Green tea swiss roll cake (layer cake)

I have a confession to make.  I don't drink tea.  Serious business I know. And I'm probably missing something in my life.  But hey!  Don't judge me!  The only tea I ever drink is green tea.  I love the variety with the toasted rice!  So when the lovely girls from the SABH announced a  "tea inspired" theme for May, there was only one way to go - a green tea inspired sweet treat.

This is a light sponge cake with a subtle hint of green tea and olive oil.  Initially,  the Swiss roll route was the plan, but cutting the cake into slabs and layering became the easier option.  We love this so much since we first tried it last week, we've made it three times already - one was the taste test, the next batch was brought to the Mowbray PS 60th Anniversary morning tea, and then the third one I brought to work for moving day to calm everyone's nerves (pretty sure you know what I mean by that. Moving is toxic - whether personal or business).

mise en place

The Swiss roll turned a bit tedious and unsettling (of course, like all baking adventures are!) and the cake just cracked as I rolled. 

Which led to this - a green tea sponge layer cake with whipped cream filling.  A tad bit easier and hastens the process of waiting to eat them.

This recipe is adapted from Christine's Recipes with a little bit of tweaking - added just a tiny bit more green tea.  (Christine has some easy to follow instructions how best to roll the sponge, but I'm a bit lazy).  I also whipped the cream using icing sugar. 

Ingredients for green tea sponge cake

6 egg whites

9 egg yolks

100g + 60g caster sugar

90g cake flour

25g corn flour

50ml olive oil

2.5 tbsp green tea powder

3 tbsp hot water

Preheat oven to 220*C.  Prepare a cookie sheet or lamington pan.  Spray with non stick spray and line with baking paper.

 In a small bowl, mix and stir the green tea powder with the hot water until like a paste. Set aside.

Sift cake flour and corn flour together onto a small sheet of baking paper.  Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), whip/whick the egg yolks with the 100g caster sugar until light and cream in colour.  Set aside.

In a separate bowl, whip/whisk the eggs whites until frothy then add the 60g caster sugar slowly in 3 batches, making sure you continue whipping/whisking as you add the sugar.  Continue until you get stiff peaks.

Gently fold into 1/3 of the egg whites to the yolk mixture until incorporated.  Continue to add a third at a time, folding gently until you've mixed all the meringue and yolks together.

Add the green tea paste and stir and mix until incorporated into the batter.

Add in the sifted flour/s and fold.  

Add the olive oil and stir until  mixed through.

Pour onto the prepared pans.  Bake in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes.  

(While baking, prepare your whipped cream filling).

Remove from oven then cool on a wire rack.

Whipped cream filling

1 cup thick cream

1/4 cup icing sugar (more or less to suit your taste)

Prepare a large bowl with ice and then place a medium bowl on top.  (This helps whip the cream faster.  If you don't have ice, I usually use anything from the fridge and place my bowl on it - packets of frozen peas or chips, etc)

Using the medium sized bowl, whip the cream for about 30 seconds, then add the icing sugar.  Whip until thick and of spreading consistency.  Do not over whip.  Place in the fridge until ready to use.

To assemble:

Cut the cake into 3 equal rectangles.

Spread about 2 tablespoons of the cream on the first layer (add more according to how thick you want the layers to be (it can be as thick or as thin as you want).

Layer the next cake until you have the top. 

Wrap in plastic cling and place in fridge until ready to serve.

Thanks to JJ from 84th and 3rd for hosting this month's blog hop!  Now go on hop onto the other tea-inspired sweet treats and enjoy your cup of tea!  Whatever it is you fancy.

Lemon scented rolls with cream cheese frosting

“So get out, get out, get out of my head.  And fall into my arms instead.  I don’t, I don’t, don’t know what it is.  But I need that one thing.” – One Thing, One Direction 2011

 

The frenzy that wreaked havoc and high decibel squeals in the city this week, at the Hordern Pavilion and at the Logies aka One Direction has infected our home.  Four girls all humming the same song over and over again, watching the same videos over and over again.  It’s the One Direction infection!  So my teenager says.  Hubby is a saint for putting up with all these, listening to the squeals and excitement.   

