Rotolo con Crema al Limoncello
A delicious, delicate sponge rolled with Limoncello-infused crema. This is a twist on a classic Italian recipe, by Discovering Italy’s Judith Greenaway.
The perfect dessert to follow an al fresco summer feast. Serve with shots of Argento Limone Limoncello or Limacello to complete this taste sensation!
Ingredients
For the cream
200 g of milk, warmed
60 g of sugar
40 g of flour
1 whole egg plus 1 additional yolk
50 g Limoncello
grated rind of 1 lemon
For the sponge dough
4 eggs
112 g of sugar
80 g of ØØ flour
1 pinch salt
To decorate
50 g of icing sugar
50 g water
zest of 1 lemon
Method
Preparation of the Limoncello cream
Make the cream first to allow time to cool completely while making the sponge base.
Beat the whole egg plus the yolk together with the sugar until light and fluffy, then add the flour, stirring thoroughly but gently between each addition. Finally add the warmed milk in a continuous stream, stirring constantly, then add the Limoncello and the grated lemon rind.
Transfer to a pot and cook on low heat, stirring constantly in one direction until thickened. It should be thick enough to spread over the sponge evenly. Push through a fine sieve into a bowl and cover to avoid a skin forming. Leave to cool at room temperature.
Preparation of the sponge:
Separate the eggs. Whip the egg whites to soft peaks.
Beat the egg yolks well with the sugar until the mixture is frothy and slightly thickened, then add the flour, stirring well after each addition. Then mix in a couple of tablespoons of the whipped egg whites, amalgamate gently until combined and then add the remaining egg whites.
Use a 30 x 40 cm oven tray lined with baking paper and pour in the mixture. Level the surface with a spatula.
Bake at 190C in a static oven for 10-12 minutes.
Remove from oven. Loosen the edges away from the baking paper with a sharp knife and lightly dust the surface with about 2 tablespoons of sifted icing sugar (this prevents the cake from sticking to the towel).
Place a clean, flat-weave cotton tea towel over the sponge base with an overhang of just 4 cm at the beginning edge (doesn’t matter about the other end as long as it is covered). Use a flat tray to place on top of the tea towel and baking tray and flip over. Remove the baking tray and carefully peel off the baking paper.
Now, beginning at the end with the 4 cm overhang, roll tightly into a log shape, rolling the tea towel into the sponge as you go, and leave rolled up for at least 30 minutes. Unroll the base gently and leave to cool completely.
Spread the sponge base with the lemon cream, leaving a 1 cm edge on the long sides but spread it right to the edge on the side where the rolling up begins, ensuring that the crema gets right in the centre of the roll. Leave more of an edge at the finishing end so that the crema does not ooze out once rolled.
Roll again gently, but this time leave the tea towel behind. Try to be firm but do not press too hard and risk rolling out the crema. Once completed, use a long, serrated knife to cut each end in a sawing motion, so you can see the beautiful roll of the sponge lined with the crema.
Leave with the seam side down and lift carefully onto a serving plate. Rest in the fridge for a few hours before serving.
Serving
While the roll is left to set, take the zest from the lemon, scraping any of the white pith away with a small paring knife, and cut into thin strips. Put in a saucepan with the water and sugar, and bring to the boil. Stir until the water has evaporated. Lift out onto a plate, separate strands and leave to cool.
To serve, sprinkle the roll with sifted icing sugar and decorate the top with the caramelised lemon peel.
