Winter Swiss roll bowl cake
This simple chocolate dessert is so very easy to make, so stunning and involves no real cooking.
In November 2023 this recipe was costed at an average of 38p per person (serving 10) when checking prices at four UK supermarkets.
Method
Line the inside of a medium glass bowl or 3 litre/5 pint pudding basin or bowl with clingfilm (make sure there is plenty of extra clingfilm hanging over the sides).
Cut the Swiss rolls into 1cm/½in slices. Place one slice in the middle on the bowl in the base, then place another next to it. Continue until the whole inside of the bowl is lined. Squash the Swiss roll slices slightly together so that there are no gaps between them. When you reach the top of the bowl, cut slices in half if a whole one does not fit. Use any offcuts or extra slices to plug gaps between the rolls, squishing the cake in to cover any holes.
Use a pastry brush to dab the sponge with the alcohol. Spoon the ice cream into the lined bowl, squidging it down so that it is completely full. Now place the cake in the freezer and leave overnight or at least until the ice cream is completely firm.
Once the ice cream is firm, carefully remove the cake from the bowl using the clingfilm to help you. Ease it very gently out of the bowl with the clingfilm. If it is too hard to remove, warm the bowl up a little in your hands or by carefully running a flat blunt knife between the bowl and the clingfilm. When the cake is loose in the bowl and feels as if you could pull it out easily, place a large serving plate on top of the bowl and turn the bowl upside down, so that the plate is the right way up. Carefully remove the bowl and peel off the clingfilm.
