluminous meringue. One is also less likely to over-whisk the meringue as the whites whip up more gradually.

Whichever one you choose, mind these tips and your meringue should turn out nicely!

• Fat-free please. As yolks contain fats, be careful when separating the eggs to not get any yolk in the whites. Make sure your whisking gear and bowl are clean and free of grease.  Any hint of fat or grease can cause the meringue to fail to whip up properly. 

• Slow and steady does it. This is the key rule for whisking a stable meringue. Start slow whipping the whites until foamy. Up the speed slowly so that you do not over-beat and gradually add the sugar. Once the sugar is added, switch to high speed and whip until the meringue is thick and glossy.
• Be careful not to under or over whisk the meringue. The ideal stiff peak stage for making chiffon cake is somewhere between medium and firm stiffness. How do you recognize that? As you lift the whisk with the meringue, it should hold a firm shape and droop just a bit, a small but firm half curl.

 

#4 Gently, gently ...

The sponge attains its airy crumb very much from the air in the meringue. Therefore always whisk and mix gently so as not to deflate the air built up in the batter. I find it useful to fold in with a whisk as the meringue incorporates well and with minimal loss of volume. Mix the yolk mixture into the meringue until just combined, do not over-mix. To reduce air pockets in the batter, so that there are no big gaping holes in the sponge, after filling the pan with the cake batter, I also like to tap the pan gently on the work station just before baking. 

 

#5 The art of rolling

Roll when the sponge is still warm. If you are planning to have more elaborate filling than whipped cream ie chopped fruits etc. suggest you can slice and dice ahead so that once the cream is whipped, the filling can go on the cake. I think the sponge rolls best when it is still slightly warm. If it cools down completely, it tends to be less malleable and may crack when it is rolled.

Be not afraid of the roll, it does not have to be perfectly round! Use the parchment to gently guide, roll and tighten up the sponge. You can also use a rolling pin to help this process. As you use the parchment or rolling pin to tighten the roll, gently round it to create a nice circular (ish) roll shape.

 

#6 Make ahead and storage

This Imperfectly Perfect Swiss Roll is best made and consumed on the same day. Given a couple of hours to set in fridge, I find it is most delicious as the roll is still extremely moist, soft and fluffy. I usually bake it in the morning and enjoy it at afternoon teatime or as after dinner dessert and it’s perfect. You can also make it a day ahead and let it chill overnight in the fridge before slicing and enjoying the next day. Always keep the roll chilled and it can keep well, stored cold and airtight for 2-3 days.