Description
This Christmas Raspberry Pistachio Roulade is a festive Swiss roll cake featuring a delicate pistachio sponge layered with luscious white chocolate cream and fresh raspberries. The airy cake is rolled with a creamy white chocolate filling and decorated with additional raspberries and chopped pistachios, making it an elegant and flavorful dessert perfect for holiday celebrations.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Roulade:
- 2.5 oz. (70 g) raw pistachios
- 4 egg whites, room temperature
- 4 egg yolks, room temperature
- ½ cup (130 g) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons hot water
- 10 tablespoons (80 g) self-raising flour
- 1 pinch of salt
- ⅛ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
- 2 ½ tablespoons (20 g) powdered (icing) sugar
- 10.5 oz. (300 g) fresh raspberries
For the White Chocolate Cream:
- 7 oz. (200 g) white chocolate
- 2.6 oz. (75 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 9.8 oz. (280 g) cream cheese, room temperature
- 9.1 fl. oz. (270 ml) heavy cream, 30% fat
- ⅛ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
For the Decoration:
- 15 fresh raspberries
- 0.5 oz. (15 g) pistachios, chopped
Instructions
- Prepare the Pistachio Cake Batter: Preheat the oven to 390°F (200°C). Using a food processor, grind the raw pistachios until fine and set aside. In a mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks and granulated sugar with an electric mixer for about 4 minutes until the mixture turns pale and creamy. Slowly pour in the hot water along the side of the bowl and gently fold in the ground pistachios with a rubber spatula.
- Add Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, sift together the self-raising flour and salt. Gradually add this sifted mixture into the egg yolk mixture, folding gently with the spatula to combine thoroughly without deflating the batter.
- Incorporate Egg Whites: In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Fold the beaten egg whites into the pistachio batter in several additions, mixing gently to maintain the airy texture. Add the optional almond extract and fold it in evenly.
- Bake the Sponge: Pour the batter into a rectangular baking sheet or tray lined with parchment paper, shaping it to approximately 12 x 16 inches (30 x 40 cm). Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 18 minutes until the sponge is set and a light golden color. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
- Roll the Cake: Sprinkle 2 teaspoons (10 g) of powdered sugar on the top of the warm sponge and cover with a kitchen towel. Flip the cake onto the towel so the sugared side rests on the towel. Carefully peel away the parchment paper. Dust the exposed surface with the remaining powdered sugar. Starting from the short end, roll up the sponge together with the towel, forming a tight roll. Let it cool completely for 10 minutes while rolled. Unroll gently and let the sponge rest at room temperature. Minor cracks or curled edges are normal.
- Make the White Chocolate Cream: Melt the white chocolate using a bain-marie or double boiler, then set aside to cool. In a mixing bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter for 30 seconds, then add the cream cheese and whisk until smooth and creamy. Add the melted white chocolate and continue whisking until evenly combined. Finally, add the cold heavy cream and optional almond extract, whipping at medium-high speed until soft peaks form.
- Assemble the Roulade: Spread two-thirds of the white chocolate cream evenly over the unrolled sponge, leaving about a 1-inch (2.5 cm) gap at one short end to avoid overflow when rolling. Arrange fresh raspberries evenly over the cream, reserving about 15 raspberries for decoration. Carefully roll the cake back up starting from the cream-covered short end.
- Decorate: Cover the rolled cake with the remaining white chocolate cream, smoothing it using the back of a tablespoon or a bent spatula. Sprinkle the top with chopped pistachios and decorate with the reserved fresh raspberries. Transfer the roulade to a serving platter and refrigerate until set.
Notes
- Use store-bought self-raising flour or make your own by adding 2 teaspoons of baking powder and ½ teaspoon of salt for every 1 cup (125 g) of plain or all-purpose flour. Always sift the dry ingredients together before use to ensure even distribution.
- You can prepare the white chocolate cream one day ahead and store it covered in the refrigerator. Allow it to come to room temperature for about 30 minutes and re-whip if necessary before using.
- Take the roulade out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes before serving to soften the cream for optimal texture and flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (approx. 1/10th of roulade)
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 26 g
- Sodium: 120 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 13 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