Yep.  One can get drawn to boy bands in their time.  As we had afternoon tea over these lovely rolls on Sunday, the grown ups were also reminiscing about the boy bands in our day but can’t seem to pinpoint anything that fell into the category of “boy band”.  Growing up watching MTV singing, dancing and sometimes swooning over members of Spandau Ballet, Duran Duran, Culture Club, Flock of Seagulls,  The Cars, Earth Wind and Fire, Dire Straits, Chicago, U2 and the list goes on.  All seem to be composed of mature “men” not “boys”.  The late 80s to 90s was the era when the “boy” bands emerged: Boy Zone, Boys to Men, Backstreet Boys, InSync, etc.  All good fun remembering that yeah, once upon a time, admittedly, we were also drawn to the pop sensations and culture.  So I say to my girls – I love One Direction too!  Lol!

Now back to the order of the day – this month’s Lemon theme at the Sweet Adventures Blog Hop hosted by Le Delicieux.  These rolls are a cross between Flo Brakers Lemon Scented Pull-Apart Coffee Cake (featured in The Kitchn 2010 and Leite’s Culinaria in 2009) and a cinnamon roll recipe which is our favourite because its no-fuss adapted from What’s Cooking America!  Ingredient quantities and some methods were revised to suit the size of the dough and the end product.

We’ve made other lemon sweet treats before like this super moist Lemon Yoghurt Cake and the best ever Lemon and Passionfruit Cheesecake but never this.  A sweet yeasted bread/roll with the aroma of sweet lemony goodness.  Although I’m not a fan of lemony things, admittedly, this is one of those that just breaks through.  A warm welcome surprise!  Makes you fuzzy all over while you’re singing to your fave pop tune!  

a whole lotta lemon love goin' on

 

To make the rolls:

  1 cup milk

 1/4 cup warm water (45 degrees C)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

60g unsalted butter, room temperature

2 eggs,slightly beaten

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 cup caster sugar

5 cups bread flour

3 teaspoons instant dry active yeast

1. Heat the water in the microwave for one minute.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment, combine all ingredients in order listed above.

3. Mix together until the mixture forms a soft dough and moist (but not too wet.  If too wet, add a tablespoon of flour until you get the desired texture and feel).

4. Lightly oil / spray your work surface and prepare about a cup of flour in a bowl for working the dough.

5. Turn the dough onto the surface and knead until elastic, approximately 10 minutes. 

6. Return the dough into the bowl, cover with cling wrap and a tea towel and prove/rest until double in size, 1-2 hours (or more depending on weather conditions).

7. Butter or lightly oil a 9 x 13 x 2in baking pan. Set aside.

8. Prepare the sweet lemon paste filling.

9. After the dough has risen, turn it onto your work bench and using a rolling pin, stretch to about a 15x24 inch rectangle.

10. Using a silicon brush or rubber spatula, spread the lemon paste filling onto the dough until its all covered.

11.  Roll the dough from the top going towards you, gently.  

12. Pinch the seams to seal the dough edges.

13. Using a dough cutter or a sharp knife, cut the rolls into half first. then cut into equal rolls about 4 cm      (or 1 and 1/2 inch).

14. Place the rolls cut side up in a prepared pan (12 rolls fit into the 9 x 13 pan, but I had to prepare a smaller one which was a test batch into a smaller pan 5 small pieces).

15. Cover with cling wrap and tea towel let rise until doubled in size (1 - 1.5hours).

16. Preheat oven to 170 degrees C.

 17. Prepare the cream cheese frosting.

18. Once the rolls have proved/risen, bake in the preheated oven for 25-30minutes until golden.  (to test if done inside, poke a probe thermometer and if the temperature registers 95 degrees C, it is done.  Cover the top with aluminum foil if the rolls are baking/browning too much)

19. Place the pan onto a cooling rack. After 5 minutes, take the rolls out of the pan by placing baking paper on top then turning them onto the cooling rack.

20. Generously spread the cream cheese frosting on the rolls.  Serve warm.

Roll the dough into a rectangle, spread the lemon-sugar paste filling, roll into a log and pinch the seals. Cut into 1 and 1/2 inch thick rolls, place in pan and let rise.

