Hojicha Roll Cake (Printable Version)

Delicate sponge roll with roasted green tea cream and mango filling

# What You'll Need:

→ Sponge Cake

01 - 4 large eggs, separated
02 - 5.6 oz granulated sugar, divided
03 - 2 fl oz whole milk
04 - 1.7 fl oz vegetable oil
05 - 2.5 oz cake flour, sifted
06 - 0.35 oz cornstarch
07 - 1 tbsp hojicha powder
08 - 1/4 tsp salt

→ Hojicha Cream

09 - 6.8 fl oz heavy cream, chilled, minimum 35% fat
10 - 2 tbsp powdered sugar
11 - 2 tsp hojicha powder

→ Filling

12 - 1 ripe mango, peeled and sliced into thin strips

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 340°F. Line a 9 x 13 inch baking tray with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk separated egg yolks with 2.8 oz sugar until pale and creamy. Add milk and vegetable oil, mixing until smooth.
03 - Sift together cake flour, cornstarch, hojicha powder, and salt. Fold into yolk mixture until just combined.
04 - In a clean bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Gradually add remaining 2.8 oz sugar and beat to stiff peaks.
05 - Gently fold meringue into yolk-flour mixture in three additions, being careful not to deflate the batter.
06 - Pour batter into prepared tray, smoothing the surface. Tap tray gently to remove air bubbles.
07 - Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly pressed.
08 - Remove from oven. While still warm, invert cake onto a fresh sheet of parchment. Carefully peel off baking paper and cover loosely with a clean kitchen towel. Allow to cool completely.
09 - Whip chilled heavy cream, powdered sugar, and hojicha powder to medium-stiff peaks.
10 - Once sponge is cool, spread hojicha cream evenly over surface. Arrange mango strips along one short edge.
11 - Using parchment as guide, gently roll cake from edge with mango, forming a tight spiral. Wrap in parchment and chill for at least 30 minutes to set.
12 - Trim ends for neat finish and slice to serve.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The sponge is impossibly light and airy, nothing like the dense cake you might expect from a roll.
  • Hojicha cream tastes like a warm hug with its toasted, slightly nutty complexity that pairs beautifully with fresh mango.
  • Once you nail the rolling technique, you'll feel like you've unlocked a secret that impresses everyone at the table.
02 -
  • Inverting the cake while it's still warm is non-negotiable; if you wait until it cools, it sticks stubbornly to the paper and risks tearing.
  • The difference between medium-stiff and stiff cream peaks is real and matters; overmixing turns it grainy and separates the butterfat from the liquid.
  • Mango ripeness is everything; an underripe one is flavorless and stringy, while an overripe one becomes mushy and releases juice that soaks the cream.
03 -
  • Use a serrated knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry between cuts for clean slices without dragging the filling.
  • If your kitchen is warm, work quickly and keep everything cold; the cream softens faster in heat, making rolling harder.
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