The Budapest Roll has nothing to do with Hungary, despite its name – this cake was actually invented in Sweden. This cake is perfect if nostalgia is what you're looking for this festive party season: children of the 80s will know it was never really a party without a meringue roll full of fruit. You can vary the fruit in the recipe as you please.
6 egg whites (200 g/7 oz.)
A pinch of salt
325 g/11/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons caster/superfine sugar
30 g/1/4 cup cornflour/cornstarch
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
150 g/11/4 cups toasted hazelnuts, roughly ground in a food processor
Mandarin Filling
300 ml/11/4 cups double/heavy cream
1 teaspoon icing/confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla sugar OR extract OR use the seeds from 1 vanilla pod/bean
300 g/101/2 oz. fresh mandarins (approx. 3–4)
Topping
50 g/13/4 oz. dark/bittersweet chocolate, melted
25 g/1 oz. toasted chopped hazelnuts
A 25 x 35-cm/9¾ x 14-in. Swiss roll/jelly roll pan/baking pan, greased and lined with baking parchment
A large piping/pastry bag fitted with a plain nozzle/tip (optional)
Serves 8–10
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) Gas 4.
In a very clean bowl, whisk the egg whites with a teeny pinch of salt in a stand mixer (or using a hand-held electric whisk) until lightly stiff. Start adding the sugar, bit by bit. Keep whisking until you reach stiff peak stage; this may take a few minutes. Add the cornflour/cornstarch and white wine vinegar and whisk again.
Fold in the roughly ground hazelnuts. Fill the piping/pastry bag (if using) with the meringue mixture. Pipe into the prepared pan in an even layer. Alternatively, spoon the mixture into the pan and spread evenly.
Bake for around 25–30 minutes until the meringue is firm, slightly cracked on top and lightly browned. Leave to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes.
Cut a piece of baking parchment slightly larger than the pan and place on the worktop. Carefully turn the meringue out onto the baking parchment and let cool.
Meanwhile, whip the cream for the filling with the icing/confectioners’ sugar and vanilla until stiff. Peel the mandarins and remove the pips and as much membrane as possible. Chop the flesh into small pieces.
Peel away the parchment paper from the cold meringue. If it is difficult to remove, brush the paper with a little water then peel. Spread an even layer of whipped cream on top of the meringue and then add the mandarin pieces. Very carefully roll up the meringue lengthways, as tightly and neatly as possible, using the baking parchment to help you. Transfer to a serving plate, making sure the seam is underneath. Tidy up any spills of cream. Drizzle the melted chocolate across the top in a messy pattern, then sprinkle with the toasted chopped hazelnuts. Chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
This recipe is from Brontë at Home by Brontë Aurell. To get more great blog posts like this one - direct to your inbox – be sure to sign up to our mailing list here.