Matcha Swiss Roll: one & two & three & four.

Feeling so much better after the JLPT on Sunday morning. For the first time, I had crazy exam jitters. It was horrible. Never imagined it would be like that. I was super restless. Restless enough to head down to Phoon Huat's outlet in Simei. Then headed home to make a matcha (green tea) swiss roll. I mean, I did accomplish making a vanilla swiss roll using a matcha recipe.. So a day before my exam, I thought I'd make a matcha swiss roll and have some during my JLPT breaks.

fail #3 - after my JLPT

I didn't take any shots of failed #1 - before JLPT & #2 - after JLPT. I was too shocked to do anything but try to seek answers online. Even when I did #2 and #3 back to back, they both turned out the same. No matter how gingerly I folded the butter into the foam + flour mixture, the butter simply wouldn't incorporate fully! After doing extensive homework regarding types of foam cake - genoise, I decided to go for it once more earlier today.

That black strip/thing in my jar of sugar is not a worm. That's just a  split vanilla bean pod.
To make vanilla sugar. *smiles*

the mixer I used for all my swiss roll attempts, including the successful vanilla one.
it's a kenwood hand mixer that comes with a stand.

5 regular eggs (I believe should be Grade B) - whole & at room temperature
50g of fine sugar (I used my usual vanilla sugar)

[mouse over effect]
I whisked the whole eggs and sugar on speed 3 for quite a bit..
and down to speed 2 for a min or so before it reached 'ribbon stage'..

Whisking with my mixer actually takes about 15 - 20mins. So while waiting, I turned on the oven & set it to 190°C.. prepared the flour + matcha.. melted butter.. & snacked a little. *grins*

80g cake flour sifted with 2tsp of matcha/green tea powder
(I purchased my matcha powder at Phoon Huat)
60g melted butter

Upon reaching the ribbon stage, I chucked my whisk attachments into a cup of water so it'll be easier to clean later..
Once more sift the cake flour + matcha. This time, sift 1/3 into the egg foam.
Fold with a spatula and sift in the next 1/3.
Fold again and sift in the final 1/3.
Fold till combined - when you don't see anymore bits of flour.

Pour a small amount of foam & flour batter into the butter.
Mix till smooth.

Once smooth, slowly pour the butter batter into the main batter. Fold gently with a spatula to combine. Haha. Butter Batter, Batter Butter. The terms I use.. lol! Anyhoos, I don't have photos at the parts where it is really confusing because I am no octopus. Haha. & also.. I wasn't quite sure if how it looked was correct, or weather I had gotten things right. With the amount of mistakes I've made, even before I put the pan in to bake, I'll be able to tell if it's a fail or not. Just by pouring it onto the pan. *sigh*

results ~

It baked pretty okay.. & it looks alright.. Only thing is..

The flip side looked like this. That's a thin layer of rubber schmuck. A thin layer but rubbery and all over the entire piece nevertheless. %@#)&*$%(#
I couldn't roll it. It is super duper soft and cracks when I roll. Only the thin rubbery flip side will hold. The sponge isn't springy either. When I press the top (not the under side), it doesn't spring back. There'll be a squishing noise & little dent on the surface.

I guess it's back to more research now.. *pouts*



mug mug mug ~