My Three Flavors “Brazo Gitano” Make it this Weekend!

“Brazo Gitano” as we call it in Puerto Rico, is a simple, yet elegant thin sponge cake filled with Guava Jelly or vanilla cream. It can be eaten with a nice cup of coffee, or cappuccino, latte, or hot cocoa or even a frozen glass of milk, my favorite, smile. Although this cake is called Swiss Roll in English, the actual translation to our dessert should be called Gipsy Arm. Well, maybe it’s really called (in English) Gipsy Roll, oh well, whatever the name, it’s so good! smile.
 
Approximate Prep and Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Approximate Cost: $7.18 or .72 cents per slice
Servings: 10
 
Cake Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour ($1.00)
4 egg yolks & 4 egg whites (.60)
1 cup granulated sugar (.40)
1/2 tsp. Fresh lemon juice or bottled (.20)
1 tsp. vanilla (.20)
3 tbsp. Water

My 3-Filling Ingredients:
½ jar of Goya guava jelly ($1.60)
½ jar of Strawberries jelly ($1.34)
½ jar of Smucker’s grape jelly ($1.34)
¼ cup confectioner sugar to taste to sprinkle over the finish cake after you rolled it. (.50)

Directions
Start the oven at 350 degrees.
Oil spray a 13 x18 mold, cover the bottom with wax paper and spray oil on top as well.
Sift the flour, salt and baking powder to remove any lumps.
Separate the yolks and egg whites.
In a bowl, beat the egg whites adding 1/2 cup of sugar gradually, until stiff.
In a separate bowl beat the yolks adding 1/2 cup of sugar gradually until light yellow.
Add the yolks to the egg whites and fold until mixed.
Add the lemon juice, vanilla, water and beat briefly.
Now, add the dry ingredients slowly until they all blend well, however, do not over beat.
Pour the mix in the rectangular mold prepared with wax paper, ensuring that it is spreads evenly.
Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, depending on your oven. The cake is thin, it will cook fast.

The filling: You can use the fillings that I used in my recipe or use the filling(s) of your choice.

When the cake is ready, invert the cake onto a kitchen wet towel dusted with confectioners’ sugar. Peel off the top parchment layer; discard. Trim any ragged edges with knife.
 
Starting with the longer side of the cake, roll it like a cylinder, with the wet towel. Set aside, seam-side down, until cool. This step prevents cake breakage.

After totally cooled, gently unroll the cake. For my 3-flavor cake, spread the jellies over, see my slide show.

Make sure that you spread it an inch before the edge of the cake so when you roll it won't squeeze the filling out and make a mess, smile.

Roll it again, place cake-seam side down on a serving platter and let it chill until ready to serve. Dust with confectioners’ sugar before serving and garnish with fresh fruits like strawberries.
 
Enjoy!
 
HACK:
Other options for fillings are: Vanilla cream, mixed cream cheese and brown sugar, Nutella, lemon pudding  -Natilla style, well, the sky is the limit. Don’t forget to sprinkle with powdered sugar.