As promised - not another bread recipe. This one made me angry though...not the actual cake, that was delicious. But I had it all planned out exactly what I wanted to make, and I wanted to make it with blood oranges, not just normal oranges. So I scoured every local shop looking for them...and couldn't find any for sale anywhere...needless to say I was a tad disappointed...So I made it with orange oranges instead, and as I said, it was delicious, just not quite what I had planned.
I made the sponge with ground almonds and orange zest for flavour, it is filled with home-made orange curd and almond flavoured Swiss meringue buttercream, and is topped with candied orange slices. I also brushed the sponge with some of the syrup left over from making the orange slices before filling and rolling it - it tastes amazing, like liquid marmalade, and if you have any left over I strongly recommend trying it drizzled over pancakes... The recipe makes more orange curd than you will need (about 2 small jars) but it will keep for about a month in the fridge and is delicious on toast (or you can use shop bought orange or lemon curd). Although there are several different elements to make and the recipe looks quite long, you can split the workload up over several days. The orange curd can be made a couple of weeks in advance, and the candied orange slices will keep for up to a week in the fridge.
I have been unable to do any blogging for the last week (this post was supposed to go up last tuesday...) as my fiances band was doing a tour around the UK and I was traveling with them. It was great fun and they sound amazing but it was very non-stop and and there was an awful lot of driving, late nights and a diet consisting primarily of crisps, biscuits and sandwiches...so I am quite glad to be home so I am able to rest, have a proper meal and catch up on blogging. I apologise for not responding to comments while I was away. The band is called Winters Edge and you can check them out on Facebook and YouTube if you like (although I warn you now that they play progressive melodic power metal so will not be to everyones taste!).
Orange And Almond Swiss Roll
Ingredients
Orange Curd
- 3 eggs
- 2 egg yolks (reserve the whites for the swiss meringue buttercream)
- 1 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
- 100 g (½ cup) caster (superfine) sugar
- 150 ml (⅔ cup) orange juice (about 2 medium/large oranges)
- 3 tbsp lemon juice (about 1 large lemon)
- finely grated zest of 1 orange and 1 lemon
- 115 g (½ cup) butter, cubed
- 1 tsp orange blossom water optional
Candied Orange Slices
- 500 ml (2 + ⅛ cups) water
- 150 g (¾ cup) caster (superfine) sugar
- 2 tbsp golden syrup
- 1 large orange thinly sliced
Swiss Roll
- 4 large eggs
- 80 g (¼ cup + 2 tbsp + 1 tsp) caster sugar, plus 2 tbsp for sprinkling
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 50 g (⅓ cup + 2 tbsp) plain flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 50 g (⅓ cup + 2 tbsp) ground almonds
- pinch salt
- Finely grated zest of 1 orange
Swiss Meringue Buttercream
- 2 egg whites
- 110 g (½ cup + 1 tbsp) caster (superfine) sugar
- 150 g (⅔ cup) softened butter
- ½ tsp almond extract
Instructions
To make the orange curd
- Whisk together the eggs, yolks, cornflour and sugar in a heavy bottomed saucepan. Whisk in the orange and lemon juice and zests then add the butter.
- Place the saucepan over a medium-low heat, whisk constantly until the mixture thickens, about 8-10 minutes. It should be gently simmering, make sure it doesn't boil or the eggs will curdle. It will resemble a very thick custard by the time it is done cooking.
- Immediately remove from the heat, whisk in the orange blossom water (if using) and strain it through a sieve into a storage container or hot, sterilised jars. Keep refrigerated (refrigerate overnight before using).
Make the candied orange slices
- Mix together the water, sugar and golden syrup in a saucepan, bring to a boil and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Add the orange slices, try to keep them in one layer. Simmer until the rind has gone almost transparent, about 1 hour. If using immediately, use a slotted spoon to transfer the slices to a wire rack to cool (reserve the syrup). If not, leave to cool in the syrup and store in the fridge (in the syrup) for up to a week until needed.
Make the Swiss roll
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas mark 4. Line an approx. 22x30cm swiss roll tin with greaseproof paper.
- Using a stand mixer or electric whisk, whisk the eggs and the 80g of caster sugar until pale, trebled in volume and the mixture leaves a ribbon trail when the whisk is lifted from the bowl. Add the almond extract and whisk briefly to combine.
- Sift together the flour and baking powder and stir in the ground almonds and salt. Sprinkle the mixture over the eggs along with the zest and very gently fold in.
- Pour the mixture from a low height into the prepared tin and carefully level. Bake for about 10 minutes until golden and just firm to the touch.
- While it is baking, cut a piece of baking parchment slightly larger than the size of the tin, lay it out on the worktop and sprinkle over the 2 tbsp sugar.
- Let the baked Swiss roll rest for 1 minute before flipping it out onto the sugared baking parchment. Carefully peel off the baking parchment that was used to line the Swiss roll tin and discard.
- Starting at the narrowest end, tightly roll up the sponge with the clean parchment inside, then leave to cool completely.
Make the Swiss meringue buttercream
- Place the egg whites and sugar in a spotlessly clean heatproof bowl (the bowl of your stand mixer if you have one) over a pan of gently simmering water. Don't let the base of the bowl touch the water. Whisk gently with a hand whisk until the egg white is hot to the touch (about 65C/150F) and doesn't feel grainy at all when you rub it between your fingers.
- Remove from the heat and whisk with your stand mixer or an electric whisk on high until you have a thick, glossy meringue which is completely cool to the touch - the base of the bowl should feel cool.
