A Swiss roll is a type of sponge cake filled with jam of your choice or whipped cream or just icing. To the French it’s a “Roulade”, to the Americans it’s “Jelly roll”, to the English it’s ” Swiss roll” and to us it’s fondly called “Jam rolls.”

A Swiss roll requires just four main ingredients usually available at all homes – eggs, sugar, flour and jam. Appearances can be deceptive -a Swiss roll is easy to make and it’s perfect for any occasion. Basically, I would call Swiss roll – a weekend recipe.

When I think of jam rolls, I can only think of  Kunjus JamRolls , a small town in the district of Kottayam, situated in Kerala. It is home to a large number of Syrian Christians who are basically into rubber plantation. My father is from Kanjirapally and let me tell you the pineapple roll that you get at Kunju’s bakery is a slice of home to all those who live there. You cannot leave Kanjirapally without a box of pineapple jam rolls. Even today after all these years, when you open the box it’s like unraveling a mystery to find out what is hidden under that butter paper. Jam rolls with deliciously sweet homemade pineapple jam that sends you into a tizzy once you take the first bite. It’s delicious, moist and heavenly. We just love it and as for the flavor and taste – it’s the same after all these years! It’s been 80 years since they started – a recipe carried down the generations and still going strong. How awesome can that be! And now – our children love it!  All of us are happy.

The recipe I’m sharing with you is simple and effortless. Once you’ve mastered the art of rolling a Swiss roll, you could try out various fillings – Nutella, chopped fruits, whipped cream or even ice – cream.

“Happiness is like jam. You can’t spread even a little without getting some on yourself. ”   – Anonymous

Ingredients:

• Eggs -3
• Sugar -1/3 cup or 3 oz
• Vanilla essence- 1 tsp
• Flour – 1/3 cup or 3 oz
• Baking powder – a pinch
• Jam to spread -5-6 tbsp (warmed- no water to be added)
• Butter paper
• Castor sugar to sprinkle on butter paper.
• Icing sugar to sprinkle.

Method:

• Preheat oven to 200 deg.c for 10 minutes.
• Using an egg beater whisk the eggs and sugar till pale, light, fluffy and a trail is left when you lift the whisk.
• This should take around 8- 10 minutes and it should be three times the volume. Add vanilla essence.
• Fold in flour sifted with baking powder. Beat lightly.
• Butter and line a Swiss roll tin with butter paper.
• Lightly grease the butter paper on top and dust with flour thoroughly.
• Remove excess flour.
• Pour the mixture and spread lightly.
• Bake at 200deg.c for 12- 15 minutes, should be a light brown on top .
• Place a sheet of butter paper on the table and sprinkle some castor sugar on top.
• Once done, overturn the Swiss roll tin onto the butter paper and carefully remove the butter paper from the baked sponge.
• Fold the sponge into a tight roll when hot and keep to cool , either outside or in the fridge.
• After an hour, unfold the roll, spread warm jam generously on top of sponge and roll once more. Leave to chill for an hour wrapped loosely in butter paper.
• When spreading the jam, leave a gap at the edges so that the warm jam can spread out.
• Cut the uneven edges off and then cut into thick slices with a sharp knife, sprinkle icing sugar and serve.

Chefs tips:

• Eggs have to be at room temperature.
• Greasing and dusting the butter paper before pouring the sponge mixture is very important.
• You could use any jam, before spreading, warm the required amount on a low flame to make it easy to spread.
• Ideally, the roll should be cut the next day with a very sharp pointed knife.
• You could serve the roll with some fresh cream and nuts.
• Be bold and fearless.
• Makes around a dozen  jam rolls.

Till my next post

Cheers,

Rose