South African Roly-Poly Baked Dessert

Zurie's Note:

Keep this recipe for cold days! Everone loves it, and in South Africa it is a traditional favourite. You must have this at hand, as it is easy and quick and a delight, served as is or with ice cream or custard. Please note that I did two step-by-step photographs, which you'll find if you click on "photos". One shows how to roll up the dough, and the 2nd what the pudding and sauce look like before going into the oven.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 10 mins
• Prep Time: 25 mins
• Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 2 cups flour (500 ml)
• 3 teaspoons baking powder (15 ml)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter (1 stick or 125 g or 4 oz)
• 2 eggs, beaten
• milk, a few tablespoons, see instructions
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• apricot jam

Sauce

• 1 1/2 cups boiling water (375 ml)
• 1 cup sugar (250 ml)
• 2 tablespoons butter (30 ml)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 deg F/180 deg Celsius.
2. Grease a suitable oven dish, like a rectangular Pyrex dish.
3. Mix the flour, baking powder and salt, and rub in the butter. (Can be done in a processor, also the next step).
4. Add the beaten eggs, and then just enough milk, tablespoon by tablespoon, to make a fairly firm dough.
5. It's easy to watch in the processor: as soon as a firm ball forms which is not sticky, but soft, the dough is ready.
6. Roll the dough out quite thinly -- on a surface sprinkled with flour -- and form a rectangle, by cutting off bits and adding it on again -- you know how.
7. Spread the dough with apricot jam.
8. From one of the LONG sides, roll it up like a swiss roll.
9. Cut this roll into 1 inch slices, using a serrated knife such as a bread knife. The jam WILL ooze out.
10. Pack the slices, cut sides up, closely together, in the greased dish. Scoop the jam which oozed out on the surface you used, and just plonk back on to these rolls.
11. In a pot, mix the boiling water (from your kettle), sugar, butter and vanilla and stir until sugar dissolves.
12. With a tablespoon, ladle evenly over the slices of pudding, but beware: you will have more sauce than the baking dish can take. Usually you'll be left with about 3/4 cup. KEEP IT.
13. Bake for about 40 - 45 minutes.
14. When the sizzling pudding comes out of the oven, carefully pour the extra sauce over the centre slices: I find that, when baking, the sauce tends to pool on the sides.
15. Now the hot pudding will absorb much of the leftover sauce in seconds. Use as much or as little as you like.
16. Serve hot, with custard, ice cream or sweetened whipped cream.

Reviews

[awalde]

This is an effect recipe! My husband suggested to prepare this for my parents during the christmas days again. Your mother's rolls are so delicious... and they look so wonderful!

[pattikay in L.A.]

I've read about jam roly-poly in many British novels, but I'd never had it before. It was simple to put together and just delicious. Served it with ice cream and used raspberry jam (plus a few stray raspberries I had left over). Thanks for posting!

[French Tart]

Gorgeous photos Zuri! Furthermore, I have popped by to leave comments after you made me smile with your comments on my similar recipe! I can see why you and your Mum would argue about this - this is not how I make it, BUT, I will try your method now......and report back!!! If the excellent photos are anything to go by, it will be a winner! I will also make sure that I use apricot jam - my home-made jam of course, your Mum would approve I think? Sharing recipes should like be sharing smiles - the same ingredients - but different methods and techniques, and then the same welcoming and hearty food on the table! Thank you for making ME smile, I can endorse this recipe 100% for cold weather comfort food! FT:-) Part 2 to follow!