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Gluten Free Arctic Roll

2 things you expect you cant eat on a gluten, dairy free diet - a fluffy, seriously light sponge with a creamy ice cream centre. Roll on the summer!! 
**I use a 23 x 33cm roasting/baking/Swiss roll tray that is at least 3cm deep**
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Freeze time1 hour
Total Time40 minutes
Servings: 1 gigantic artic roll - probably serves 10
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: english
Keyword: ice cream

Ingredients

  • 4 Medium eggs
  • 100 grams caster sugar + a few extra tbsp for sprinkling on the outside
  • 100 grams gluten free self raising flour

The Middle

  • 100 grams strawberry jam - or any jam/spread you like
  • 750 ml ice cream of your choice - I use Swedish Glace Soya Vanilla Soft Scoop (really easy to shape)

Instructions

Ice Cream

  • Place a large piece of cling film on the work surface and add a line of ice cream scoops down the middle
    >Your line of scoops should be roughly the same length as the short side of the tray you are going to cook your sponge in, like the picture.
  • Use your hands to mush it together into a *very* rough cylinder, like the picture.
  • Wash your hands and then wrap the cylinder in the cling film, twisting the ends so its tightly encased (like the ends of a string of sausages!)
  • Roll back and forward with your hands to get a slightly neater cylinder.
    >You’ll have another chance to make it neater in a bit so don’t worry if it’s not absolutely perfect!
  • Freeze for at least 1hr until solid.

Sponge

  • Preheat the oven to 170oc (fan).
  • Line at 23 x 33cm swiss roll tin with baking paper (or any other baking tray/roasting dish of similar size - ideally, it just needs to be at least 3m deep)
  • Crack the eggs into a large mixing bowl. Add the sugar and whisk together until light and fluffy and very thick,
    >You're looking for the consistency almost as thick as a McDonald's milkshake! It should expand by about 3-4x, like my picture.
    >Set a timer! With an electric hand whisk on full speed, it takes me 5 minutes precisely. With something like a big KitchenAid, I would set the timer to 4 mins 30. Don't whisk for any less!!!
  • Add the flour and whisk again for no more than 10 seconds, until just combined. Pour into the baking tray.
    >Make sure you whisk right to the bottom as the flour all sinks there.
  • Bake the sponge for 10-12 mins or until its just starting to brown and if you lightly press the top of the sponge, it gently springs back.
    >DO NOT overbake. If you think its only just cooked, thats fine!! It'll keep cooking once its out of the oven. If you overcook it, it'll be diffcult to roll up.
  • Whilst that's baking, prepare the following:
    1. Place a sheet of baking paper (a bit bigger than the size of the baking tin) onto your work surface.
    2. Place something on the corners to hold it down if it keeps rolling up!
    3. Sprinkle over a generous amount of caster sugar all over the baking paper. I use about 3 heaped tbsp - if it doubt, add more! Pic to show you what mine looks like.
  • Once the sponge is cooked, remove from the oven and quickly peel off the baking paper stuck to the sides of the cake.
    Then, flip the sponge onto the sugared baking paper.
    >The key is to be quick and confident with it!
  • Loosely roll up from the short side so you have a swiss roll, like this.
  • Leave it rolled up to cool COMPLETELY (takes at least 30mins, depending on where it is).
    >The reason we roll up the sponge whilst its cooling is because it prevents the cake from cracking at the next stage. To keep it rolled up whilst its cooling, I rest mine against the back of the worktop.

Construction

  • Once cool, unroll and spread evenly with loads of jam.
    >You might want to put your jam in a bowl and give it a good mix with a spoon before spreading it (it’ll soften it up and make it easier to work with)
  • Take the ice cream out the freezer and whilst it’s still in the cling film, quickly roll it again on the side to make it as cylindrical as possible.
    >Now it’s completely frozen, this should be easy to do :)
  • Unwrap the ice cream and place it at one end of the sponge.
    >The join may overlap a bit OR not quite meet depending on the size of baking tray you used vs size of ice cream- don't worry either way!! Don't try to correct that, it'll just get messy and you risk tearing your sponge. Once its frozen, it'll hold together perfectly.
    >Also don't worry about making the ends neat at this stage - we can cut off the messy bits after the next step...
  • Place your artic roll on a plate/in a container and into the freezer, join down, for at least 30 mins or until the sponge has totally frozen.
    >I don’t wrap it in cling film/anything at this stage but you can if you’d like to. Just be delicate as the sponge will be soft and prone to tearing.
  • When you want to eat, remove from the freezer, unwrap, chop of the ends off so its nice and neat, slice off your slice, leave to defrost for 5 mins and then enjoy!!!

Notes

Serving suggestion: Ideally leave you slice of arctic roll for 5 mins to defrost slightly before eating
Storage: Once frozen, I wrap mine in cling film and keep it in the freezer. It'll keep for weeks... although it never does in this house!!!
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