Hojicha Japanese Sponge Roll (Print Version)

Delicate roasted green tea sponge filled with aromatic hojicha cream and fresh mango slices

# What You'll Need:

→ Sponge Cake

01 - 4 large eggs, separated
02 - 5.6 oz granulated sugar, divided
03 - 2 fl oz whole milk
04 - 1.7 fl oz vegetable oil
05 - 2.5 oz cake flour, sifted
06 - 0.35 oz cornstarch
07 - 1 tbsp hojicha powder
08 - 1/4 tsp salt

→ Hojicha Cream

09 - 6.8 fl oz heavy cream, chilled
10 - 2 tbsp powdered sugar
11 - 2 tsp hojicha powder

→ Filling

12 - 1 ripe mango, peeled and sliced into thin strips

# How to Make:

01 - Preheat oven to 340°F. Line a 9 x 13 inch baking tray with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk egg yolks with 2.8 oz sugar until pale and creamy. Add milk and vegetable oil, mixing until smooth.
03 - Sift together cake flour, cornstarch, hojicha powder, and salt. Fold into the yolk mixture until just combined.
04 - In a clean bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Gradually add remaining 2.8 oz sugar and beat to stiff peaks.
05 - Gently fold the meringue into the yolk-flour mixture in three additions, being careful not to deflate the batter.
06 - Pour the batter into the prepared tray, smoothing the surface. Tap the tray gently to remove air bubbles.
07 - Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until the cake springs back when lightly pressed.
08 - Remove from oven. While still warm, invert the cake onto a fresh sheet of parchment. Carefully peel off the baking paper and cover loosely with a clean kitchen towel. Let cool completely.
09 - Whip chilled heavy cream, powdered sugar, and hojicha powder to medium-stiff peaks.
10 - Once the sponge is cool, spread the hojicha cream evenly over the surface. Arrange mango strips along one short edge.
11 - Using the parchment, gently roll the cake from the edge with mango, forming a tight spiral. Wrap in parchment and chill for at least 30 minutes to set.
12 - Trim the ends for a neat finish and slice to serve.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The hojicha cream is earthy and sophisticated without being bitter, which somehow makes people keep eating slice after slice.
  • It looks impressive enough to serve at dinner parties but comes together faster than you'd think, leaving room for last-minute mango arrangements.
02 -
  • Don't skip the cooling step after inverting—a warm cake will shred when you try to roll it, and no amount of cream will hold the pieces together gracefully.
  • The egg whites must be beaten in a completely grease-free bowl, because even a trace of oil or yolk will prevent them from reaching stiff peaks, which I discovered the hard way when I reused a bowl without washing it properly.
03 -
  • If your hojicha powder seems lumpy or fine, sift it together with the cake flour before folding to ensure even distribution and no bitter pockets in your sponge.
  • Chill all your tools—the bowl, whisk, and even the cream itself—before whipping because cold equipment whips faster and holds peaks longer.
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