Pastry
School
Equipment
for the Sponge Cake
Roll with it
• Jelly roll pan, 15 ½ X 10 ½ X 1 inches
• Sieve for dusting confectioners’ sugar
with
Paula Shoyer
• Parchment paper and scissors for
trimming
• Spatula to spread batter
• Clean dish towel
• Cooling rack
Serving
Serve swirl side up in a pool
of colorful fruit sauce.
Serve right out of the freezer
so the rolls slice perfectly
and thaw on the plate. If
necessary, wipe off the knife
between slices.
Storing
If you have filled the cake with jam, the roll can sit
A jelly roll, also called a Swiss roll or a roulade
at room temperature. Any fresh filling, mousse, or
in French, is just a simple sponge cake baked in
curd requires storage in the fridge or freezer.
a shallow jelly roll pan. After the cake is baked,
Key Tips
a filling is added and the sponge is rolled up
around the filling. When the cake is sliced, it has a pretty swirl
Egg whites should be at room
temperature.
design. Jelly rolls are often filled with jam (hence the name) or
whipped cream, curd, buttercream, or mousse.
Spread batter evenly.
The jelly roll originated in central Europe in the nineteenth century,
Remember to roll up the short side of
though sponge cake dates back to Moorish Spain in the year 1000.
the cake so the slices are thicker.
Even I was surprised to learn that sponge cake is Sephardic in origin.
Make mousse, buttercream or curd
For centuries, sponge cake was considered a fancy dessert because
the day before assembly, to allow it to
the eggs had to be hand-beaten; the rotary egg
firm up before spreading on the cake.
beater was not invented until 1870. You can imagine
Method
how much fun it was to beat whites by hand.
Jelly rolls are baked at higher temperatures than
Line a jelly roll pan with parchment paper trimmed to fit.
typical cakes with a short baking time, to keep them
After you have made your sponge cake, spread it evenly on
spongy. The key to a successful jelly roll is to make
the parchment paper.
sure the cake can be rolled up without breaking.
Bake cake until it is golden and springy to the touch.
The method requires rolling up the warm cake to
“train” it to stay rolled, then unrolling it, adding
Dust a clean dish towel with confectioners’ sugar, which
keeps the cake from sticking.
the filling, and rerolling. Go ahead, roll with it.
When we think
of Pesach desserts, we think of sponge cake. My grandmother’s
Pesach lemon sponge Bundt was so delicious that she baked it all year round. Over the centuries we have seen
sponge cakes in the form of Bundts, layer cakes, cupcakes, and trifles. One of the most iconic formulations of
sponge cake is the old-fashioned jelly roll, which is also the first dessert I made when I hosted a seder in my
own home for the first time.
After turning cake over so the darker side is inside the roll,
turn the cake onto the sugar-covered towel.
Use the towel to lift the short end of the cake and roll it up.
Let roll cool for 20 minutes.
Fill the cake and reroll.
Filling & Re-Rolling
Rolling Up
Making & Baking
A
B
C
Chocolate Mousse
Roll Cake
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
Cake
6 large eggs, separated, and let
whites sit at room temperature for
1 hour
½ cup sugar
⅓ cup potato starch, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional
½ teaspoon lemon juice
2 ounces chocolate, grated on the
small holes of a box grater or Microplane zester
2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
1. Prepare the mousse first to allow it
time to chill: Melt chocolate either over a
double boiler; or in the microwave oven for
1 minute and stir, 45 seconds and stir, and
then in 15-second intervals until melted.
2. Heat ¼ cup whipped topping with
sugar on the stovetop or the microwave
oven until the sugar is dissolved, about 45
seconds. Whisk whipped topping/sugar
mixture into the melted chocolate and mix
until smooth. Add egg yolks, one at a time,
and whisk well.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat
remaining whipped topping until stiff. Add
⅓ of the whipped topping to the chocolate
mixture and fold to combine. Add the
chocolate mixture into the bowl with
the remaining whipped topping and mix
well. Pour into a medium bowl, cover with
plastic, and chill 8 hours or overnight.
4. Prepare the cake: Preheat oven to 375°F.
Trim a piece of parchment paper to fit
perfectly into the bottom of a jelly roll pan.
5. Place egg yolks and sugar into a large
bowl and whisk well. Add vanilla and
potato starch and whisk well. Place egg
whites into the bowl of an electric stand
mixer. Beat on medium speed until foamy.
Add lemon juice. Turn speed to high and
beat until stiff. Fold ⅓ of the whites into
the egg yolk mixture and mix well. Add
this mixture into the remaining whites and
mix on low speed until combined. Add the
grated chocolate and mix in gently.
6. Pour batter into prepared jelly roll pan
and use a silicone or offset spatula to
spread evenly. Bake for 15 minutes, or
until lightly browned, and the cake springs
back when pressed gently. While the cake
is baking, use a sieve to dust a clean dish
Chocolate Mousse
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate,
chopped or broken into 1-inch pieces
1 cup nondairy whipped topping (or
heavy cream, for dairy), divided
2 tablespoons sugar
3 large egg yolks
Mango Sauce
1 large ripe mango, cubed
few tablespoons hot water—depends
on the ripeness of the fruit
1 to 2 teaspoons confectioners’ sugar,
to taste
2 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar, to
dust the roll
towel with confectioners’ sugar.
7. When the cake is baked, remove
from the oven and immediately run a
knife around the edges. Place a sheet of
parchment paper over the cake, cover
with a cooling rack and flip the cake onto
the new parchment paper. Peel off the
parchment from the bottom of the cake.
Lift the cake with the new parchment paper
and turn the cake over onto the sugardusted towel. Remove the parchment. Lift
up the towel on a short side of the cake
and roll up with the towel inside. Make sure
the seam is on the bottom when you are
done rolling. Let cool 20 minutes, or until
cool to the touch.
8. Unroll cake. Remove mousse from the
fridge and stir to soften. Use a silicone or
offset metal spatula to spread mousse all
over cake to the edges. Starting from where
you rolled before, roll up the cake with the
mousse inside, making sure the seam is
on the bottom. Lift the roll and place on
plastic wrap. Wrap tightly. Place on baking
sheet and freeze for 6 hours or overnight.
9. Prepare the mango sauce: Place mango,
hot water, and confectioners’ sugar into a
blender or food processor and process until
smooth. Add more water if necessary. For a
smoother sauce, strain through a fine-mesh
sieve.
10. To serve, remove roll from the freezer,
and cut a thin slice off the ends and eat
them. Use a large knife to cut 1-inch slices.
Spoon some mango sauce on each plate
and place the slice of cake roll in the
center. The slices will slowly thaw. Store roll
in the freezer for up to 1 month and the
sauce in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Yield: serves 10 to 12