- 8
Ingredients
- 8 SERVINGS
- 1 1/2 cups pecans (5 oz), toasted (see Tips) and cooled
- 3/4 cup sugar, divided
- 2/3 cup all-purpose flour, divided
- 5 large eggs, separated
- 3 tablespoons whole milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 pints vanilla or butter pecan ice cream, softened slightly
- EQUIPMENT: a 15- by 10-inch shallow baking pan (at least 1 inch deep)
- GARNISH: confectioners sugar
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350F with rack in the middle.
Butter baking pan and line bottom and sides with parchment paper. Butter parchment and dust lightly with flour, knocking out excess.
Pulse pecans with 1/4 cup sugar and 1/3 cup flour until very finely ground.
Transfer to a large bowl and whisk in yolks, milk, vanilla, and salt.
Beat whites with a pinch of salt using an electric mixer on medium speed until they just hold soft peaks.
With mixer on low speed, add remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a slow stream. Beat on medium-high speed until whites hold stiff, glossy peaks.
Fold one third of whites into yolk mixture to lighten, then fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly.
Sprinkle remaining 1/3 cup flour over batter and fold in.
Pour batter into sheet pan, spreading evenly. Rap pan against counter a few times to release any air bubbles.
Bake until golden and springy to the touch, 18 to 25 minutes. Cool cake slightly in pan, about 10 minutes, then cover with a sheet of parchment and invert cake onto a large rack. Peel off parchment. Cool to warm, about 5 minutes more.
Transfer cake on parchment to a work surface. Trim edges with a serrated knife. With a short end nearest you, spread ice cream over cake, leaving a 1-inch border along bottom end, a 3-inch border along top end, and a 2-inch border along each long side.
Using parchment as an aid, roll up cake. Transfer to a parchment-lined small baking or sheet pan and freeze until ice cream is firm, about 3 hours.