Swiss roll/ sponge cake/ Japanese cake

Chocolate rolls When I was young, my dad used to come home for tea and bring a variety of cakes from a bakery near our house. He brings jam rolls often and I have marveled at its softness that melts in my mouth. I cannot count how many times I have smacked my lips and licked my fingers enjoying a swiss roll. (That is how my dentist grew rich, fixing my tooth cavities but allowing me to keep my sweet tooth intact.) I never tried making sponge cakes before, fearing there is a higher difficulty level to obtain that texture. I imagined the result cannot be achieved in my little kitchen and it may need some industrial baking tools. I had a wish to try it though! When I saw beautiful patterns on jam rolls, making it more appealing, my urge to make it  increased. I have been sleeping on this idea for quite some time and suddenly thought, I should give it a shot! What is life if we don’t throw in a little challenge now and then? My interest was renewed when I watched a beautiful video on swiss rolls. I adapted the sponge cake recipe from japanese roll cake/swiss roll, thanking her for the clear, elegant presentation. The result was exactly the way it should be and I was spell bound by the spongy texture. I had to convert all the ingredients into my comfortable cup measurements. And only 2 eggs!…I couldn’t believe it as I have seen recipes with four and six eggs to make sponge cakes. Encouraged by this simple recipe with just 4 ingredients, I set sailing. The design on the underside of the cake was an extra detail I added, being a little crafty! Instead of jam, store bought chocolate frosting is used, so I renamed it as chocolate roll. I am a chocoholic, no doubt! Cake batter for drawing a pattern

• 1 egg white
• 2 tbsp butter
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 3 tbsp flour
• 1 tbsp cocoa powder
• 3 drops of green food colour

1. Draw a patter on a paper and place it in a baking tray. (I used a square tray.)
2. Lay parchment paper inside the tray and cut the corner to fit it in.
3. Mix butter, sugar, egg white and flour in a bowl.
4. Take a small part of it and add green colour or any fancy colour.
5. Add cocoa powder to the remaining  larger part.
6. Fill two piping bags with the colours and pipe pattern slowly on the parchment paper. (I removed the paper to a flat surface so it is easier to move around and trace the design with the coloured cake batter.)
7. Put this in the baking tray and allow it to set in a refrigerator so it will not spread when sponge cake batter is added.

Skipping this part is no big crime! The cake tastes great with or without it!

Ingredients for sponge cake

• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup sifted sugar powder (icing sugar is fine)
• 1/4 cup cake flour (I used all purpose flour)
• 2 tbsp milk

1. Beat the eggs and powdered sugar with a wire whisk.
2. Place it on hot water and whisk to dissolve the sugar and warm it slightly. (Remember we don’t want sweet scrambled eggs.)
3. Beat the mixture with an electric mixer for 5 minutes on high speed for it to turn fluffy.
4. Then beat for 2 minutes on low speed to foam.
5. Add sifted cake flour and fold in gently about 10 times with a spatula.
6. Fold for about 50 times after adding milk.
7. Remove baking tray from refrigerator and pour the batter into it.
8. Spread it by tilting the tray to fill the corners.
9. Drop tray gently on counter top to release any air bubbles trapped under.
10. Bake it in a preheated oven at 350° F for 12 minutes.
11. When baked, remove from oven and drop it gently on counter top to prevent shrinking.
12. Remove cake holding the parchment paper and cool on a rack.
13. When it is warm to touch, invert the cake on another piece of parchment paper.
14. Gently pull out parchment paper to reveal the pattern on top.
15. Turn the cake to the other side and spread chocolate frosting.
16. Roll it and cover it with parchment paper tightly and place it in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
17. Take the roll out and slice it into smaller pieces and serve.

This roll cracked when rolled as I let it to cool longer, I guess. Have it with a cup of black tea without sugar to balance the taste. That is exactly what I did!