Ingredients
- 5 eggs, separated
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup white sugar, divided
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup cake flour
- 2 tablespoons orange liqueur
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon white sugar
- confectioners' sugar for dusting
- 1 1/4 cups ricotta cheese
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
- 2 tablespoons orange liqueur
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup chopped pistachio nuts
- 1 tablespoon white sugar
- 1 tablespoon mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F Grease one 15 1/2 x 10 1/2 inch jelly-roll pan and line with parchment paper.
Separate the eggs. In small bowl, with mixer at high speed, beat egg yolks, vanilla, and 1/4 cup granulated sugar until very thick and lemon colored, about 5 minutes. Set beaten yolk mixture aside. In large bowl, with clean beaters and with mixer at high speed, beat egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt until soft peaks for. Beating at high speed, gradually sprinkle in 1/4 cup granulated sugar until sugar dissolves and whites stand in stiff peaks.
Transfer beaten egg yolks to another large bowl. With rubber spatula, gently fold beaten egg whites into beaten egg yolks, one-third at a time. Sift and fold flour, one-third at a time, into egg mixture. With metal spatula, spread batter evenly in pan. Bake at 375 degrees F for 10 minutes or until top of cake springs back when lightly touched with finger.
Meanwhile, in a cup, mix 2 tablespoons orange liqueur with 1 tablespoon water and 1 tablespoon sugar until sugar dissolves. Sprinkle clean cloth towel with confectioners' sugar. When cake is done, immediately invert hot cake onto towel. Carefully peel off parchment paper and discard. Brush cake with orange-liqueur mixture. Starting from a long side, roll cake with towel jelly-roll fashion. Cool cake roll, seam side down, on wire rack until completely cool, about 1 hour.
To Make Ricotta Filling: In food processor, with knife blade attached, blend the ricotta cheese, cream cheese, 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and cinnamon. until smooth. Transfer filling to bowl and stir in 1/4 cup of the chocolate pieces. Cover and refrigerate filling while cake cools.
Assemble Cake: Gently unroll cooled cake. With metal spatula, spread filling over cake almost to edges. Starting from same long side, roll cake without towel. Place rolled cake, seam side down, on platter.
To Make Frosting: In small bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat whipping cream and 3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar until soft peaks form. With rubber spatula, fold in 2 tablespoons orange liqueur and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. With metal spatula, spread whipped-cream frosting over cake. Refrigerate cake at least 2 hours before serving. Sprinkle top of cake with chopped pistachios and chocolate pieces just before serving.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F Grease one 15 1/2 x 10 1/2 inch jelly-roll pan and line with parchment paper. I used a butter wax paper too. This is one the important steps in roll cakes is using the parchment or wax paper.
Separate the eggs. In small bowl, with mixer at high speed, beat egg yolks, vanilla, and 1/4 cup granulated sugar until very thick and lemon colored, about 5 minutes. Set beaten yolk mixture aside. In large bowl, with clean beaters and with mixer at high speed, beat egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt until soft peaks for. Beating at high speed, gradually sprinkle in 1/4 cup granulated sugar until sugar dissolves and whites stand in stiff peaks.
Most roll cakes use this separation of the eggs for the cake. It makes for a nicer fluffier cake is one the reason it is done.
Meanwhile, in a cup, mix 2 tablespoons orange liqueur with 1 tablespoon water and 1 tablespoon sugar until sugar dissolves. Sprinkle clean cloth towel with confectioners' sugar. When cake is done, immediately invert hot cake onto towel. Carefully peel off parchment paper and discard. Brush cake with orange-liqueur mixture. Starting from a long side, roll cake with towel jelly-roll fashion. Cool cake roll, seam side down, on wire rack until completely cool, about 1 hour. USE plenty of powdered sugar, be generous, make sure that towel is covered in it. This one the mistakes people make with rolled cakes and why the cake sticks to the towel, also use a thin towel, not a terry type. The terry tends to stick to the cake as well. Another tip, when all rolled up make sure it is 100% cool, sometimes it is longer then an hour.
To Make Ricotta Filling: In food processor, with knife blade attached, blend the ricotta cheese, cream cheese, 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and cinnamon. until smooth. Transfer filling to bowl and stir in 1/4 cup of the chocolate pieces. Cover and refrigerate filling while cake cools. For dessert recipes that use ricotta, I have found that it's essential to have two things: 1)the very best quality ricotta, and 2)all excess moisture drained, using cheesecloth and a strainer. This will give your cannoli cream the texture you want. Just put cheesecloth, a few layers thick, into a strainer or colander, put your ricotta into it (make sure you have it in a bowl to catch the water), and let it drain for an hour or so in the fridge. You should get a nice, dense consistency to the ricotta.
Assemble Cake: Gently unroll cooled cake. With metal spatula, spread filling over cake almost to edges. Starting from same long side, roll cake without towel. Place rolled cake, seam side down, on platter. Gently is the key here. Take your time, don't rush it, this how can crack.