I developed this recipe with a famous chocolate and hazelnut spread. I want to emphasize that I am in no way connected to this product and this is not an advert.
I am not against the use of this types of product but I had not yet used one in a recipe.
This reminds me of the issue of semi-finished products for gelato and pastry making. In the collective imagination they bring with them a negative meaning.
These semi-finished products can be compounds such as a prepared mix of thickeners and stabilizers, or single products such as nut pastes.
As a matter of fact some of them are crucial in some preparations of gelato and pastry making. The pistachio paste in gelato for example. Even the most purist gelato maker would not have the time to treat the pistachios and extract the paste.
Moreover there are very high quality pistachio pastes (e.g. Bronte pistachio paste). Semi-finished does not mean low quality.
It is also true that I prefer gelato makers that don’t use bases. I believe that the most creative part in gelato making is to develop your own recipes.
And it was creativity that urged me to try this idea. This is similar to my Apostles’ Fingers. I made a roll filled with ricotta, whipped cream and spreadable cream.
Making complex pastry is nice but I understand it is not everyone’s cup of tea. It is also problematic due to the tools necessary.
In this case I opted for something approachable, both from the ingredients point of view and for the difficulty level.
If you are reading this from outside Italy it might be possible that you cannot find the product in question. If so, any spreadable chocolate and hazelnut cream will do. Even the most famous one, available worldwide. Notice how good I am at not making advertising 😁
This chocolate ricotta roll cake is delicious in ice-cream version: keep in the freezer and leave at room temperature 5-10 minutes before serving.
Chocolate Ricotta Roll Cake
Ingredients
For the sponge cake crepe:
- 70 g eggs 2.46 oz
- 100 g egg whites 3.5 oz
- 50 g egg yolks 1.76 oz
- 140 g milk 4.93 oz
- 42 g flour 1.48 oz
- 35 g confectioner sugar 1.23 oz
- 30 g butter 1 oz
- 8 g honey 0.3 oz
- vanilla bourbon powder tip of a tsp.
For the filling:
- 150 g Pan di Stelle spread* 5.3 oz
- 150 g whipped cream 5.3 oz
- 250 g ricotta cheese 8.8 oz
- 30 g confectioner sugar 1 oz
For garnishing (optional):
- mixed berries
- confectioner sugar
Instructions
For the sponge cake/crepe:
- Preheat the oven at 180° C (355° F).
- Put milk, butter and honey in a small pot on low heat. When the solids have melted add the flour and stir immediately with a whisk to make it thicken.
- Remove from heat, add the eggs and stir until absorbed. Also add the yolks and vanilla. Stir.
- Work briefly with the handheld mixer. If there are lumps it is possible to mix with an immersion blender.
- Begin whipping the egg white and when they start to gain volume add the confectioner sugar. Whip to firm consistency.
- Gently fold the egg whites into the batter until well incorporated.
- Slightly grease a baking tray and line it with parchment paper. The grease is to help the paper stick, so it won't curl up when the batter is poured over it.
- Spread the batter either by slowly rotating tray, or by simply using a long spatula. You should end up with a rectangle of approx 30 x 20 cm (12 x 7.9 in).
- Bake at 180° C (355° F) for 12 minutes approx. The crepe should be golden. It might get slightly burnt at the edges, that's ok.
- Remove from the oven, sprinkle some sugar on top and place another sheet of parchment paper on top. Flip it upside down, remove the sheet on top (the one that it was baked with) and let it cool off completely.
- The quantity of the batter is for 2 trays. Repeat the baking for the second tray. They can also be baked together if you have the possibility.
For the filling:
- Put the ricotta and the confectioner sugar in a large bowl. Work with the handheld mixer for 1 minute. Add the spreadable cream and mix again for 1 or 2 minutes until combined.
- Whip the cream to firm and gently fold it into the chocolate and ricotta mousse.
Assembly:
- Cut the edges of each crepe to have 2 rectangles. Spread the filling along the longer side of the rectangle, keeping a 2 cm (0.8 in) gap from the edge. Roll the crepe from the longe side by pressing the edge inside the filling. Roll all the way, wrap it in cling film and put in the freezer for at least 3 hours.
- When frozen cut it in slices approx. 2,5 cm wide (1 in). Store in the fridge. Before serving garnish with berries and sprinkle with confectioner sugar.
- This roll is also very good in ice-cream version: keep it in the freezer and leave at room temperature for 5 minutes before serving.