Before, I start sharing my experience, please check out this youtube. The chef is genius, His recipe is the BEST. Swiss Roll
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPSYusAlLSw
credit to Michael Lim
I modified his recipe so, it can fit into 26×26 pan / 28×28. I used 2/3 recipe. You can scale the ingredients to 2/3.
I used 75 grams of sugar instead 80 grams.I used 26×26 but apparently, the cake was still THICK, yet, unbelievably, I could still roll it! Goodness! Only crack slightly on the bottom but no sticky and crack on top. Very beautiful, very pretty. I think 28×28 pan will be better. Will make with 28×28 pan next time. Must eat all of current cake first…haha…goodness! i’m beyond happy that i can make this roll cake all the time!
I used oxone BR898. The temperature and baking time I used was different from his recipe (each oven is different. Know our own oven temperature nature!):
1st 20 minutes : 133C (130-135C) top and bottom heater.
2nd 16 minutes : 145C (145-150C) top and bottom heater.
3rd 10 minutes : only top heat 160C.
I wonder if 10minutes was too long…haha…may be 8 minutes was ok…it’s just to make the top brown and not sticky when the cake is cooled down.
I used 2-3 times baking step technique and realised that it’s a good technique! The difference with 1 step backing technique i’ve always done before, the 2-3 times baking step results in no crispy sides. The bottom of the cake is also pretty! So you can use the bottom side as the outer side cake if you want.
The cake is also moist. I feel, it’s like using au ban marie technique but the bottom is not wet. Usually, using that technique results in ‘wet’ or very moist cake. While this cake is not moist. It’s very soft but not moist nor dry. I don’t have to cut the sides using this technique. The cake is evenly bake from side to side, from edge to edge. Very pretty.
Oh yes, and using white vinegar somehow is good O.o . I don’t know whether it’s because the white vinegar or the whole recipe but compared to my previous trials on other recipes, this cake is firmer but still soft and flexible. I really don’t know how to describe it properly, the point is, much better. Before, I used 24×24 but took about 60ml of the dough out. I rolled it without filling. It works! It was thick too but rolled with no crack.
I used low protein flour as it creates more flexible dough. I haven’t tried with regular flour. I was too afraid since so many failures lately.
About crack…This is my theory though (aside from common ‘theory’ that using more yolks results in good flexibility), rolling needs a technique too. The deeper/inner roll sometimes has slight crack but still covered with next roll on top of it. The longer the pan length, the better to cover slight cracks. These cracks I’m talking about it fine cracks on top, not kind of ‘broken’ cake.
I’m still wondering about the sticky surface problem though. Actually, my cake wasn’t sticky but when i put in the fridge, somehow, it became wet and make some bottom surface sticky. In the past, my cake wasn’t sticky but after putting in the fridge, the whole top surface became sticky. I was like O.o …it was ok. A blogger said, it didn’t need to put in the fridge. Why do i feel agreed with her now? Perhaps, i’ll do that next time.
Swiss roll cake is difficult. A blogger said, if it’s crack, it’s the recipe fault. Now, i feel that it’s one of main caution or even main caution.
First of all, the recipe itself must be correct (and then the pan and baking technique aaand rolling technique). SO, if you have found ONE BEST swiss roll recipe, KEEP IT, USE IT! And just play with the filling. Make variation with the filling, but think twice if want to change the cake recipe. There are so many variation i’ve tried but this one is the best. There are many many variation including ones that use lots of yolks and ones that use corn starch instead of regular flour. Yet, the recipe by this chef is very cheap in terms of cost and not much of ingredients, quite easy to be modified a bit.
I’m still R&D-ing about the chocolate swiss roll cake. It is ok if i do like what the chef has done but I prefer to do another way different in terms of the side of cake that has to be spread with buttercream. I’m still failed in terms to make the surface dry as well as to maintain the cake for not broken.