I’m not having a dry January like a lot of people because I don’t really drink but I am making a concerted effort to eat more healthily after the excesses of Christmas! However, spying a few Bramley apples in my fridge the other day, my mind wandered back to a cake that I’d promised myself to make last year and never got around to doing.
As a child I remember my mother once making the most delicious Swiss Roll filled with apple puree, topped with chocolate, piped with whipped cream and decorated with walnuts. Well in my defence I did leave out the whipped cream and in place of white flour I used spelt flour which contains fibre so that’s healthier. Also the Swiss Roll batter is fatless (ie no butter or margarine used) and the only butter used is a tiny amount for the chocolate topping.
Therefore, as cakes go, I think it’s pretty healthy as you have a combination of apple, walnuts and spelt and we all know dark chocolate is good for you (have I convinced you yet)? No matter, in a line-up of cakes I’m sure my Apple & Chocolate Spelt Swiss Roll would be down the more saintly end compared to its buttery cousins!
We enjoyed this Swiss Roll on its own but if I’d had some cream then I would have served it with it or indeed piped it along the top to go under the walnuts. Gosh now I’m talking about cream, well I am a great believer in everything in moderation and giving yourself the occasional treat is all part of that. I think this is the perfect cake to have for afternoon tea or as a dessert.

Who could resist a slice of this?
I really enjoyed making this Swiss Roll as I can’t actually remember ever having made one befAore! In my defence it was only recently that I acquired a Swiss Roll tin otherwise I wouldn’t have left it quite so long! My top tip to any other newbies would be to roll the sponge up really tightly as I was a little too relaxed with mine, but not bad for a first attempt I think.
For more apple bakes you might like the following:
- Spelt Danish Apple Ring
- Lillian’s Apple Cake
- Blackberry & Apple Cake
- Easy Apple & Cinnamon Traybake
- Blackberry & Apple Speculaas Muffins
- Apple & Pear Cider Soda Bread
- Apple Crumble Cake
- French Apple Tart with Calvados Cream
Do you have fond memories of cakes your mother made and have you made them yourself?
Apple & Chocolate Spelt Swiss Roll
Ingredients
- For Apple filling:
- 2 Large Bramley apples
- 3 tbsp Granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp Lemon juice
- 1 tbsp water
- For Swiss Roll:
- 3 Eggs medium sized
- 75 g Caster sugar I keep vanilla pods in mine or replace a tsp with vanilla sugar
- 75 g Spelt plain white flour or plain white flour
- 1 tbsp Boiling water
- For topping:
- 130 g Dark chocolate
- Large knob of butter
- 5 Walnut halves
Instructions
- Peel, quarter, core and chop apples into slices.
- Put in a lidded pan with the lemon juice, water and sugar and gently cook for 5 – 10 minutes until completely softened and then mash with a fork.
- Place the puree in a bowl to cool.
- To make the Swiss Roll pre-heat the oven to 170⁰C.
- Grease and line a Swiss Roll tin (24cm x 34cm) with greased baking paper.
- Whisk the eggs and sugar together until mousse like and a trail of batter will sit on the surface for 15 seconds.
- Sift in the flour and fold in with a large metal spoon.
- Then fold in the boiling water.
- Tip the batter into the tin and spread out evenly into the corners with a spatula.
- Place in oven on the middle shelf for 10 minutes or until the centre springs back to the touch.
- Once cooked tip out onto a sheet of baking paper (if you wanted to make this without the chocolate topping drizzle the paper with caster sugar beforehand).
- Using a long sharp knife trim off the outer dry edges of the sponge.
- To help with the initial rolling, score into the sponge 2/3 way down, 2 cm away from the short end nearest to you.
- Spread the apple puree evenly over the sponge leaving a small gap either side to allow for spread (holding a little puree back if necessary).
- Using the baking paper (we don’t want finger marks) as a guide, roll up the sponge onto itself from the scored end keeping it really tight until you reach the end which should be underneath.
- Hold in this position for a minute then place along with the baking parchment onto a wire rack to cool.
- Meanwhile make the chocolate topping by breaking up the dark chocolate and placing it in a bowl along with the butter over a pan of barely simmering water.
- Once melted and combined pour the chocolate over the Swiss Roll and spread with a spatula to evenly cover.
- Place the walnut halves along the top.
- Now you can either serve straight away with the chocolate still molten or when it has set along with some whipped or clotted cream if you wish.
- Keep in the fridge.
Amy Fidler
This looks like a unique twist on a swiss roll x
Camilla
Thanks, my mums idea:-)
Lisa Williams
such a nice flavour combination, I have never had a home made swiss roll it looks great
Camilla
This was my first attempt so it’s never too late Lisa:-)
Heather Haigh
That looks so delicious.
martinaevansdesigns
I’ve never thought of putting these two flavours together before, they sound amazing together. Plus, the end result looks superb!
Camilla
Thanks! My mum was ahead of her time:-)
Alison
This looks absolutely amazing!
Camilla
Thank you Alison:-)
Jacqueline Roberts
Oh my this looks amazing
Camilla
Thanks Jacqueline:-)
Lisa Sherratt
Do you think this recipe would work with buckwheat or other gluten free flours?
Camilla
I’m afraid I have no experience of cooking with gluten free flour so couldn’t say.
Lisa Sherratt
Its gone from Great British Chefs!!
Camilla
Yes I know Lisa, they have had a re-launch but haven’t uploaded the majority of my recipes yet. I may have to publish myself!
Lisa Sherratt
I found this one and made up the method, oh my goodness it is good – even with buckwheat flour! 🙂
Camilla
Well that is my recipe, didn’t know Foodily published the GBC’s recipes like this! Learn something new every day! I should have offered to e-mail you the recipe, wasn’t thinking and didn’t realise you wanted to make it today. Glad you liked it and that it worked well with buckwheat flour which I don’t think I’ve tried before!
Marion Weir
Looks amazing
tiggerific1973
I tried this one yesterday! Everyone loved it, so thank you 🙂 x
Camilla
Oh brilliant, so pleased to hear that:-)