Cranachan roulade

A light-as-air Swiss Roll sponge, filled with Cranachan and smothered with a little of the whisky and honey cream, this roulade is a delicious centrepiece for any occasion.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

This is basically a camped up Swiss Roll, but with those lovely flavours of raspberries, whisky, oats, cream, orange and honey. You can toast the oats for added flavour or leave them as they are.

I made a quick oat caramel to decorate the roulade* but you can just decorate with fresh raspberries and perhaps a little more grated orange zest.

*Make a caramel, stir in oats and pour onto a tray lined with greaseproof or silicon. Flatten out with the back of a spoon or place a sheet of greaseproof on top and roll out with a rolling pin. Either cut out circles using a cutter while still warm or cool fully and snap into random shapes.

Recipe: Cranachan roulade – serves about 8

Sponge

• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 100g caster sugar
• 100g plain flour (no need to sieve)
• grated zest of 1 large orange

For the Cranachan cream

• 1 tablespoon caster sugar
• 500ml double cream
• 2 tablespoons icing sugar
• 2 tablespoons good quality runny honey
• 3 tablespoons whisky

For the whisky and orange shot

• juice of 1 large orange
• 1 tablespoon whisky
• 1 teaspoon caster sugar

To finish

• 4 tablespoons rolled oats
• about 200g of raspberries (fresh or frozen)
• some of the Cranachan cream (above)

(1) Preheat the oven to 190C (fan) and line a large Swiss Roll tin with greaseproof.

(2) Using an electric hand whisk, whisk the eggs and sugar for about 10 minutes or until very thick and moussey: it should just start to hold its shape so when you lift the whisk out and let the mixture on the whisk fall back into the bowl, it very slowly disappears back into the mixure.

(3) Add the orange zest and continue to whisk for a couple more minutes.

(4) Sieve the flour over the bowl and fold in with a large metal spoon gently, until there is no flour visible. Spoon into the prepared tin and lightly flatten out.

(5) Bake for about 9-10 minutes or until risen and slightly coming away from the edges. Immediately invert onto a large sheet of greaseproof that has been sprinkled with caster sugar. Leave the greaseproof that was lining the cake tin on the sponge until fully cooled.
NB: this keeps the moisture in and will prevent the cake from cracking when you roll it up. You can also lay a damp tea towel on top.

(6) Make the Cranachan cream filliing by beating the cream, sugars, honey and whiskey together to give fairly firm peaks: you want the cream to be spreadable but not runny.

(7) For the whisky and orange shot, mix the orange juice, whisky and caster sugar in a small cup or bowl.

(8) Carefully remove the greaseproof off the cooled sponge (the greaseproof that was in the cake tin) and arrange the sponge with one of the shortest edges facing you.

(9) Spoon the whisky and orange shot over the cooled sponge – there is no need to let the sugar dissolve.

(10) Spread over about 2/3 of the Cranachan cream on top  – leaving about 1cm border on the shortest edge that is closest to you – and sprinkle over the oats and most of the raspberries: you can keep them whole if they are small or break them up roughly with your fingers.

(11) Make a cut about 1cm away from the short edge nearest to you ie) up to where the cream was spread, going only about half-way into the sponge – this will help get a tight roll from the start:

(12) Roll up fairly tightly and place on a flat tray or plate with the seam underneath.

(13) Spread the remaining Cranachan cream all over the outside and decorate with raspberries and a little more grated orange zest, if preferred.