Animal Print Swiss Roll Recipe

I have been meaning to attempt one of these amazing deco paste Swiss rolls for sometime now. 

Unfortunately for me my recreational baking time is pretty limited these days and it has taken forever for me to actually find the time to try this awesomeness out!

To make this type of patterned Swiss roll you make one batter and pipe your design onto a parchment lined Swiss roll tin. You bake this very briefly, building up the design in layers and baking for around a minute each time.  You then make a second egg white batter and mix this with the remainder of the first batter. This batter makes the actual cake, you pour it on top of the pre-baked design and bake as normal.

My first attempt was a little less perfect then I would like, despite my best efforts the parchment beneath my cake wrinkled and these creases can be seen on my Swiss roll.  Also despite my Leopard spots looking quite close together when piped on the tray, the finished cake could have done with quite a few more spots. I also think the texture of the cake was a little too open and I may try using Type '00 flour next time instead of a mixture of plain and corn flour.

I decorated my Swiss roll with extra whipped cream and leftover handmade chocolate decorations from the bakery.

I have adapted the basic recipe from Honey Bee Sweets who adapted it from an adorable Japanese book, which you can find here.  I have to say a huge thank you to Honey Bee Sweets because I would never of managed to translate the recipe from Japanese myself! French I can manage, Japanese...not so much.

Animal Print Swiss Roll Recipe

For the Egg Yolk Batter:

4 egg yolks

40g vanilla sugar (or caster sugar)

75ml water

50ml vegetable oil

1 tsp vanilla paste

75g plain flour

25g corn flour

25g cocoa powder

1 egg white

pinch cream of tartar

10g caster sugar

For the Egg White Batter:

5 egg whites

40g vanilla sugar (or caster sugar)

1/4tsp cream of tartar

whipped cream, to fill and decorate

Grease and line a Swiss roll tin with parchment paper and set aside

Pre heat your oven to 165C.

Whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, water, vegetable oil, and vanilla in a medium mixing bowl.  Sift together the plain flour and corn flour and add to the egg yolk mixture. Whisking until combined.

Take two small bowls and place 1 tbsp of the egg yolk mixture into each. 

In a separate bowl beat the egg white, cream of tartar and sugar on the high speed of an electric mixer until soft peaks.  Add 1 rounded tbsp of egg white to each of your small bowls (not into the main egg yolk mixture) and fold through to combine.

Add brown or black food colouring to one of the bowls, until this mixture is significantly darker than the original mixture.

Fill a piping bag with the darker mixture and pipe the first part of the leopard print design as seen in the image below.

Place the tray in your preheated oven for 1 minute.

Remove from the oven.

Take the second bowl and fill a piping bag with this lighter brown mixture and fill the wonky circles you have just piped as shown below.

Once again place the tray into the oven and bake for a further minute before removing and setting aside.

Now make the egg white batter:

Beat the egg whites until foamy, add the cream of tartar and continue to whip. Gradually add the sugar and continue to beat at a high speed until stiff peaks.

Gently fold the egg white mixture into the egg yolk batter in three portions, until completely incorporated and no streaks of white remain.

Pour the batter over the baked decoration, into the Swiss roll tray. Level the mixture and place in the preheated oven.

Bake for around 12-14 minutes.

Remove the tray from the oven and allow to cool completely before turning out and gently peeling off the parchment.

Place the Swiss roll on a flat surface and with the patterned side facing down spread whipped cream across the top of the cake.  Roll the Swiss roll tightly starting from the longer side of the rectangle.

I love this method it really is so much fun and I have seen some amazing designs around, I honestly cannot wait to try another one. 

The recipe may seem a little complicated on reading but honestly it is all actually very simple once your actually making it.  I have some adorable ideas up my sleeve so expect another Swiss roll soon!

x x x

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Animal Print Swiss Roll Recipe