This week’s challenge for the Great British Bake Off Bakealong was a jelly roll or Swiss roll. I had never made one before. The closest I had come was when I made a meringue roulade for another one of the challenges. It wasn’t very pretty but it was tasty. I suppose the same can be said for my jelly roll recipe; these are the kinds of things that take a bit of practice. I also think if I had just made it with the strawberry jam it would have rolled more prettily. But it tastes delicious and to me, taste always rules.

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The chocolate mouse recipe is adapted from The Fundamentals and Techniques of Classic Cuisine from the French Culinary Institute – a marvelous cookbook to have in your library for step by step instructions with photos for hundreds and hundreds of recipes. It’s not cheap but I use it regularly. The jelly roll is adapted from The Perfect Cake by America’s Test Kitchen.

Jelly Roll with Chocolate Mousse

For the Chocolate Mousse

5 1/2 ounces semi sweet chocolate, chopped
1 2/3 cups heavy cream
3 large egg whites
1 ounce of sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

For the jelly roll cake

3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
5 large eggs, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
confectioner’s sugar
1 1/2 cups strawberry jam, at room temperature

Make the Mousse:

Melt the chocolate in a non reactive double boiler. Set aside to cool slightly.

Beat the egg whites until foamy, then start adding the sugar about a TBS at a time until all has been added and the whites are at stiff peaks.
Whip the heavy cream to soft peaks, add the vanilla and whip just a little more.

Add the chocolate to the egg whites and gently fold until combined.

Fold in the whipped cream. Refrigerate until set.

Make the cake:

Preheat oven to 350
Grease a half sheet pan ( 13″ x 18″) then line with parchment, grease the parchment and dust with flour
Whisk together the flour, baking powder in salt in a small bowl. Set aside
In a stand mixer with the whisk attached whip the eggs on medium high speed until foamy. Gradually add the sugar, then continue beating until “quite voluminous” (per the recipe) about 6 – 8 minutes.

(Don’t stint on the whipping here. You really want to get some air into these eggs.)

Sift the flour mixture over the whipped eggs. Gently fold in until combined.
Pour the batter on to the prepared half sheet pan. Spread evenly with an offset spatula.
Bake in the preheated oven for 12 to 17 minutes.

While the cake is baking open a large cotton or linen dish towel (bigger than the size of the cake) and dust with confectioner’s sugar

When the cake is baked, run a butter knife around the edges and turn the pan over on to the dish towel. Remove the parchment paper.

Immediately roll the cake up from the short end and let sit rolled until the cake is cooled.
After the cake has cooled, carefully unroll.

Add the jam and spread evenly over the top.

Then spread about 3/4s of the mousse on top of the jam. There will be a little mousse leftover. Just save it and enjoy it.

Carefully roll the cake up and trim the ends. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Dust with confectioner’s sugar before serving

How Was the Jelly Roll Recipe?

Do you really have to ask? I mean we have a light, airy chiffon, decadent chocolate mousse and at least in my case, sweet/tart homemade strawberry jam. It’s a yummy dessert.