Make it Yourself - Jelly Roll

 Jelly Rolls are sponge cakes, only rolled. Because they are thin they bake in minutes. 12 minutes for this recipe, cool quickly and it can be baked, filled and ready to eat in about 90 minutes. Jelly rolls are really easy to make and can be filled with many different fillings. My family loves whipped cream with fruit, strawberries, pineapple, etc folded in and then the cake is filled, rolled, and frozen. Of course there are the chocolate rolls or sponge filled with chocolate filling.

  The secret to any kind of sponge cake batter is to fold, not stir in the whites to the yolks and the flour into the egg mixture. You are trying to keep the air in the eggs so only fold until the flour has disappeared. The eggs are the main leavning, treat them gently.

Use wax paper instead of parchment paper to line the pan. The parchment paper is stiffer and will not come off as easily as the wax paper. I have used both and find the wax paper easier to deal with. However, if you can’t find it the parchment paper will work. 

Jelly Roll

4 egg yolks  ¼ cup sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla

4 egg whites  ½ cup sugar

¾ cup sifted cake flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

  Preheat oven to 375°. Grease and line with wax paper a 15 ½ x 10 ½ x 1 inch jelly roll pan. 

 Sift and measure ¾ cup cake flour. Sift again with the baking powder and salt.

This makes your cake lighter and the texture will be better.

  Separate the four eggs while cold. Let come to room temp. They will separate much easier while cold. Allowing them to warm gives you the most volume.

  Beat egg yolks until thick and lighter colored. Gradually beat in ¼ cup sugar; add vanilla. In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites till soft peaks form, slowly add the 1/2 cup of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Fold into the egg yolks.

 With a spatula gently fold in the flour mixture, down, up and over motion, just until the flour disappears. Spread the batter into a greased, wax paper lined jelly roll pan, 15 ½ x 10 ½ x 1 inch. Make sure you are in the corners. 

  Bake in 375° oven for 12 minutes or until when you gently press on the cake it comes back up and is golden brown.

  Turn out on to a towel sprinkled with powdered sugar. Peel off paper. With a sharp knife, trim crusts, Starting at narrow end roll up with towel in the cake, (see picture).

Cool on wire rack. When cool unroll, Spread with jelly, staying inside the edges so when you roll it again, it won’t ooze out. Roll up, sprinkle with powdered sugar and slice. Makes 10 one inch slices.

 TIPS: 

• Make sure your egg yolks are beaten till thick and pale yellow.
• Egg whites need to be beaten to stiff peaks.
• Line jelly roll pan with wax paper instead of parchment paper if you have it.
• Use Jelly, not all fruit or jam. It needs to have the sugar and pectin so it will not disappear into the cake.