Mosaic roll with vanilla cream

Name: Mosaic roll with vanilla cream - Marina J.
Ingredients: BASE: 3 eggs; 3 tablespoons sugar; 3 tablespoons flour; 1 tablespoon oil; 1 pinch of salt; 1 teaspoon cocoa; 1 teaspoon baking powder CREAM: 4 eggs; 800 ml milk; 125 g starch; 1 g salt; 150 g sugar; vanilla sugar/vanilla essence 400 g sour cherry jam

Dessert - Mosaic roll with vanilla cream by Marina J. - Recipia

The mosaic roll with vanilla cream is made from a thin sponge cake, decorated with a simple cocoa pattern, and a cooked vanilla cream. The sponge is rolled while still slightly warm, then left to cool before filling. The sour cherry jam adds a tangy flavor that balances the sweet cream. I used whole eggs for the cream, as mentioned in the basic recipe; the cream turned out denser and more consistent. QUICK INFO Preparation time: not specified exactly in the original recipe Baking time: 15-20 minutes Cooling time: about 1 hour for the sponge, then ideally overnight in the fridge Total time: until the next day, if the roll is left to cool overnight Servings: the number is not specified; the roll can be sliced as preferred Difficulty: medium Recipe type: dessert with rolled sponge, vanilla cream, and sour cherry jam INGREDIENTS For the sponge 3 eggs 3 tablespoons sugar 3 tablespoons flour 1 tablespoon oil 1 pinch of salt 1 teaspoon cocoa 1 teaspoon baking powder For the vanilla cream 4 eggs 800 ml milk 125 g starch 1 g salt 150 g sugar Vanilla sugar or vanilla essence For the filling 400 g sour cherry jam PREPARATION METHOD 1. Preparing the sponge Separate the egg whites from the yolks. Mix the yolks with the oil and a pinch of salt. In another bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form, then gradually add the sugar, continuing to mix until the foam is well combined. Pour the yolk mixture over the beaten egg whites and gently fold it in. Add the flour mixed beforehand with the baking powder and mix from bottom to top, without insisting more than necessary for the flour to disappear into the mixture. 2. The cocoa pattern Take 2-3 tablespoons of the sponge mixture and mix them with cocoa. Place the cocoa dough in a bag and cut off a corner. The size of the cut depends on how thick you want the pattern to be. On a baking tray lined with parchment paper, form decorations directly with the cocoa dough. There is no need for the pattern to be perfect or very complicated. Carefully pour the remaining white mixture over it and gently level it so that the dough covers the pattern. 3. Baking and rolling the sponge Bake the sponge at medium heat for 15-20 minutes. The time may vary slightly depending on the oven, so the sponge should be monitored towards the end of baking. After removing it from the oven, turn it onto a damp towel, with the decorated side down. Remove the parchment paper if needed and roll the sponge together with the towel. Leave it like this for about an hour until it cools completely. Rolling the sponge while it is still flexible helps in forming the roll without breaking. 4. Preparing the vanilla cream In the classic version, separate the egg whites from the yolks. Mix the yolks with the salt, one tablespoon of sugar, and the starch dissolved in about 100 ml of cold milk. Separately, boil the remaining milk, then let it cool. Gradually pour it over the yolk mixture, stirring continuously. The milk should not be added boiling hot to avoid sudden thickening of the starch. Put the mixture on the heat and stir without interruption until the cream thickens. To check, place a small amount of cream on a shiny surface. After cooling, the cream should gel and come away without leaving traces. Let the cooked cream cool. In the meantime, beat the egg whites with the remaining sugar and vanilla sugar or vanilla essence. Gently fold the foam into the cooled cream, mixing slowly to retain as much volume as possible. In the recipe I used, the 4 eggs were added whole from the beginning, before the mixture was heated. In this case, the cream is not combined at the end with beaten egg whites, and the result is denser and heavier. This variant can also help prolong the shelf life. 5. Assembling the roll Carefully unfold the sponge from the towel. Spread the vanilla cream on the white side of the sponge in as even a layer as possible. Over the cream, add the sour cherry jam and spread it in a thin layer. Roll the sponge carefully, without pressing too hard, so that the filling does not ooze out the edges. Wrap the roll in cling film and place it in the fridge. It is preferable to let it sit overnight before slicing, as the cream will stabilize, and the slices will be easier to cut. WHY I MAKE THE RECIPE OFTEN The roll has a simple sponge and a cream that can be prepared in advance. It doesn't need any decorations once it's done, as the cocoa pattern on the sponge already gives it a nice appearance. The sour cherry jam can be spread in a thin layer, so it doesn't weigh down the dessert, and the roll keeps well in the fridge until the next day. TIPS The sponge should be rolled while it is still flexible, immediately after baking. If it cools completely before rolling, it may become more difficult to shape. Mix the flour into the batter from bottom to top and only until incorporated. If you mix too much, the batter may lose its aeration. For the cream, the starch should be dissolved in cold milk before being heated. The boiled milk should be added after it has cooled, not directly boiling hot. The cream should be allowed to cool before being spread on the sponge. A warm cream can soften and run during rolling. The jam spreads more easily if placed in a thin layer. The quantity in the recipe is 400 g, but it should be distributed evenly over the entire surface. SUBSTITUTIONS The sour cherry jam can be replaced with any jam, as the recipe allows for both options. It is only important that it is spread in a thin layer. For flavoring the cream, vanilla sugar or vanilla essence can be used, depending on what you have on hand. VARIATIONS The pattern on the sponge can be made in stripes, wavy lines, or simple shapes. The quantity reserved for the pattern remains the same: 2-3 tablespoons of the prepared sponge batter, mixed with cocoa. The cream can be made either with yolks and whites added separately or with whole eggs added from the beginning. The first variant is more airy, while the one with whole eggs is denser and heavier. SERVING IDEAS The roll is sliced after it has been in the fridge, ideally the next day. No additional decoration is needed; the cocoa pattern, vanilla cream, and layer of jam are sufficient. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Why is the sponge rolled in a towel while warm? The sponge is more flexible immediately after baking. Rolling it in a towel while it has not cooled completely helps it take on the shape of a roll and reduces the risk of breaking when filled. Can I use cream made with whole eggs? Yes. The recipe mentions this variant, and the result is a denser and heavier cream. The eggs are added at the beginning in the mixture, before it is placed on the heat. How long should the roll stay in the fridge? It can be left to cool until the cream stabilizes, but the recommendation from the recipe is to let it sit overnight and be sliced the next day. What do I do if the sponge cracks while rolling? Rolling while still warm and using a damp towel helps prevent this. If a small crack appears, it does not affect the taste, and the roll can be wrapped in cling film and left to stabilize in the fridge. Can I use another jam? Yes. Instead of sour cherry jam, any jam can be used, according to the recipe. It is recommended to spread it in a thin layer so as not to weigh down the rolling. NUTRITIONAL VALUES The values are approximate and depend on the type of milk, the jam used, and the number of slices. For the entire roll: approximately 3,200-3,600 kcal, 500-550 g carbohydrates, 60-75 g proteins, and 75-90 g fats. If the roll is cut into 10 slices, one slice has approximately 320-360 kcal, 50-55 g carbohydrates, 6-8 g proteins, and 8-9 g fats. The greatest variation comes from the sour cherry jam and the fat percentage of the milk, as this information is not specified in the original recipe. STORAGE AND REHEATING Store the roll wrapped in cling film in the fridge. It is better after sitting for a few hours in the cold, and ideally, it should be consumed the next day. The roll is not reheated. It is served cold or left for a few minutes at room temperature before slicing if it is very well chilled.