The thing I love about swiss rolls is that they are pretty simple to make and the flavour combinations are endless. Following on from my Passion Fruit Swiss Roll here’s a much richer version for all the chocolate lovers out there. The hazelnuts not only add that nutty flavour that goes so well with chocolate but they also add a lovely crunch, giving the roll even more depth. So while you sit there contemplating when to make it I’ll be cutting myself another slice! ;] Click here for the recipe
Tag Archives: vanilla
Chocolate, Hazelnut and Caramel Swiss Roll
Honeyed Fig Cheesecake
So this is a recipe I came up with a while ago, that I’m proud to finally publish on my blog (sorry for the absence). It marries the beautiful flavours of figs, mascarpone and honey into one of my favourite desserts – cheesecake! The mascarpone adds a really rich creaminess to the filling, while the sweetness of the figs is with the reinforced with the honey and spiced with a bit of cinnamon. Dried figs work well here if you are unable to get hold of fresh figs. Click here for the recipe
Beetroot & Chocolate Cake
I was recently challenged to use beetroot in a sweet dish. I wasn’t entirely freaked out but did think it would make for an interesting flavour. Vegetables such as carrot and beetroot can work well in cakes as they have a natural sweetness to them and add tonnes of moisture. This recipe is based on one for carrot cake, with the addition of chocolate to enhance the flavour and let’s not forget the gems on top - chocolate candied beetroot! Not strictly candied (like lemon or orange peel) but the cooked in a sugar syrup and tossed in cocoa powder to take this cake to another level. =] Click here for the recipe
Passion Fruit Swiss Roll
Having been requested to use passion fruit in a recipe I grabbed it by the horns as I’d never used passion fruit in anything before. I’ll admit this isn’t the most adventurous of recipes but sometimes simplicity is key; it captures the fresh tangy flavour of the fruit nicely contrasted against the sweetness of the sponge. Swiss roll (or roulade for the more discerning members of the food society) is a quick and easy recipe which can be altered in many ways to suit anyone’s taste (given that you like cake) so you may well see more swiss roll recipes from me. The trick to getting the sponge light and airy is in the mixing, whisking the eggs and sugar until pale and thick eliminating the need for raising agents. You know it’s the right consistency when the mixture leaves a thick trail as it falls from the beaters (when lifted) and sits on top of it itself.
If you’re not a fan of passion fruit seeds, sieve the pulp before mixing into the cream! Click here for the recipe
Honeycomb Layer Cake
I am a self-confessed cookbook collector. I love waiting for books I’ve ordered online and receiving them as gifts is a joy. One thing though - they must have pictures. Call me a child for my love of picture books but I struggle to envisage something I’ve never made before just from a list of instructions. After browsing through one of my cookbooks, Baked Explorations by Lewis and Poliafito, I had the urge to make an American-style layer cake. The many layers create a look of decadence and a simple decoration is literally the cherry on top! I find it hard to believe many people have three identical cake tins so I’ve suggested baking the cakes individually, or if you have two tins (like me) you can do two at the same time. Click here for the recipe
