I saw a picture of a cake roll and was inspired to make one and just the name 'Strawberry cream roll' sounded good! Frozen strawberries will just have to do in December.


beat egg yolks with sugar until mixture is light and fluffy.


Add almond extract.


add flour, salt, and baking powder to the batter.


The whisk didn't work too well. I switched to a fork.


In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff; gently fold them into the batter.


Pour batter into prepared jellyroll pan; bake for 10 to 13 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.


In a bowl, beat ricotta cheese until it is light and fluffy. Add apricot preserves and Amaretto; mix thoroughly



Turn the cake over onto a towel that has been dusted with confectioners' sugar. Lift off the pan and let cake cool for 10 minutes.


Remove wax paper. Roll cake with the towel, jellyroll fashion, and let it sit in the rolled position, on a rack, for 20 minutes while it continues to cool. Note to self: I think it would be better to roll the cake from the short side next time.


When the cake has cooled completely, unroll. Spread the inside with the Strawberry Cream Filling. Spoon the 3 cups of sliced strawberries over the cheese filling.


Re-roll the cake to form a log and place seam side down on a platter. Dust the top with confectioners' sugar and garnish with the cup of sliced berries if you didn't use them all up in the filling. Chill cake for 1 hour before serving.



Strawberry Cream Roll

4 EGGS, SEPARATED
3/4 CUP GRANULATED SUGAR
1 TEASPOON ALMOND EXTRACT
3/4 CUP SIFTED CAKE FLOUR
1 TEASPOON SALT
3/4 TEASPOON BAKING POWDER
CONFECTIONERS' SUGAR FOR GARNISH
STRAWBERRY CREAM FILLING (SEE BELOW)
1 CUP SLICED STRAWBERRIES, FOR GARNISH

Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a 10 x 15-inch jellyroll pan and line it with wax paper. Grease the paper lining.

In the bowl, beat egg yolks with sugar until mixture is light and fluffy. Add almond extract. Sift together flour, salt, and baking powder and add dry ingredients to the batter.

In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff; gently fold them into the batter.
Pour batter into prepared jellyroll pan; bake for 10 to 13 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

Turn the cake over onto a towel that has been dusted with confectioners' sugar. Lift off the pan and let cake cool for 10 minutes.

Remove wax paper. Roll cake from the short side (not the way I did in the photo) with the towel, jellyroll fashion, and let it sit in the rolled position, on a rack, for 20 minutes while it continues to cool.

When the cake has cooled completely, unroll. Spread the inside with the Strawberry Cream Filling. Spoon the 3 cups of sliced strawberries over the cheese filling. Re-roll the cake to form a log and place seam side down on a platter. Dust the top with confectioners' sugar and garnish with the cup of sliced berries. Chill cake for 1 hour before serving.

STRAWBERRY CREAM FILLING:
1/2 POUND RICOTTA CHEESE
3 TABLESPOONS APRICOT PRESERVES
3 TABLESPOONS AMARETTO (OR 1 TEASPOON ALMOND FLAVORING)
3 CUPS SLICED STRAWBERRIES

beat ricotta cheese until it is light and fluffy. Add apricot preserves and Amaretto; mix thoroughly