ingredients
makes 8 siices
butter, to grease
1/3 cup flaked almonds
5 medium eggs, separated
5/8 cup superfine sugar, plus extra to sprinkle
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 ounce ready-made white almond paste, grated
3 tbsp All purpose flour
3 tbsp amaretto liqueur
to assemble
1 1/4 cups creme fraiche
6 ripe apricots, halved, stoned and chopped
caster or Confectioner’s sugar, to dust
method
1. Grease a 13 x 9 inch Swiss roll tin and line with greased baking parchment. Scatter the flaked almonds evenly over the paper.
2. Put the egg yolks and 4 ounce of the sugar in a bowl and whisk until pale and fluffy.
3. Stir in the vanilla extract and grated almond paste. Sift the flour over the mixture, then lightly fold in.
4. Whisk the egg whites in a clean bowl until stiff but not dry. Gradually whisk in the remaining sugar. Using a large metal spoon, fold a quarter of the egg whites into the almond mixture to loosen it, then carefully fold in the remainder.
5. Turn the mixture into the prepared tin and gently ease it into the corners. Bake at 180°C (160°C fan oven) for about 20 minutes or until well risen and just firm to the touch. Cover with baking parchment and a damp tea-towel and leave until cool.
6. Remove the tea-towel and invert the roulade (and paper) on to a board. Peel off the lining paper. Sprinkle another piece of baking parchment with superfine sugar and flip the roulade on to it. Drizzle with the liqueur.
7. Spread the roulade with the creme fraiche and scatter with the apricots. Starting from one of the narrow ends, carefully roll up the roulade, using the paper to help. Transfer to a plate and dust with caster or Confectioner’s sugar to serve.
The sponge will probably crack during rolling -this is a characteristic of roulades.
