My chocolate swiss roll cake, a twist on the Women’s Weekly vintage cake classic, uses my favourite flavours from the Middle East: pistachio and orange blossom. Lush mascarpone cream, coupled with my ethereal chocolate sponge, is the perfect vehicle for these flavours.
My recipe draws inspiration from a vintage classic recipe in the Australian Women’s Weekly ‘100 Favourite CAKES’ cookbook published in 1972. Their chocolate cream swiss roll is included in their ‘Sponges’ section, which includes a range of helpful hints for the perfect sponge.
This is only one of a range of vintage recipes on my website – many based on women’s weekly vintage baking recipes. Check out the full range of recipes here!
Ingredients
Chocolate Swiss roll
70g egg yolks (from approx. 5 large eggs)
170g egg whites (from approx. 5 large eggs)
50g caster sugar (A)
50g caster sugar (B)
1 tsp honey
50g plain flour
25g potato starch
25g cocoa powder
Mascarpone cream
250g mascarpone
170g thickened cream (35% fat)
30g icing sugar
1-2 tsp orange zest (from 2-3 oranges)
1-2 tsp orange blossom water
1-2 tsp Cointreau
Pistachio ganache (optional)
150g white chocolate
50g pistachio paste
25g heavy cream (A) – 35% fat
25g heavy cream (B) – 35% fat
Good pinch flaky salt
Method
- For the chocolate swiss roll, line baking tray with non-stick baking paper. Preheat oven to 180C (no fan). Separate the eggs. Using a handheld beater, whisk the yolks with sugar (A) and honey until thick, pale and creamy (around 10-12 minutes). In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk, whisk the egg whites to soft peaks, then gradually beat in sugar (B) until thick and glossy.
- Holding the whisk attachment, very gently fold the yolks through the whites, but stop while there are still traces of yolk visible but very nearly mixed through.
- Sift the flour, starch and cocoa into a bowl and whisk to combine. Sift again over the egg mixture and fold through as lightly as possible. While the mixture is still full of air, pour it into the tin, spread it out gently with a spatula and bake for 12-15 minutes until gently risen and set. The cake is done when it begins to pull away from the sides and springs back when lightly touched. Do not overbake or the cake will crack when rolled.
- While baking, sprinkle a clean tea-towel with caster sugar. When the cake is baked, cut around the perimeter with a paring knife, flip the still-warm sponge out onto the tea towel, peel the paper off and roll it up like a scroll. Place on a baking rack to cool (about 30-60 mins).
- For the pistachio ganache, add the pistachio paste to cream (A) in a pan or microwave. Heat to just before boiling. Add the white chocolate away from direct heat. Use a stab blender to mix until homogenous. Add cream (B) and mix again. Place in fridge until thickened and pipeable. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a large plain tip.
- For the mascarpone cream, place mascarpone, cream, icing sugar, orange zest, orange blossom water and Cointreau in a bowl, using a handheld beater, whip until medium peaks.
- To assemble, unroll the cake gently, and transfer to a piece of baking paper. Spread a uniform layer of mascarpone cream, and pipe a thick line of pistachio ganache at one end. Roll the cake up tightly, and use the baking paper to ensure a tight even roll (see my Instagram reel for a how to guide.) Top with more mascarpone cream and decorate with pistachio praline.
