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.
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.
Paul Wilson
Looks really tasty.
Camilla
Thanks – it was:-)
Ursula Hunt
The chocolate topping looks so glossy and delicious
Maya Russell
I like it that this is lower in fat and just a bit healthier.
Camilla
Thank you:-)
William Gould
We planted a miniature Bramley in the garden last year, I know what to do in October now if it fruits!
Camilla
We planted a Braeburn pip 7 years ago and the small tree has yet to blossom:-( Maybe it needs a mate?
Choclette
That looks fabulous and so professional Camilla. I’m rubbish at rolling correctly, so hats off to you for doing it so well.
Camilla
Thank you Choclette, it was my first time so didn’t think it was too bad:-)
Jeanne Horak-Druiff
Swiss roll is one of those things that I am always too nervous to try making – I just have visions of the cake disintegrating into crumbs as I try to roll it! Yours looks so decadent – that frosting…!
Camilla
Thank you Jeanne – it was easier than I thought so shall have to make more now:-)
Sally - My Custard Pie
I’ve never used spelt in anything but loaves – this sounds really wholesome … I love fruit in cakes.
Camilla
Thank you Sally:-)
kellie@foodtoglow
Stumbled, pinned etc as this sounds fantastic! Moderation, schmoderation 😉
Camilla
LOL – thanks Kellie:-)
Ursula Hunt
what a great variation of the traditional swiss roll
Camilla
Thank you – my mum deserves the credit here:-)
Gill Bland
Interesting, I’d not thought of baking cakes with spelt and especially not something as delicate as a swiss roll. I might have to give that a try (though swiss rolls and I have an ongoing argument)
Camilla
Go on Gill, if I can do it so can you:-)