The July 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Sunita of Sunita’s world – life and food. Sunita challenged everyone to make an ice-cream filled Swiss roll that’s then used to make a bombe with hot fudge. Her recipe is based on an ice cream cake recipe from Taste of Home.
Holy crap, guys. I learned how to make ice cream. This is dangerous, as I am a huuuuuge ice cream fiend. It's my go to dessert. I haven't met one that I haven't liked. Ben and Jerry and I go way back. The only reason why I haven't tried this before is because I get terrible images of a 500 pound me as a shut in with nothing but eggs and cream and sugar in my kitchen.
So when I saw this was the challenge this month and that I had to make, not one, but TWO different flavors, I practically leapt for joy in my tiny windowless office. It completely changed my outlook as I started thinking of amazing ice cream combinations. Chocolate Cherry and Pistachio? Mint Chocolate Chip and Coffee? Vanilla and Chocolate? Strawberry and Banana? I got so excited about the ice cream part that I completely neglected the other major component.
Swiss Roll Cake. Ugh.
Don't get me wrong, swiss rolls (or jelly rolls) are delicious and cute. But I also understand that they go by the nickname "Sh*t Cake"; not for their appearance, although that is unfortunate, but because of the obscenities that stream from your mouth as your cake crumbles and cracks while trying to roll it. But ice cream can fix anything, so I sallied forth.
The recipes for the challenge (found here) gave examples of vanilla and chocolate ice creams. But when we're talking about ice cream, I can't just do chocolate and vanilla. I looked up my make believe BFF, the master of ice cream, David Lebovitz. This man knows his stuff. So I flipped through his website and his book and found Salted Butter Caramel Ice Cream as well as a Milk Chocolate Ice Cream with cognac in it (since a chocolate ice cream was specifically requested by my boyfriend/dishwasher.)
Even with an ice cream maker (unless it's one of those super fancy ones) ice cream still takes a while to make. So I had to break this down into three days. Day 1 was the chocolate ice cream and the first attempt at the swiss rolls. But since no one ever in the history of the world has ever heard of an 11x9 pan, the obscenities started before I could even get the cake out of the pan.
Day 2 was the second ice cream and the second attempt at swiss rolls. This time they worked out with only PG-13 language.
Day 3 was the hot fudge and the assembly. And the tasting.
Oh my. This was good. Like really really good. And so nice on a hot summer day for a 4th of July party. I'm not sure how often I would make this again, since it's pretty involved, but it would make an awesome and creative summer birthday cake. I'd probably use different flavor combinations. Adding anything to that Salted Butter Caramel ice cream- much less hot fudge, other ice cream, and cake- is sacrilege. That is hands down the best ice cream I've ever tasted and I've been itching to make it again. And, while no one has had to wrestle a spoon out of my hands and I'm still in good graces with my trainer, making ice cream has totally sparked something in me. Ever wonder what Chubby Hubby would be like if it had chocolate malted ice cream and caramel swirl? Pretty frickin' awesome.
Ok, so now the recipes.
First, the Swiss Roll Cake, From The Daring Kitchen
Ingredients-
6 medium sized eggs
1 C / 225 gms caster sugar /8 oz+ extra for rolling
6 tblsp / 45gms/ a pinch over 1.5 oz of all purpose (plain) flour + 5 tblsp/40gm /a pinch under 1.5 oz of natural unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted together
2 tblsp /30ml / 1 fl oz of boiling water
a little oil for brushing the pans
For the filling-
2C / 500 mls/ 16 fl oz of whipping cream
1 vanilla pod, cut into small pieces of about ½ cm (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)
5 tblsp / 70gms/2.5oz of caster sugar
Method-
- Pre heat the oven at 200 deg C /400 deg F approximately. Brush the baking pans ( 11 inches by 9 inches ) with a little oil and line with greaseproof baking paper. If you have just one pan, bake one cake and then let the pan cool completely before using it for the next cake.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the eggs and sugar and beat till very thick; when the beaters are lifted, it should leave a trail on the surface for at least 10 seconds. (This took me about 15 minutes)
- Add the flour mixture, in three batches and fold in gently with a spatula. Fold in the water.
- Divide the mixture among the two baking pans and spread it out evenly, into the corners of the pans.
- Place a pan in the centre of the pre heated oven and bake for about 10-12 minutes or till the centre is springy to the touch.
- Spread a kitchen towel on the counter and sprinkle a little caster sugar over it.
