July Daring Bakers Challenge: Swiss swirl ice cream cake (by Kat)

Blog checking lines: 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.

As you know by now, each month a different Daring Baker poses a challenge to the rest of us. It's our mission--and we dare not choose to accept it--to complete whatever challenge is thrown our way. This month, Sunita threw a really fun challenge our way. Each of us Daring Bakers made our own flavor of swiss swirl ice cream cake. While many components are required for the assembly, each piece was relatively simple to do and could be modified to suit any taste. Also, it's a frozen dessert, so how perfect is that for summer?

Actually, many DB'ers live in the southern hemisphere, especially Australia, and even though summer is gone for them, some of their creations were the most astounding.

The dessert is comprised of a jelly roll cake (any flavor cake, any flavor filling), two flavors of ice cream (or sherbet, or gelato, or ...), and a fudge sauce (or vanilla, or caramel, or mango, or...).

See? Free reign to grab the bombe by the horns and flavor it as you see fit. The most challenging part of this confection is deciding what flavors to use. The second most challenging is the waiting for the various parts to either cool off or warm up, depending on which part it is.

The cake must cool off before the creamy filling is applied, then the cake should be frozen before continuing. Except that I didn't, and it came out okay, so there's obviously room for error (thank goodness!).

In my case, the ice cream bases had to be heated to make the custard, but cooled before going into my ice cream maker. Subsequently, the ice cream had to go into the freezer to harden off, but then left on the counter to warm up slightly before going into the mold. Likewise, the fudge sauce was cooked to create, but cooled before pouring into the mold.

So, yes, a good deal of time is spent waiting, but that waiting was soooooo worthwhile!

My version used the chocolate swiss roll recipe straight from Sunita's challenge, including the vanilla cream. I also used her fudge sauce recipe. I didn't use the chocolate or vanilla ice cream recipes she provided, however. I wanted to make something a little more reminiscent of a Mounds candy bar. You know, coconut on the inside, chocolate on the outside, in the prettiest little blue wrapper?

Are you drooling? I am.

Anyway, I turned to the first gentleman of ice cream, David Lebovitz. I used his caramelized white chocolate ice cream for one layer, and his toasted coconut ice cream recipe (via the amazing Tartelette) for the other layer.

Some of you just clicked on those links and I'll never see you again. I just know it. I don't blame you either. Please come back???

The verdict on both those recipes?

YUMMY!!!!!


We had company over celebrating the evening I made this. I hastily snuck out the back door to snap a few quick pics and then the bombe was devoured. I wish now I had a few more to show you...but you can always type the blog chekcing lines way up there at the top of the post into Google, and you'll see hundreds of completed challenges from all over the globe.

Here's the recipe as presented to us. As always, feel free to ask any questions! And, as always, Go Sign Yourself Up!!!


Preparation time-

For the 2 Swiss rolls-

30 mins each + cooling time (at least 30 minutes) before filling and rolling. The filling can be made while the cakes cool.

-For the ice creams- 5+10 minutes + freezing time

For the fudge topping- 5 minutes + cooling time

Assembly- At least an hour of freezing time between each layer (I took much more)

The Swiss rolls-

Preparation time- 10 minutes

Baking time- 10-12 minutes

Rolling and cooling time- at least 30 minutes

Filling-5-8 minutes

Filling and rolling- 5-10 minutes

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-

1. 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.
   
2. 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.
3. Add the flour mixture, in three batches and fold in gently with a spatula. Fold in the water.
4. Divide the mixture among the two baking pans and spread it out evenly, into the corners of the pans.
   
5. 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.
6. Spread a kitchen towel on the counter and sprinkle a little caster sugar over it.
   
7. Turn the cake on to the towel and peel away the baking paper. Trim any crisp edges.
8. 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.
9. Repeat the same for the next cake as well.
   
10. 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.
11. In a large bowl, add the cream and vanilla-sugar mixture and beat till very thick.
    
12. Divide the cream mixture between the completely cooled cakes.
    
13. 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).
14. Roll the cakes up again, this time without the towel. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge till needed, seam side down.

The vanilla ice cream

Preparation time 5 minutes+freezing

I have made the ice cream without an ice cream maker.

Ingredients

2 and ½ C / 625 ml / 20 fl oz of whipping cream

1 vanilla bean, minced or 1 tsp/ 5 ml/ .15 fl oz vanilla extract

½ C / 115gms/ 4 oz of granulated sugar

Method-

Grind together the sugar and vanilla in a food processor. In a mixing bowl, add the cream and vanilla –sugar mixture and whisk lightly till everything is mixed together. If you are using the vanilla extract, grind the sugar on its own and then and the sugar along with the vanilla extract to the cream.

Pour into a freezer friendly container and freeze till firm around the edges. Remove from the freezer, beat till smooth and return to the freezer. Do this 3-4 times and then set completely.

The Hot fudge sauce- I made this just after adding the layer of vanilla ice cream to the cake.

Preparation time 2 minutes

Cooking time 2 minutes

Ingredients

1 C / 230gms/ 8 oz of caster sugar

3 tblsp / 24gms/1.5 oz of natural unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tblsp /15gms/ 1 oz of cornflour/cornstarch

1 and ½ C /355ml /12 fl oz of water

1 tblsp /14gms/ 1 oz butter

1 tsp/5 ml / .15 fl oz vanilla extract

Method

1. In a small saucepan, whisk together the sugar, cocoa powder, cornflour and water.
2. Place the pan over heat, and stir constantly, till it begins to thicken and is smooth (for about 2 minutes).
   
3. Remove from heat and mix in the butter and vanilla. Keep aside to cool .

The chocolate ice cream

Preparation time 5 minutes + freezing

Ingredients

2C/ 500 ml whipping cream

1 C/230gms/8 oz caster sugar

3 tblsp/ 24 gms/1.5 oz of natural unsweetened cocoa powder

Method

1. Grind together the sugar and the cocoa powder in a food processor .
   
2. In a saucepan, add all the ingredients and whisk lightly.
   Place the pan over heat and keep stirring till it begins to bubble around the edges.
   
3. Remove from heat and cool completely before transferring to a freezer friendly container till firm around the edges. If you are using an ice cream maker, churn the ice cream according to the manufacturer’s instruction, after the mixture has cooled completely.
4. Remove from the freezer, beat till smooth and return to the freezer. Do this 3-4 times and then set completely.

Assembly

1. Cut the Swiss rolls into 20 equal slices ( approximately 2 cms each ).
2. Cover the bottom and sides of the bowl in which you are going to set the dessert with cling film/plastic wrap.
3. Arrange two slices at the bottom of the pan, with their seam sides facing each other. Arrange the Swiss roll slices up the bowl, with the seam sides facing away from the bottom, to cover the sides of the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and freeze till the slices are firm (at least 30 minutes).
4. Soften the vanilla ice cream. Take the bowl out of the freezer, remove the cling film cover and add the ice cream on top of the cake slices. Spread it out to cover the bottom and sides of the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and freeze till firm ( at least 1 hour)
5. Add the fudge sauce over the vanilla ice cream, cover and freeze till firm . ( at least an hour)
6. Soften the chocolate ice cream and spread it over the fudge sauce. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 4-5 hours till completely set .
7. Remove the plastic cover, and place the serving plate on top of the bowl. Turn it upside down and remove the bowl and the plastic lining. If the bowl does not come away easily, wipe the outsides of the bowl with a kitchen towel dampened with hot water. The bowl will come away easily.
8. Keep the cake out of the freezer for at least 10 minutes before slicing, depending on how hot your region is. Slice with a sharp knife, dipped in hot water.