Jelly-Roll Anxiety

Feel the fear and do it anyway.

Susan Jeffers, American best-selling self-help author

The fear factor in making a jelly-roll type dessert ranks up there with changing a fuse in Egypt and drilling a hole in the wall to hang a picture. However, in this case, if something went terribly wrong with this new adventure, embarked upon just hours before the church potluck dinner, I had a 'Plan B': if my Strawberries and Cream Cake Roll cracked or fell to pieces during the process, I would throw all the pieces into a large bowl and cover the mess with more whipped cream and call it "Strawberries and Cream Trifle". I figured I couldn't loose.

As it turned out, I could loose: the cake roll looked so spectacular that the plate was bare before Mom and I could get a piece. I'm told it tasted good too -- but that is just hearsay. I had wanted to take a photo of one of the slices to document the achievement but there wasn't a chance for that, so I'm posting the quick shot I took before heading to the social even though it doesn't show the lovely roll of the angel food cake.

The directions provided by the browneyedbaker are so easy to follow, I can only urge you to "feel the fear and do it anyway" and try it yourself. I'm going to make it again just to get a taste.  ;-)


Strawberries and Cream Angel Food Cake Roll
Yield: 10 servings

Ingredients:
For the Cake:
9 egg whites (Not knowing what to do with 9 yolks, I used 1 carton + 2 tbsp of "Simply Egg Whites")
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
3/4 tsp cream of tartar
1 cup + 2 tbsp granulated sugar
3/4 cup cake flour
1 tbsp powdered (icing) sugar

For the Filling:
2 cups of heavy whipping cream, chilled
6 tbsp powdered (icing) sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups diced strawberries

Powdered sugar, for dusting top of cake, optional (but necessary)

Directions:
1. Place the egg whites in a large mixing bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, line a 15" X 10" baking pan with parchment paper. (I used a cookie sheet that was about 15" X 17" and it worked quite well -- and we gained more servings.) Lightly coat the paper with cooking spray and set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

3. Add vanilla and cream of tartar to the egg whites; beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, on high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form and sugar is dissolved. Fold in flour, 1/4 cup at a time.

4. Carefully spread batter into prepared pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until cage springs back when lightly touched. (My cake took about 23 minutes.) Cool for 5 minutes.

5. Dust a clean kitchen towel with 1 tablespoon powdered sugar. Turn the cake out onto the kitchen towel. Gently peel off paper. Roll up cake in the towel jelly-roll style, starting with a short side. (Mom and I with 4 hands were able to roll from the long side. Otherwise the roll would have been very tall and impossible to serve several people.) Cool completely on a wire rack.

6. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, beat the cream on medium speed until it begins to thicken. Add powdered sugar and vanilla; increase the speed to medium-high and beat until soft peaks form. Gently fold in the strawberries. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

7. Unroll rolled cake; spread filling to within a half an inch of the edges (you will have some filling leftover). Roll up again. Place seam side down on a serving plate; sprinkle with additional powdered sugar, if desired. Serve with any leftover strawberries and cream filling. Store leftovers (what leftovers???), covered with plastic wrap, in the refrigerator.

Source: BrownEyedBaker blog (adapted from Taste of Home Recipes).