Over the winter, we’ve had a dessert on the menu in Travelle that features an interpretation of a carrot cake in the technique of a roulade. I wanted to show all of you lovely pastry fiends the technique I used to create the dish, but now that Spring is just starting to spring I’ve changed the flavor profile a bit. I think it would make a nice Easter dessert to be honest. For those not as interested in the technique, give the recipes a try in a different way and share what you’ve created!
recipe notes
step-by-step method
recipe card
recipe notes
To create the tube insert for the roulade, you’ll need to build a plastic tube out of acetate. Having some type of dowel or pvc tube to form the acetate around makes the job a little easier, but isn’t necessary.
Cut a piece of acetate 18”x12”/46cmx30cm (the size of a half sheet pan) and roll it into a hollow tube about 1″/2.5cm in diameter, and taping the loose edge to secure it.
Plug one end of the tube with acetate, securing it with tape, and leaving the other end open.
To create a plug, I simply fold plastic wrap over onto itself until it is several layers thick, then roll it up into a basic cork shape.
The fit of the plug should be firm, and it should be secured to the tube with tape and/or plastic wrap.
Create a second plug of plastic wrap to plug the open end of the tube once it’s filled.
grapefruit roulade
almond joconde
75g almond flour
75g powdered sugar
60g whole eggs about 1 egg
40g egg yolks about 2 to 3 eggs
137g egg whites about 4 to 5 eggs
50g sugar
60g all purpose flour
2drops pink gel color optional
2drops yellow gel color optional
Combine the almond flour, powdered sugar, whole eggs, egg yolks, and pink gel color in a stand mixing bowl with a whip attachment and mix until it is light and airy. Reserve the mixture in a mixing bowl.
Add the egg whites and half of the sugar to a stand mixing bowl with a whip attachment and whisk on medium speed until the egg whites have fully frothed, with no clear albumen showing.
Add the remaining sugar and increase the whisking speed to high, whipping to medium peaks.
Fold the meringue into the egg mixture with the gel color in two additions.
Fold in the all purpose flour.
Spread the batter evenly onto a half sheet pan lined with parchment paper or a non-stick baking mat. If you use parchment paper, lightly grease the sheet pan first to adhere the parchment.
Bake the joconde at 375F/190C for 7-8min.
Let the joconde cool to room temp. then wrap it in plastic wrap and store it in the cooler overnight.
grapefruit cream
312g grapefruit juice
5g grapefruit zest
21g cornstarch
70g sugar
8g gelatin 160 bloom
145g heavy cream
Before starting the recipe, make sure to build your acetate casting tube (instructions on that are in the recipe notes above).
Hydrate the gelatin in cold water and reserve to use later.
Whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks and reserve in the cooler to use later.
Combine the cornstarch and sugar and rain into the grapefruit juice, whisking well. The grapefruit juice will become cloudy once the cornstarch is added.
Heat the grapefruit juice with the grapefruit zest, while whisking, until it comes to a boil. The grapefruit juice will clarify and darken in color.
Let the mixture boil, while whisking constantly, for 1min. and remove from the heat.
Squeeze out the excess water from the hydrated gelatin and add it to the thickened grapefruit juice, whisking well until the gelatin melts and incorporates fully.
Cool the mixture over and ice bath until it is just warmer than room temperature.
Fold the whipped cream into the mixture.
Transfer the grapefruit cream to a disposable piping bag, and cast the cream into the acetate tubes.
Plug the open end of the tube and freeze.
white chocolate mousse
5g gelatin 160 bloom
300g heavy cream A
60g heavy cream B
30g egg yolks about 1-2 eggs
25g sugar
180g white chocolate
*Note: This is a very small recipe of mousse, so everything will happen quickly; the cream whipping, the heavy cream and egg mixture cooking, the white chocolate base cooling before adding whipped cream. Don’t walk away from any part of the process or you’ll likely ruin the recipe!
Hydrate the gelatin in cold water before getting started.
Whip the heavy cream A to soft peaks and reserve in the cooler to use later.
Bring the heavy cream B to a simmer over medium high heat.
While the heavy cream is heating, combine the egg yolks and sugar, whisking well to combine.
Temper the hot cream into the egg yolk mixture in a few small additions, whisking well.