- Turn the cake on to the towel and peel away the baking paper. Trim any crisp edges.
- Starting from one of the shorter sides, start to make a roll with the towel going inside. Cool the wrapped roll on a rack, seam side down.
- Repeat the same for the next cake as well.
- Grind together the vanilla pieces and sugar in a food processer till nicely mixed together. If you are using vanilla extract, just grind the sugar on its own and then add the sugar and extract to the cream.
- In a large bowl, add the cream and vanilla-sugar mixture and beat till very thick.
- Divide the cream mixture between the completely cooled cakes.
- Open the rolls and spread the cream mixture, making sure it does not go right to the edges (a border of ½ an inch should be fine).
- Roll the cakes up again, this time without the towel. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge till needed, seam side down.
For the caramel praline (mix-in)
½ cup (100 gr) sugar
¾ teaspoon sea salt
For the ice cream custard
2 cups (500 ml) whole milk, divided
1½ cups (300 gr) sugar
4 tablespoons (60 gr) salted butter
scant ½ teaspoon sea salt
1 cups (250 ml) heavy cream
5 large egg yolks
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
1. To make the caramel praline, spread the ½ cup (100 gr) of sugar in an even layer in a medium-sized, unlined heavy duty saucepan: I use a 6 quart/liter pan. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or brush it sparingly with unflavored oil.
2. Heat the sugar over moderate heat until the edges begin to melt. Use a heatproof utensil to gently stir the liquefied sugar from the bottom and edges towards the center, stirring, until all the sugar is dissolved. (Or most of it—there may be some lumps, which will melt later.)
Continue to cook stirring infrequently until the caramel starts smoking and begins to smell like it's just about to burn. It won't take long.
3. Without hesitation, sprinkle in the ¾ teaspoon salt without stirring (don't even pause to scratch your nose), then pour the caramel onto the prepared baking sheet and lift up the baking sheet immediately, tilting and swirling it almost vertically to encourage the caramel to form as thin a layer as possible. Set aside to harden and cool.
4. To make the ice cream, make an ice bath by filling a large bowl about a third full with ice cubes and adding a cup or so of water so they're floating. Nest a smaller metal bowl (at least 2 quarts/liters) over the ice, pour 1 cup (250 ml) of the milk into the inner bowl, and rest a mesh strainer on top of it.
5. Spread 1½ cups (300 gr) sugar in the saucepan in an even layer. Cook over moderate heat, until caramelized, using the same method described in Step #2.
6. Once caramelized, remove from heat and stir in the butter and salt, until butter is melted, then gradually whisk in the cream, stirring as you go.
The caramel may harden and seize, but return it to the heat and continue to stir over low heat until any hard caramel is melted. Stir in 1 cup (250 ml) of the milk.
7. Whisk the yolks in a small bowl and gradually pour some of the warm caramel mixture over the yolks, stirring constantly. Scrape the warmed yolks back into the saucepan and cook the custard using a heatproof utensil, stirring constantly (scraping the bottom as you stir) until the mixture thickens. If using an instant-read thermometer, it should read 160-170 F (71-77 C).
8. Pour the custard through the strainer into the milk set over the ice bath, add the vanilla, then stir frequently until the mixture is cooled down. Refrigerate at least 8 hours or until thoroughly chilled.
9. Freeze the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.
10. While the ice cream is churning, crumble the hardened caramel praline into very little bits, about the size of very large confetti (about ½-inch, or 1 cm). I use a mortar and pestle, although you can make your own kind of music using your hands or a rolling pin.
11. Once your caramel ice cream is churned, quickly stir in the crushed caramel, then chill in the freezer until firm.
Note: As the ice cream sits, the little bits of caramel may liquefy and get runny and gooey, which is what they're intended to do.
Milk Chocolate Ice Cream, also from David Lebovitz
Ingredients
8oz milk chocolate with at least 30% cocoa solids, finely chopped (I used Ritter)
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
Big pinch of salt
4 large egg yolks
2 teaspoons cognac
Combine the milk chocolate and cream in a large, heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir until the chocolate is melted, then remove the bowl from the saucepan. Set it aside with a mesh strainer over the top.
Warm the milk, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm milk mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrap the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer into the milk chocolate mixture, add the cognac, and mix together. Stir until cool over an ice bath.
Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Anyone have any suggestions for ice cream flavors? Making some for you is a good excuse to make some for me ;)
