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Lemon Swiss Roll
4.9 from 150 votes

Lemon Swiss Roll

The Lemon Swiss Roll features a light sponge cake flavored delicately with lemon and a hint of red peppercorn, rolled around a tangy lemon curd combined with cream cheese. A meringue component adds sweetness and lift. This dessert balances citrus brightness with creamy richness and subtle spice to create a textured, refreshing treat.

Prep Time
45 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
1 hr
Servings: 15 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Swiss, International

Ingredients

Sponge roll:
  • 4 egg large
  • 4 tbsp sugar
  • 25 g butter melted
  • 1 tbsp lemon curd
  • 5 tbsp flour
  • 1/2 tsp red peppercorn
Lemon curd:
  • 90 ml lemon juice
  • lemon zest from 1 lemon
  • 2 egg large
  • 80 g sugar
  • 50 g butter
  • 200 g cream cheese
Meringue:
  • 2 egg white
  • 100 g sugar
  • 30 ml water

Instructions

Lemon curd:
    Cup of Yum
  1. Wash and zest the lemon. Juice 2 medium lemons, you need about 90 ml of lemon juice.
  2. Place the lemon juice and zest over a low heat.
  3. Whisk the eggs with the sugar until they turn a light in color. Add the eggs and sugar to the lemon juice before it gets very hot. Mix well.
  4. Cut the butter into pieces and add to the pan. Leave on a low heat for 10 minutes until it thickens to the consistency of a thin pudding. The cream should not boil.
  5. Cover with cling film and leave to cool.
  6. Once cooled, add the cream cheese and vanilla sugar to 200 grams (3/4 cup) of the lemon cream and mix well. Place in the refrigerator.
Sponge:
  1. The eggs should be at room temperature so take them out of the fridge an hour before using them.
  2. Melt the butter over a low heat and leave it to cool.
  3. Crush the red peppercorns in a mortar and pestle as best you can. Mix the flour with the ground pepper.
  4. Put the eggs, sugar, and a pinch of salt in a mixer bowl. Mix until the eggs turn white and triple in volume (at least) – about 10 minutes.
  5. Slowly add the melted butter and lemon curd. Mix for 1 more minute.
  6. Gently fold in the flour, using upward movements. Make sure to keep as much volume as possible.
  7. Preheat the oven to 180 °C (360 °F). Line a 30/40 cm (12x16 inch) baking tray with parchment paper. Pour the mixture into the tray, level it, and place in the preheated oven. Bake for 15-16 minutes, until lightly browned.
  8. Remove the tray from the oven and flip the sponge onto a towel sprinkled with icing sugar. Using the towel to help, roll the sponge up while still warm. Leave it to cool.
  9. When completely cool, carefully uncover and unroll it. Spread the lemon cream evenly, leaving a margin of about 2 cm (3/4 of an inch) at the edges. Roll the cake up as tightly as possible. Transfer to a platter.
Marshmallow:
  1. The marshmallow is made with Italian meringue, which doesn’t need baking as it is made with a hot sugar syrup.
  2. Once ready, use it to decorate the roll in an way you like, perhaps add fresh cookies. You can find the recipe here. Sprinkle with red pepper.
Enjoy!