Cherry Jam Roll

Here is the recipe for a classic Italian cherry jam roll. The roll, also known as “girella” or “rollè”, is a soft and enveloping dessert, perfect for breakfast or snack time.

Ingredients

• 4 eggs
• 120 g of granulated sugar
• 120 g of type 00 flour
• A pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• Cherry jam to taste
• Icing sugar for decoration

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C (356 °F) and line a rectangular baking tray with parchment paper.
2. Separate the yolks from the whites. Whip the whites to firm peaks with a pinch of salt. In a separate bowl, beat the yolks with the sugar until the mixture becomes light and fluffy.
3. Add the sifted flour and baking powder to the whites, gently folding from the bottom up so as not to deflate the mixture.
4. Pour the mixture into the prepared tray and level it with a spatula.
5. Bake in the oven for about 10-12 minutes or until the roll turns golden and is springy to the touch.
6. Once baked, turn it out onto a damp kitchen towel and gently remove the parchment paper.
7. Spread a generous amount of cherry jam on the still warm roll.
8. Using the kitchen towel, gently roll up the dessert starting from the shorter side and wrap it tightly.
9. Let the roll cool wrapped in the kitchen towel, then dust it with icing sugar before serving.

For an all-Italian touch, you could also add a few drops of amaretto liquor to the cherry jam, which will complete the flavor of the dessert with a very pleasant almond note.

Curiosity

The roll is a very versatile dessert and you can fill it with various types of jams or creams. In Italy, every region has its own variant and, for example, in some areas of the north it is called “girella” and is often filled with chocolate cream or with a simple pastry cream.