Try, try, try again: Lemon Roulade

So my initial attempt at a lemon roulade didn't go so well. But when I'm down in the dumps about a baking disaster, my mom is always there to pick me up and get me back into action. So I went and found a new recipe. I was actually never a fan of meringue, but I was trying to keep to the original idea of the lemon and the meringue working together. What I decided to now do is find a more cake like recipe for it. This suited me much better. I also decided to stay with the original filling I found because it used the lemon curd I worked so hard to make.

And guess what? The cake turned out amazing! I had absolutely no issues what so ever. It was perfectly and evenly cooked through. I went out and bought parchment paper for it, which may have helped.

Also, I just want to mention how delicious the whole thing put together tasted. The cake was a nice light outer "shell", for lack of a better word, that securely held in the fluffy, creamy, slightly tart lemon filling. It's the perfect light after dinner treat that won't make you feel like you've over stuffed yourself.

Here's the lovely cake recipe I found:

4 large eggs, separated
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest
1/3 cup confectioners sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 400°F.
Butter a jelly-roll pan, then line bottom with a large sheet of parchment paper, letting paper hang over ends by 2 inches, and butter paper.

Beat egg whites in a large bowl with an electric mixer until frothy. Add granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating constantly, and beat until whites just hold stiff peaks. Beat yolks in another large bowl with cleaned beaters until slightly thickened and pale, about 5 minutes with a standing mixer or 7 with a handheld. Fold one fourth of whites into yolks to lighten. Pour yolk mixture over remaining whites, then sift flour and cornstarch on top and fold in gently but thoroughly. Fold in vanilla and zest.

Spread batter evenly in baking pan and bake in middle of oven until cake is puffed and springy to the touch and top is lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Loosen paper from sides of pan. Sprinkle cake with 1/3 cup confectioners sugar, then cover with another sheet of wax paper and a baking sheet. Invert cake onto sheet and remove baking pan. Cool cake completely and peel paper from top.

So while waiting for this to cool, I made the filling.

1/2 cup lemon curd
4-oz cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup whipping cream

Cream together lemon curd and cream cheese until mixture is smooth. Beat whipping cream to soft peaks in a small bowl, then fold into the cream cheese and lemon curd mixture.

Okay. Then once it cooled, I spread the filling out evenly over it. I ended up using all of the filling just because I loved it so much, although you probably could use less if you prefer. Also, I really only left like a half an inch border untouched by filling, unlike most recipes that tell you to leave almost 2 inches. Personally, I think that's a waste of space.



I get really nervous when it comes to critical points in recipes where it's make it or break it time, so I let my mom roll it up in case I were to totally screw it up. Yeah, that's how much self-confidence I have.


And this is what it looked like all rolled up. I put it straight in the fridge to chill it. This will keep it cleaner when you cut into it and go to eat it. Plus, I think it tastes well, tastier this way. But room temp. is okay. Just don't try heating it, that could be a disaster. And I highly recommend sprinkling powdered sugar all over this baby, because it just adds a contrast of sweetness against the tart lemon flavor.