Baking with Jam
In her latest work, Jam Bake, Camilla Wynne answers the perennial question, “what do I do with all this jam I made/bought?”. This month, Camilla created a jam bake recipe just for the V Smiley Preserves eater. And it’s gluten free!
I met Camilla Wynne through my Tandem kitchen-mate of the last 6 years, Jess Messer (of Savouré Soda). Camilla and Jess shared a production kitchen while operating their businesses in Montreal. Sharing a kitchen is deeply bonding.
Camilla loves Vermont and wrote large sections of both her cookbooks at the Messer home in Starksboro in-between dog and goat-sitting, hunting ramps in the forest and collecting Vermont cheese for afternoon snacks.
On one of those visits, Camilla visited V Smiley Preserves at the Shelburne Farmers Market. She hung with me as I did my sampling spiel. On a Raspberry Redcurrant Geranium (one of our more challenging preserves and she would know that) sample, she gave me the verbal equivalent of a jammer elbow bump, “you know what you are doing”. Swoon.
Camilla communicates with a wonderful sense of curiosity and firmness. The perfect teaching combination rooted in science, appetite and tons of practice. I am endlessly charmed and inspired by Camilla. And she’s deeply generous to my worried canning questions sent via Instagram direct message. More on how to tap that generosity yourself…
Pro jammer, pastry chef, endless inspiration for enjoying and celebrating preserves. Dive in with our Jam Bake & V Smiley Preserves baking bundles and make something for afternoon tea.
Camilla Wynne
Writer, recipe developer, preserving + pastry teacher, and author of Jam Bake and Preservation Society Home Preserves, Camilla lives in Toronto but grew up mostly in Montreal where she trained as a pastry chef and toured with the band Sunset Rubdown from 2005-2009. Camilla ran her jam company, Preservation Society, from 2011-2018 which spawned her first cookbook. A gifted teacher, Camilla is one of Canada’s few certified master preservers. Her teaching philosophy balances approachable science with personal and fun preserves-making. You can chat with Camilla inside the Demi Community devoted to all things preservation. Her generous spirit means this lively online community of preservers is constantly bubbling with fruit.
The Recipe: Jam & Cream Walnut Roll
For the cake:
100 g (3/4 cup) walnut pieces
120 g (4) egg whites
230 g (2/3 cup) honey
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
For the filling:
6 oz (3/4 cup) honey-sweetened jam
60 mL (1/4 cup) heavy cream
60 mL (1/4 cup) mascarpone
To finish:
30 g (1/4 cup) walnut pieces
1 Tbsp honey
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Grease a quarter sheet pan (9- by 13-inches) with butter or nonstick pan spray and line with parchment paper.
To make the cake, grind walnuts in a food processor or spice grinder; set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer set over a pan of simmering water, whisk the egg whites and honey until honey is dissolved and mixture is warm to the touch. Transfer bowl to the mixer and fit with the whisk attachment; whip until stiff peaks form. Gently fold in the ground walnuts cornstarch, vinegar and vanilla.
Using an offset spatula, spread the meringue evenly in the prepared pan.
Bake for 5 minutes, then turn down the oven to 350°F (175°C) and let the meringue bake for 10 to 15 more minutes, until golden brown and set.
Let cool completely on the pan on a wire rack. This will take about 1 hour.
To fill the cake, first carefully remove it from the pan. Using an offset spatula, spread the jam even over the surface of the cake, leaving a 1-inch border on the short end furthest from you. In a medium bowl, whisk the cream with the mascarpone until firm peaks form. Spread evenly over jam. Starting at the short end without the border, carefully begin to roll up the cake, lifting it with the parchment then peeling it away as you go. (If cake feel soft at this point, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes before proceeding.)
To finish, grind the walnut pieces; set aside. In a small pot, combine honey with 1 Tbsp water and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve honey. Set cake on a piece of parchment paper and brush surface with honey syrup. Sprinkle with ground walnuts, pressing to adhere, to coat all but the bottom of the cake. Slice off ends using a serrated knife, to neaten it up, then transfer to a serving platter. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to one day.
*We Made Jam Bake Bundles*
Pick up Camilla’s book, Jam Bake, with a few of V Smiley Preserves bestsellers that we think will round out your adventures into baking with jam…
Want More Preserves & Pastry?
Join one of Camilla’s workshops or her Preservation Society on DEMI Community—geek out on all things preserves or get the extra support to give preserving a try.