Pecan & Strawberry Roulade

I make lots of roulades with different ingredients both sweet or savoury. I find them invaluable as a standby from the freezer. I usually double this recipe so there's always another one for a later date.
There's no fat in the 'sponge' at all except the small amount in the eggs and nuts which is great for dieters, you could always substitute the cream for thick Greek Yoghurt or Ricotta to make it even lighter. You could also vary the contents, for instance use walnuts or almonds in place of the Pecans, raspberries, instead of the strawberries. It's wonderful with Maple Syrup whipped cream or how about coconut with mango & passion fruit. The combinations are endless.

I hope you enjoy trying it !!!

 

The Ingredients

4oz/115gm /½ cup caster (superfine) sugar, plus extra for dusting
4oz toasted pecans blitzed finely reserving a few for decorating
4  large eggs
1 heaped tablespoon plain/ all purpose flour
few drops of Vanilla extract
around 1 pint of double cream
a little Framboise liqueur of something similar (optional)
1 dessertspoon of icing (confectioners) sugar
a punnet of strawberries. Sliced reserving a few for decoration

you will need a 8"x10" Swiss roll or shallow baking tin, greased and lined with parchment paper.

method.

Heat the oven to 200c/400f/gas 6

Separate the eggs.
Put the yolks in one large bowl and the whites into another
Add the caster sugar to the yolks, and a few drops of vanilla and whisk well until pale, thick and creamy
Sift in the flour and the ground pecans and lightly fold through
Whip the egg whites until starting to stiffen but not dry.
Gently fold into them into the contents of the other bowl.
Empty onto the baking tray and carefully spread to batter out evenly.
Bake in the centre of the oven for around 10mins when the 'cake' should be golden and springy to the touch.
While the roulade is baking lay a large piece of baking parchment on your work surface
Sprinkle liberally with more caster sugar
As soon as the roulade is baked flip the tin over onto this paper and very carefully remove the backing parchment.
Replace it again straight on top and carefully roll up the roulade while it is still warm
Leave it to cool completely rolled up.
You can freeze it as this stage for a later date.

Whip the cream with a little icing sugar and the Framboise if using until it holds it's shape
Unravel the roulade and spread with cream,  leaving the bottom piece of paper to help you roll it up.
Place the strawberries to one long edge and gently roll up.
Put on a plate and decorate with the spare pecans and strawberries.
Sprinkle over a little icing sugar and serve