Bake-a-Byte: Cognac flavored swiss roll

I was flipping through a cookbook the other day, and came across a swiss roll flavored with punsh. It occurred to me that despite its status as a "classic" (at least in Sweden), I've never actually made a swiss roll.

A swiss roll is basically a thin sponge cake, covered with jam, buttercream or similar, rolled and cut into slices.

Now, I don't really like punsh, so that was out. For some reason the idea of a swiss roll with cognac (which I do like) butter cream popped into my head, so I thought I'd try to adapt the recipe. Aside from using cognac instead of punsh, I also decided to flavor the sponge part of the cake with orange.

With regards to the type of cognac, I would say to use the same rule that I always hear with regards to cooking with wine. That is, don't use anything in cooking that you wouldn't drink. Actually, it's probably even more important here, since most of the flavor comes from the cognac, and you aren't cooking it. I went with Braastad XO, and I really like the flavor.

I use quite a bit of cognac, because I like it to taste of cognac quite a lot. But I would say to start with a little less than the full amount in the butter cream, then taste and decide if you want to add more.

Please don't let the picture fool you, it's a lot more flavorsome and a lot juicier than they look here.

Cognac flavored swiss roll

Ingredients - sponge

3 eggs
1½ dl sugar
2 dl flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp cognac
1½ tbsp milk
Peel of 3/4 of an orange

Ingredients for the sponge

Ingredients - buttercream
125g butter
2 dl powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla powder
1 egg yolk
½ dl cognac

Ingredients for the buttercream

Start with the sponge. Whisk the eggs and sugar to a fluffy consistency. Mix the flour and baking powder together and whisk it into the eggs+sugar mix. Grate the orsnge peel finely and whisk it in along with the cognac and milk.

Take an oven tray, and cover it with a piece of parchment paper (30 x 40 cm). Pour the batter onto the parchment paper, and smear it out so that it almost covers the whole paper (leave maybe 0.5-1 cm around it free). Try to get it somewhat even, but the consistency of the batter should be such that you don't need to be too careful.

Bake in the middle of the oven, at 250°C, for about 5 minutes.

In the mean time, line another oven tray with parchment paper, and sprinkle it with sugar. When the sponge is done, flip it onto the other tray, remove the parchment paper on top (the one that it was cooked on) and allow to cool.

For the butter cream, mix the room temperature butter and powdered sugar to and even texture, then mix in the cognac and vanilla. At this point, TASTE IT, would you like more cognac? Finally mix in the egg yolk.

Once the sponge has cooled, spread the buttercream evenly over the top of it. Then roll the cake from the longer side, wrap in parchment paper and cling-film, and place in the fridge to set a bit before you can cut it.

I recommend cutting it up as and when you intend to eat it, it helps to keep it from drying out.