- Continue to whisk on low while adding the butter a tablespoon at a time until it is fully incorporated, turn up to high and continue to whisk until silky smooth, finally whisk in the almond extract.
- Drain the orange slices if you haven't done so already, reserving the syrup.
- Unroll the cooled roulade and brush it all over with some of the reserved orange syrup. Spread over the swiss meringue buttercream, leaving a small gap around the edge, then spread over about 3-4 tablespoons of the orange curd.
- Tightly re-roll the roulade using the parchment paper to help you, Trim the ends of the swiss roll to neaten and place on a serving platter, garnish with the orange slices. Keep refrigerated but allow to sit out at room temperature for half an hour before serving.
I am sharing this with Totally Talented Tuesdays, Create Link Inspire, Foodie Fridays, Fiesta Friday, Foodie Friends Friday & Friday Favorites
Hilda
Lovely recipe, with any oranges!
Girl and the Kitchen
This looks soooo beautiful! I agree I would have been pissed too if I could not find the blood oranges 🙁 Although I am sure it's yummy nonetheless!
hannahhossack
It's absolutely delicious, I just had my heart set on blood oranges!
petiteraisin
I think I scared the crap out of my husband clicking on the youtube link to check out your fiances band! You're better than I am...I hate driving long distances, the longest stretch I can go is 2.5 hours before I need to get out and walk about! On to the recipe, this looks so delicious! I like your tip of breaking it into a few days work. I feel your pain on the blood oranges...never avaliable when ya need em.
#TastyTuesdays
.:Marta:.
hannahhossack
Haha! you were brave to check them out! I honestly didn't think that anybody would... :p They are talking about maybe doing a gig in Scotland later on this year...that is a drive that I am REALLY not looking forward to... I find recipes with multiple components so much easier to tackle if I split it up over a few days, it doesn't feel like much work then 🙂
Carrie - Time to be an Adult
This looks lovely, Lidl have been selling lots of blood oranges recently but I'm not too sure if they are still selling them now.
hannahhossack
I didn't think to try Lidl, thanks for the tip!
Kirsty Hijacked By Twins
I love Swiss roll and I bet the orange and almond got together perfectly x #BakeoftheWeek
Jenn P.
Visiting from Cook, Blog, Share...looks amazing, pinned to try this weekend!
hannahhossack
Thanks Jenn 🙂
Tracy
Yum!!! Yes, please! I Love the oranges on top!!! Thanks so much for bringing it this week to FF!
hannahhossack
Thanks Tracy 🙂
Nancy
Well, "orange" oranges may not have been your first choice...but this cake sure does look delicious! Beautiful photos, too. 🙂
hannahhossack
Thank you! It probably wouldn't have been any better made with blood oranges, it was just the colour I wanted really!
Loretta
You are quite the baker, most impressed with your offerings 🙂
hannahhossack
Thanks Loretta 🙂
chefjulianna
So beautiful and tasty! I know how frustrating it is not to be able to find your feature ingredient, but you made a beautiful cake, nevertheless! I think blood oranges have a pretty short season...
hannahhossack
Thank you 🙂 Yes it is a short season...which makes it all the more frustrating that I couldn't find any as I don't have time to look further afield for them before they go out of season!
Honest Mum
A joy to look and read this! Thanks for linking up to #tastytuesdays x
hannahhossack
Thanks Vicki! 🙂 x
Julie is HostessAtHeart
Hanna, this is just a work of art. So beautiful and every step sounds delicious on it's own.
hannahhossack
Thanks Julie 🙂 They are all delicious on their own! I made extra candied oranges and ate them with pancakes drizzled with the extra syrup - gorgeous! and there was extra orange curd that I've been eating on toast 🙂
Michelle @ Giraffes Can Bake
I'd been wanting to bake with blood oranges for ages too, and the sainsburys by us finally started selling them so I was very happy!
Even though it wasn't what you had planned, it looks amazing! Beautiful photos too
hannahhossack
Thank you! I have since been told that Lidl were selling them...haven't had a chance to check though
lucyparissi
Touring with the band sounds like fun. Exhausting, but fun. That's one perfect roll and it's a shame about the blood oranges... I get mine from Ocado or Sainsbury's although I believe the season is nearly over now. Thanks for linking to #CookBlogShare
Helen at Casa Costello
Oh wow, my 2 favourite flavours. I thought I was the only one not to be able to find blood oranges - frustrating isn't it? Divine bake as ever! Thanks for joining in with #Bakeoftheweek x
Raluca
Hi, you mention in the description that you made thw sponge with almonds, can I replace the regular flour with almond flour?
hannahhossack
Hi Raluca, no I'm afraid that won't work.
Autumn
Hi, I'm planning on making the swiss roll tomorrow and noticed that there is no oil, water, or milk in the batter. Are the four eggs enough for the consistency of the cake, or is something missing from the recipe for the swiss roll batter? I am new to this and wanted to check just because I saw other recipes list oil in the ingredients. Thank you!
hannahhossack
Hi Autumn, the recipe is correct. Swiss roll is traditionally a fatless sponge and as there is only a small quantity of flour, four eggs is plenty to provide enough moisture. I hope you enjoy it!
Joe Chase
Im late to this recipe, but it looks great. Two questions from a non-baker:
1. Are the almonds in this recipe supposed to be raw, blanched or toasted?
2. Is the butter in the buttercream and meringue supposed to be salted or unsalted?
Thanks, and Happy New year 2021
Hannah
Hi Joe, I use shop-bought pre-ground almonds (available from all supermarkets), which are ground blanched almonds. I always use unsalted butter as you can then add salt to taste if needed.