Aspiring Bakers #9: Chocolate Swiss Roll 可可蛋糕卷

I still remember the mess that I created when I made my first swiss roll few years ago. The swiss roll cracked very badly and the cream was in a mess after rolling. I dare not make any swiss rolls anymore. Yes, I'm that afraid of failures.

But hidden in me, I still want to do it again. I enjoy flipping through 孟老师的美味蛋糕卷. I know there is another wonderful book 彩绘蛋糕卷 on creating patterns and painting on swiss rolls, which I still don't know where to get the book. Then comes this month's Aspiring Bakers event on swiss rolls. The swiss rolls posted during the last few weeks are all highly creative. That forces motivates me to try making one.

孟老师的美味蛋糕卷 is one of the best Chinese baking books. There are 5 different methods of making swiss roll cakes, 5 methods of making fillings for the swiss rolls, 3 methods of rolling, step-by-step illustrations, and comes with 2 DVDs. I pick the easiest swiss roll from this book - chiffon cake method for the cake base which I am more familiar with + fresh cream filling.

Here's my very first swiss roll. Though not perfectly round, with slight cracks and still some mess after rolling, I am quite satisfied and happy with myself for doing something I am initially reluctant to try. If something is holding back you from doing it, I hope this will inspire you to try making swiss rolls. Still one more week left before the swiss roll month ends. :)

Chocolate Swiss Roll 可可蛋糕卷

Ingredients (36cm x 26cm baking tin)

Chiffon cake:
20g cocoa powder
40g hot water
60g egg yolks (~3 eggs)
50g sugar
50g vegetable oil
30g milk
75g cake flour

120g egg whites (~3 eggs)
65g sugar

Filling:
180g dairy whipping cream
20g sugar

Method

Filling:
1. Put fresh cream in a bowl and place over another big bowl filled with ice cubes. Whisk fresh cream until thick.
2. Add in sugar and whisk until stiff.

Chiffon cake:
1. Dissolve cocoa powder in hot water and set aside.
2. Whisk egg yolks and sugar until the sugar dissolves.
3. Slowly whisk in oil and milk.
4. Add in chocolate mixture in step (1).
5. Sift in cake flour and whisk until batter is smooth. Set aside.
6. In another bowl, whisk egg whites until foamy, gradually add in sugar in 3 batches. Continue whisking until stiff peak form.
7. Fold in 1/3 of the egg white into the egg yolk batter (in step 5), then fold in the remaining 2/3 egg white gently until well-mixed.
8. Pour the batter into a lined and greased baking tin. Level the batter, give the tin a few slight bangs on the table to knock out air in the batter. Bake in preheated oven at 175 deg C for 12 minutes (I use top rack).
9. Remove cake from pan. When one side is cooled, flip the cake over, tear away the baking paper and leave to cool the other side.
10. Spread filling on the cake and roll up. Chill in the fridge for 30-60 minutes before slicing.

Recipe adapted from: 孟老师的美味蛋糕卷

I am submitting this Chocolate Swiss Roll to Aspiring Bakers #9: Swiss Rolling Good Times (July 2011), hosted by Obsessedly Involved with Food.

Aspiring Bakers Announcement
I hardly realize, time really flies. Aspiring Bakers is almost 1 year old and I have not planned for who are going to be our hosts for the next few months.

Looking for host for Aspiring Bakers from November 2011 onwards. If you have participated in Aspiring Bakers before, you are welcome to pick a theme and be our host. I know it is hard work checking the emails and compiling the long list of entries. But we really need some volunteers for this wonderful event to continue.

Please email me if you are interested.
smallsmallbaker@yahoo.com.sg