What Is a Swiss Roll Tin

Our answer

A Swiss roll tin is a specific tin that is designed to bake a thin, rectangular sponge cake that is then rolled up to make a Swiss roll (jelly roll or roulade). It has slightly raised edges (about 2 to 3cm/3/4 to 1 inch) deep and has dimensions of roughly 23 x 33cm (9 x 13 inches).

The tins are readily available in most cookware stores and also on-line. They can also double up as baking sheets so if you buy one it does not have to be used solely for Swiss rolls. You can buy non-stick or regular versions, but even with the non-stick ones we would recommend lining the tin with baking parchment (parchment paper) as the baked Swiss roll sponge can be slightly fragile to turn out. In the US if you can't find a jelly roll pan then a 9 x13 inch quarter sheet pan makes a good alternative.