Coffee Swissroll

I am new to blogging and am having a new found respect for successful bloggers who draw in readers for all corners of the world to their postings. I am beginning to realise that alot of hardwork goes into the maintenance of a blog - finding time to cook/bake something interesting, coming up with an interesting angle to write about the 9999th posting on chiffon cake and struggling to take a pretty picture to showcase your ware....
I often linger longingly over Kuidaore's and Tartellete's photo spreads, soaking in their flair for food styling - wondering what it takes to get such perfect exposure, such well balanced composition. I struggle to get the right lighting on my food, perplexed by my own lack of creativity as I stand in front of my cabinet of white crockery, not knowing how to display my food.
As a result of which, my first shot of this swiss roll looks more like a rolled face towel than a cake. Surely, there must be a more interesting way to take the picture but as I looked at the display on my compact camera, I could only manage to frame the towel. I will have to continue with more experimentation....
Anyway, the swissroll tasted good. This recipe whips the egg yolk and egg white separately. (rather similar to the chiffon) The result is a souffle like texture - softer and finer in texture than the usual sponge base.
The filling is a coffee flavoured Creme Mousseline which is a Creme Patisserie softened with butter. I did not prepare the Creme well because I forgot to add the flour during the prepartion of the Creme Patisserie. By the time I realised this, the custard was already starting to thicken. I took the easy way out and added the flour at that point. As a result of which the Creme Patisserie was not very smooth. It still tasted flavourful though.
Hopefully, the next time I make the roll again, I will be able to frost it - that would make a prettier picture.

Recipe :

Chiffon Sponge

Egg Yolk 5

Egg White 4

Sugar 90g

Coffee Essence 1 tbsp

All purpose flour 40g

Butter 40g (melted) Butter 130g

Coffee Essence 1tsp

Creme Mousseline

Milk 200ml

Egg Yolk 2

Vanilla Paste 1 tsp

Flour 10g

Corn Starch 20g

Method

Chiffon Sponge

1. Line a 27cm x 27cm square pan with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 200C.

2. Chiffon Sponge : Whip Egg Yolk with 20g Sugar until a figure 8 can be 'ribboned' out without fading quickly into the mixture. Add Coffee Essence and mix well.

In a separate clean bowl, whip egg white with 70g sugar until soft firm peaks are obtained. The meringue should still droop when the whip is inverted. (whipping the egg white too stiff will result in the sponge to rise excessively)

3. Chiffon Sponge : Pour Egg Yolk mixture into egg white and fold carefully to blend. Sift flour into the combined egg mixture. Fold carefully to ensure that flour is well combined. Pour in melted butter and fold to combine.

4. Pour batter into the lined square pan. Spread batter evenly. Bake cake in oven at 200C for 10 -12 mins.

5. After baking, remove cake from baking pan and leave to cool completely in parchment paper. Peel off parchment paper. The top face (brown side) will be creamed.

Creme Mousseline

1. Place egg yolk, sugar and vanilla paste in a bowl and beat until sugar dissolves. Add in Flour and corn starch and mix to a homogenous mixture.

2. In a heavy saucepan, heat milk until just boiling. Slowly pour in half of the heated milk into the egg yolk mixture, stirring the egg yolk mixture continuously with a whip.

3. Pour the egg & milk mixture into the saucepan (containing the other half of the heated milk) and continue to cook custard over low heat until custard thickens and turns shiny - all the while stirring continuously with the whip. This is Creme Patisserie or Custard.

4. Cool down the Creme Patisserie to room temperature.

5. Add in softened butter to the Creme Patisserie and blend with whip until a smooth cream is achieved.

Assembly

1. Using a flat piping tip, pipe ribbons of Creme Mousseline onto the browned face of the chiffon sponge to cover the the whole cake with cream.

2. Roll cake with the aid of a towel or parchment paper. (a little like rolling a sushi roll, with the towel / parchment paper acting like the sushi mat)

3. Chill the roll in the fridge further (1hour or more) to set the shape of the roll before slicing.