Matcha and azuki bean swiss roll (green tea and red bean swiss roll)

I’m on a roll here (literally).

I’ve been making so much of this particular matcha (green tea) swiss roll in the past month. While I’ve been trying to bake different things, this is the one thing that I keep going back to. It doesn’t help that it is usually gone in a day or two after I make it.

So far, no one has been complaining, so I may just do it again before I run out of matcha powder.

On another note, I’ve stumbled upon a buzzfeed post on green stuff (I said stuff, not food) that people dye (luminous green) for St Patrick’s day feasting. Green milk? Green peanut butter?  I’ll pass! I don’t need hulk green in my food for the sake of it being green.

 

 

Alright, enough of the weird green food..

Swiss rolls need no introduction.I’ve blogged two others prior to this one: Raspberry and white chcocolate swiss roll and  passion fruit and blackberry swiss roll. I think I found my new favourite with this Japanese inspired matcha and azuki bean one.

After taking the above photo, I ate the two slices of cake at once! I hope you aren’t judging me. In my defense, the swiss roll is very light and it doesn’t fill you up at all. It’s also not overly sweet…

You do need quite a bit of matcha powder for the flavour to achieve a nice colour and prominent flavour.

The slight bitterness of the matcha sponge is well-balanced by the sweet azuki (also referred to as adzuki or aduki. they are the same) beans I use those from a can that are already cooked and sweetened. I used the canned version for this because of convenience but if you are particular, you could most certainly cook your own red beans.

This cake takes me to 5000 km away to a happy place called Japan where I have the fondest memory having cake in a quaint tea house sipping on hot genmaicha (玄米茶).

I do need more of this (and that cake too).

Matcha (green tea) and azuki bean souffle swiss roll 
Recipe adapted from Okashi by Keiko Ishida
Makes 1 souffle swiss roll

You can refer to my previous posts on raspberry and white chocolate swiss roll  for tips on making swiss rolls in general. I reduced the sugar in the chantilly cream for this particular swiss roll because I find that the azuki beans make it sweet enough.

Ingredients:
Group A:
1 whole egg
3 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla extract

Group B:
35g unsalted butter
50g plain flour, sifted twice
10g matcha/green tea powder (not the same as green tea leaves)
60ml whole milk

Group C:
3 egg whites
85g caster sugar

Method:
1. Preheat oven 180 degrees celcius. Line a 11″ square cake pan (28cm x 28cm) with baking parchment. If you do not have a pan this size, use a larger tray,and place some oven safe loaf pans to block out the area you do not want to use. Use an aluminium foil to keep to the two parts separated. It is important to bake the sponge cake in the correct size pan.

2. Whisk together group A ingredients and set aside.

3. Group b ingredients: Place unsalted butter in a small saucepan and heat gently until melted. Then add sifted flour to melted butter and use a wooden spoon or spatula to stir it until it is cooked through (just like a roux). It should come away from the sides of the pot and form a ‘dough’. Transfer the flour and butter mixture into a mixing bowl. Then add group A ingredients gradually, whisking to combine until you get smooth batter.

4. Next, add the milk, a little at a time, stir to incorporate.

5. Using a sieve, strain the above batter to remove any lumps, and set aside.

6. Prepare a meringue with Group C ingredients: Whisk egg whites in a grease-free bowl until soft peaks.Gradually add in the sugar and whisk at high speed until stiff peaks.

7. Add in a scoop of the meringue into the already strained batter and whisk. Then add in the remaining meringue in 2-3 additions and fold gently with a spatula until mixture is just incorporated.

8. Pour batter gently onto the prepared pan and spread evenly with a small palette knife. Bake for about 20 minutes until it springs back to touch. The top should be golden brown.

9. When the souffle sponge is out of the oven, cover the pan with cling wrap immediately. You want to cover it when it is still hot so the steam will keep the cake moist and pliable, making it easy to roll without cracking.

10. Allow the sponge to cool down entirely before assembling it.

Creme chantilly

Ingredients:
160ml cream, at least 35% fat
1 tbsp icing sugar, sifted
1 tsp vanilla extract

Method:
1. Whisk the cream in a grease-free bowl at high speed and add in the sifted icing sugar and vanilla extract when it is starting to achieve soft peaks. Whisk at high speed until firm peaks.

To assemble:

85g azuki beans (cooked and sweetened ones from a can)

creme chantilly

Method:

1. Turn out the cooled sponge (it should be cooled completely, so it doesn’t crack) onto a new piece of baking parchment. Trim the sides with a small serrate knife to neaten it. Alternatively, you can trim this after.
2. Spread the whipped cream onto the sponge using a palette knife, leaving a small margin along all four sides.

3. Top with azuki beans. Gently roll the sponge up but try to do it quite tightly so there won’t be gaps in between the sponge and creme chantilly. The sponge is pliable and soft so it should be pretty easy to do so. You can use the parchment paper to help you. Trim (and eat! baker’s snacks!) the two ends of the swiss roll.

*Storage tip: Keep the swiss roll in the fridge.  Slice them just before serving. You should try to finish this in a few days.