Not a glamour shot - but isn't a great thing to have a simple and delicious dessert ready and waiting?
Hello Bakers,
Did you know that last week, the Italian newspaper, Corriere della Serra reported that a truck full of Nutella was stolen in central Germany - roughly 6,875 large jars of Nutella - gone. Daniel, my husband from Milan, told me about it. I quickly looked it up in English. The Guardian newspaper reported the heist as well. As of this writing the Nutella has not been found and the bandits are also still at large.
Reading about the heist inspired this blog post and a recipe that is perfect for this time of year.
This was the size of the truck filled with 22,000 pounds of Nutella.
These are the dog days of August. It is not the best time of year to fire up the oven and heat up the kitchen. The Nutella Heist cake features a roulade (rolled) cake that you can get in and out of the oven in under 45 minutes. It looks more labor intensive then it really is. Rolling cakes can seem intimidating but once you do it a few times it is easy.
I teach the rolling technique in my Craftsy class "25 Essential Baking Techniques" the cake, in the video, is a vanilla scented sponge roll.
Here is an affilate link and a discount off that class if you are not already enrolled.
http://craftsy.me/2nu9Qun
This cake is a great technique builder and good practice. It can be made hours in advance and is sure to impress and delight your family and friends. The Nutella whipped cream is delicious and you can use it for other things - and it takes no time to whip cream. The cream and the Nutella are whipped together - just like the recipe for Tiramisu filling posted back in June.
Please try this delicious cake. Let me know if you have questions. Send photos - it would be great to get the "first post" contest back up and running.
See you next week with a back to school macaron recipe...
On a side note bakers, I am working on developing a podcast about baking. The podcast will be filled with baking history, science and tips. I will keep you posted on the podcast's progress.
Happy Baking!
Colette
The Nutella Heist Roulade Cake
Equipment:
Stand or handheld mixer
Whisk attachment
Spatula
Half sheet pan – lined with the bottom with parchment paper,
spread with softened butter or pan spread
Parchment paper
Ruler or better still a yard stick cut in half
Ingredients:
Chocolate Sponge (Biscuit)
Chocolate Biscuit Mise en Place
Oven 350 degrees
2.25 ounces (64g) egg yolks
4.5 ounces (128g) whole eggs
3.75 ounces (106g) sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
3 ounces (85g) egg whites
1 ½ ounces (43g) sugar
1 ½ ounces (43g) pastry or cake flour
1 ½ ounces (43g)Dutch process cocoa powder
(For later) 1-2 ounces (28g-57g) granulated sugar for unmolding the cake
1. In a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, ribbon the yolks, whole eggs,sugar and vanilla extract until it holds a three second ribbon. It should be thick and pale yellow.
2. Scrape the ribboned egg mixture into a medium sized bowl if you do not have an extra mixer bowl. Wash and dry your bowl and whisk.
3. In a stand mixer with a whisk attachment whip egg whites on medium speed until foamy, like cappuccino foam add sugar and whip until it forms a medium peak.
Soft peaks for cake - 10:00 angle
4. Sift cocoa and flour together 3x.
5. Add 1/3rd of the egg whites to the ribboned egg yolks, add the rest and mix lightly until just a few streaks are visible.
6. Sift the cocoa and flour the egg mixture, in three increments.
5. Scrape every bit of batter into the prepared pan. Spread to the edges and then smooth the surface with an offset spatula. Clean the rim of the pan with your thumb.
Bake for 12-14 minutes. Cake is done when it springs back lightly in the center.
Cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
Baked cake
Make Filling:
Equipment:
Stand or handheld mixer fitted with whisk attachments or standard beaters
Ingredients:
12 ounces Heavy Cream
1/4 cup Nutella - measured in a volume 1/4 cup
1. Combine the heavy cream and nutella in mixer bowl.
2. Whip on medium high speed until mixture begins to thicken. Scrape down and continue to whip until it looks like this. Stay with it as the filling can over whip and break quickly.
It looks very soft but it will thicken as you fill and ice the cake.
To unmold cake:
Tape two 1/2 sheets of parchment paper together and then turn the paper over or if you have a large sheet of parchment - use that. Dust the granulated sugar on top of the cake.
Sugar on top means it will not stick to the parchment paper.
Sprinkle more of the cocoa mixture on top of chocolate layer in pan. Invert layer on cocoa dusted parchment paper. Remove parchment paper from cake and then immediately place clean side down on the cake - this will help you roll the cake.
Spoon cream evenly onto layer, leaving a ½” border on the top long edge.
Leave a 1/2: border on the long top edge and no need to over fill.
Roll lengthwise, enclosing cream by lifting parchment paper gently. Layer may crack so adjust as necessary to keep rolled (not flattened) shape. Trim ends to make neat by cutting diagonally.
Partially rolled roulade
Using parchment paper to lift and manipulate roll, turn roll seam-side down onto serving board or platter. Place 2" strips of parchment paper under the cake. Ice the top and sides of the cake. Remove paper strips carefully
Refrigerate until ready to serve.
As I said in my caption this cake can be assembled early in the day or the night before.