Bring the mixture back to the heat and cook, while whisking, to 185F/85C and add the gelatin. I’m using a spiral flat whisk (you could also use a roux whisk), because the mixture is so small. The special design keeps tines in contact with the bottom and corner of the sauce pot, which helps prevent the eggs from curdling.
Add the white chocolate to the thickened creme anglaise. Again, because the recipe is so small, adding the chocolate will rapidly cool the creme anglaise. It may be necessary to place the sauce pot back over very low heat in order to melt the chocolate fully.
Whisk the mixture until homogenized and if needed, cool it over an ice bath until it reaches 90F/32C.
Fold in the reserved whipped cream.
Let the mousse set in the refrigerator overnight.
white chocolate glaze
100g whole milk
30g sweetened condensed milk
40g glucose
5g gelatin 160 bloom
167g white chocolate
167g white pate a glacer
3drops pink gel color optional
3drops yellow gel color optional
Hydrate the gelatin in cold water and reserve.
Combine the whole milk, sweetened condensed milk, and glucose and bring to boil over medium-high heat.
Pour the hot milk mixture over the white chocolate, white pate a glacer, hydrated gelatin, and gel color, then whisk or hand blend until smooth and glossy.
Use the glaze at 77-86F/25-30C.
assembly
Gently remove the baked crust from the top of the joconde by rolling it up and off with your fingers.
Removing the crust like the right side of the of this sheet of joconde will allow the mousse layer to stick to the cake.
Cut the joconde into two 18”x5”/46cmx13cm strips. At this point I transfer the joconde to a cutting board.
Smooth the white chocolate mousse with a spatula.
Spread 200g of white chocolate mousse down the length of the cake, leaving a ¼”/6mm gap on one of the long edges of the cake.
Unmold the frozen tube of grapefruit cream by carefully cutting the tape securing the acetate and unrolling the tube.
Place the tube on the mousse down the center of the strip of cake.
Gently roll the cake around the tube, starting with the edge of cake in contact with mousse and working toward the opposite edge that was left with the 1/4″/6mm gap. Make constant contact between the mousse and the grapefruit cream while rolling to avoid air bubbles.
Roll the log in plastic wrap, twisting the ends in opposite directions to tighten it.
Place the log seem side down and freeze until solid.
This seem should be face down while freezing.
Unwrap the roulade and place on a glazing rack.
Warm the white chocolate glaze to the right temp. and glaze the roulade. Place the roulade in the cooler for 5min. to set the glaze.
I decorated this roulade with coconut rapee, which is a fine, dehydrated flaked coconut, and not as sweet regular flaked coconut. Cut the roulade into portions (I cut them into about 3”/8cm slices).
Spring can begin!
- 75 g almond flour
- 75 g powdered sugar
- 60 g whole egg about 1 egg
- 40 g egg yolk about 2-3 eggs
- 137 g egg whites about 4-5 eggs
- 50 g sugar
- 2 drops pink gel color optional
- 2 drops yellow gel color optional
- 312 g grapefruit juice
- 5 g grapefruit zest
- 21 g cornstarch
- 70 g sugar
- 8 g gelatin 160 bloom
- 145 g heavy cream
- 5 g gelatin 160 bloom
- 300 g heavy cream A
- 60 g heavy cream B
- 30 g egg yolk about 1-2 eggs
- 25 g sugar
- 180 g white chocolate
- 100 g whole milk
- 30 g sweetened condensed milk
- 40 g glucose
- 5 g gelatin 160 bloom
- 167 g white chocolate
- 167 g white pate a glacer
- 3 drops pink gel color optional
- 3 drops yellow gel color optional
- Combine the almond flour, powdered sugar, whole eggs, egg yolks, and pink gel color in a stand mixing bowl with a whip attachment and mix until it is light and airy. Reserve the mixture in a mixing bowl.
- Add the egg whites and half of the sugar to a stand mixing bowl with a whip attachment and whisk on medium speed until the egg whites have fully frothed, with no clear albumen showing.
- Add the remaining sugar and increase the whisking speed to high, whipping to medium peaks.
- Fold the meringue into the egg mixture with the gel color in two additions.
- Fold in the all purpose flour.
- Spread the batter evenly onto a half sheet pan lined with parchment paper or a non-stick baking mat. If you use parchment paper, lightly grease the sheet pan first to adhere the parchment.
- Bake the joconde at 375F/190C for 7-8min.