To make the sweet lemon paste filling:

1 cup caster sugar

4 tablespoons finely grate lemon rind (4-5 lemons)

1 tablespoon finely grated orange rind

85g unsalted melted butter

In a medium sized bowl, combine all ingredients for the paste and set aside. 
(Flo Braker's recipe for the pull apart bread was to combine all except butter.  The butter used to spread on the dough, then the lemon sugar sprinkled on top.  I thought combining everything in a bowl, then spreading on the dough would work just the same).

Fresh out of the oven.  Golden rolls.

 

To make the lemony cream cheese frosting:

  168g cream cheese, room temperature

2/3 cup icing sugar

2 tbsp milk

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

In a bowl using a whisk or a hand held mixer, whip the ingredients together until smooth.  Set aside.

Lemony and sweet cream cheese goodness

A few notes on the baking:
* Some of the ingredient quantities I've doubled to suit the filling and the frosting. There was enough left over frosting to ice another batch of rolls :D
* I've baked the test batch on the night the dough was rolled and cut (the smaller pan the photo).
* The 9 x 13 pan with the 12 rolls I've refrigerated after proving.  The next day, I let the the dough rest for more than an hour to let them come to room temperature before baking them in a preheated oven.

Fresh out of the oven! Can you smell them?  They smell so sweet and delicious!  And the bread super soft.

Best served fresh from the oven, slathered with the cream cheese frosting with a nice cup of tea or coffee.  Or reheated for a few seconds in the microwave the next day. But I’m sure that’s hardly ever going to happen.

Spread with some lemony cream cheese frosting.  Love!

So tell me honestly, did you also have pop group/boy band infection in your day?  And have you heard of/remember the Puerto Rican boy band Menudo?  Remember little Ricky Martin?  Ok, I’ll stop right there. 

But while you're thinking about your fave pop group/boy band, why don't you hop on down and browse at all the other delicious lemony goodness below.

Thai chilli basil chicken (Pad Ka Prao Gai)

One of my favourite cuisines is Thai, and so does hubby.  We both love chillies in our dishes.  We have tried growing chilli plants at home, but every winter, the plant just dries up and dies.  And when summer comes, we buy and raise a new plant.  We've got several types of chilli condiments in our pantry - Tabasco sauce, sambal olek, sriracha, dried chillis flakes, garlic & chilli paste... did I mention we love our chillies?

But eating out is not always an option for us.  Most of the time, when dining out we all choose something that's relatively acceptable with the majority's vote - our kids.  Which means it's either Japanese, Chinese yum cha or the usual ribs and steak places.  But when dining out with friends, Thai is always the first (and sometimes) the only option when booking is left to me.  So far, a favourite is Sailors Thai at the Rocks.  But then, my dining-out experience is limited, so still lots of places out there to explore.  David Lebovitz had high regard for Spice I Am when we came to town during the World Chef Showcase in 2011, which is one of the many food places to visit in my list.


Lunch with workmates also always involves Thai and a favourite lunch joint in Gladesville - either Red Spoon or Chilli Jam.  Both serve tasty Thai dishes at good prices.  And this Thai chilli basil dish is one of the favourites.  Its fabulous and easy to prepare at home too!

250g minced chicken

3 large cloves garlic

3 fresh coriander roots

9 birds eye chillis

1 long green chilli 

2 tbsp fish sauce

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp water

vegetable oil

a bunch of fresh Thai sweet basil leaves only, washed

fresh coriander leaves for garnish

Using a mortar and pestle, pound the garlic, coriander roots and chillies until it fine and resembles a paste.

In a large skillet/fry pan or wok, heat about 3 tablespoons vegetable oil.  Add the garlic and chilli mixture and cook until soft. 

Add the minced chicken and stir until cooked through.  

Add the seasoning: fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar and stock and simmer until reduced, 5-7 minutes.

While simmering, prepare a small pan.  Heat a little vegetable oil and fry half of the the basil leaves until crispy.  Not more than 5 minutes.  Set aside.

Add the remaining fresh basil leaves into the chicken, stir then turn off heat.

Spoon onto plate, topped with the crispy basil leaves and garnish with fresh coriander.  

Serve with steamed jasmine rice and a wedge of lemon.

  

I made this for a weeknight dinner and it turned out so well, hubby raved about it at work the next day. It's fairly easy to make, and there's heaps of online recipes you can refer to.  This one is adapted from epicurious.com