- Let the joconde cool to room temp. then wrap it in plastic wrap and store it in the cooler overnight.
- Hydrate the gelatin in cold water and reserve to use later.
- Whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks and reserve in the cooler to use later.
- Combine the cornstarch and sugar and rain into the grapefruit juice, whisking well. The grapefruit juice will become cloudy once the cornstarch is added.
- Heat the grapefruit juice with the grapefruit zest, while whisking, until it comes to a boil. The grapefruit juice will clarify and darken in color.
- Let the mixture boil, while whisking constantly, for 1min. and remove from the heat.
- Squeeze out the excess water from the hydrated gelatin and add it to the thickened grapefruit juice, whisking well until the gelatin melts and incorporates fully.
- Cool the mixture over and ice bath until it is just warmer than room temperature.
- Fold the whipped cream into the mixture.
- Transfer the grapefruit cream to a disposable piping bag, and cast the cream into the acetate tubes. *A method for the tubes is below.
- Plug the open end of the tube and freeze.
- *Note: This is a very small recipe of mousse, so everything will happen quickly; don’t walk away from any part of the process!
- Hydrate the gelatin in cold water before getting started.
- Whip the heavy cream A to soft peaks and reserve in the cooler to use later.
- Bring the heavy cream B to a simmer over medium high heat.
- While the heavy cream is heating, combine the egg yolks and sugar, whisking well to combine.
- Temper the hot cream into the egg yolk mixture in a few small additions, whisking well.
- Bring the mixture back to the heat and cook, while whisking, to 185F/85C and add the gelatin. I'm using a spiral flat whisk (you could also use a roux whisk), because the mixture is so small. The special design keeps tines in contact with the bottom and corner of the sauce pot, which helps prevent the eggs from curdling.
- Add the white chocolate to the thickened creme anglaise. Again, because the recipe is so small, adding the chocolate will rapidly cool the creme anglaise. It may be necessary to place the sauce pot back over very low heat in order to melt the chocolate fully.
- Whisk the mixture until homogenized and if needed, cool it over an ice bath until it reaches 90F/32C.
- Fold in the reserved whipped cream.
- Let the mousse set in the refrigerator overnight.
- Hydrate the gelatin in cold water and reserve.
- Combine the whole milk, sweetened condensed milk, and glucose and bring to boil over medium-high heat.
- Pour the hot milk mixture over the white chocolate, white pate a glacer, hydrated gelatin, and gel color, then whisk or hand blend until smooth and glossy.
- Use the glaze at 77-86F/25-30C.
- Gently remove the baked crust from the top of the joconde by rolling it up and off with your fingers.
- Cut the joconde into two 18”x5”/46cmx13cm strips. At this point I transfer the joconde to a cutting board.
- Smooth the white chocolate mousse with a spatula.
- Spread 200g of white chocolate mousse down the length of the cake, leaving a ¼”/6mm gap on one of the long edges of the cake.
- Unmold the frozen tube of grapefruit cream by carefully cutting the tape securing the acetate and unrolling the tube.
- Place the tube on the mousse down the center of the strip of cake.
- Gently roll the cake around the tube, starting with the edge of cake in contact with mousse and working toward the opposite edge that was left with the 1/4"/6mm gap. Make constant contact between the mousse and the grapefruit cream while rolling to avoid air bubbles.
- Roll the log in plastic wrap, twisting the ends in opposite directions to tighten it.
- Place the log seem side down and freeze until solid.
- Unwrap the roulade and place on a glazing rack.
- Warm the white chocolate glaze to the right temp. and glaze the roulade. Place the roulade in the cooler for 5min. to set the glaze.
- I decorated this roulade with coconut rapee, which is a fine, dehydrated flaked coconut, and not as sweet regular flaked coconut. Cut the roulade into portions (I cut them into about 3”/8cm slices).
- Cut a piece of acetate 18”x12”/46cmx30cm (the size of a half sheet pan) and roll it into a hollow tube about 1"/2.5cm in diameter, and taping the loose edge to secure it.
- Plug one end of the tube with acetate, securing it with tape, and leaving the other end open.
- To create a plug, I simply fold plastic wrap over onto itself until it is several layers thick, then roll it up into a basic cork shape.
- Create a second plug of plastic wrap to plug the open end of the tube once it’s filled.
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