Description
This Christmas Raspberry Pistachio Roulade, also known as Pistachio Swiss Roll, is a festive and elegant dessert featuring a light pistachio sponge cake rolled with creamy white chocolate cream and fresh raspberries. The roulade is decorated with chopped pistachios and whole raspberries, offering a delightful combination of nutty, tangy, and sweet flavors 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 (see note #1)
- 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
Instructions
- Prepare the Pistachios: Preheat the oven to 390°F (200°C). Grind the raw pistachios in a food processor until fine and set aside.
- Mix Egg Yolks and Sugar: In a bowl, beat the egg yolks and granulated sugar with an electric mixer for about 4 minutes until the mixture becomes whitish. Pour the hot water along the sides of the bowl, add the ground pistachios, and gently fold with a rubber spatula.
- Add Flour and Salt: Sift the self-raising flour with salt into a separate bowl, then add it to the egg yolk mixture. Combine gently with the spatula.
- Beat Egg Whites: In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add the beaten egg whites in portions to the pistachio mixture, folding carefully to maintain the airiness. Add almond extract if using and mix again.
- Bake the Cake: Pour the batter into a lined baking tray shaped into a rectangle about 12 x 16 inches (30 x 40 cm). Bake for 15 to 18 minutes until cooked. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes.
- Roll the Cake: Sprinkle 2 teaspoons (10 g) powdered sugar on top of the still-warm cake and cover with a kitchen towel. Flip the cake onto the towel, peel off the silicone or parchment paper, and dust with the remaining powdered sugar. Roll the cake up from the short end with the towel inside and let it cool rolled up for 10 minutes. Unroll and let the sponge rest at room temperature.
- Make the White Chocolate Cream: Melt the white chocolate in a bain-marie or double boiler and set aside to cool. Beat softened butter for 30 seconds, then add cream cheese and whisk until smooth. Add melted white chocolate and whisk further. Finally, add cold heavy cream and almond extract, and whisk until soft peaks form.
- Assemble the Roulade: Spread two-thirds of the white chocolate cream evenly over the unrolled sponge, leaving a 1-inch (2.5 cm) gap on one end. Arrange fresh raspberries on top of the cream, reserving about 15 raspberries for decoration. Roll the cake tightly from the short end covered with cream.
- Decorate the Cake: Cover the rolled cake with the remaining white chocolate cream using the back of a tablespoon or spatula. Sprinkle chopped pistachios on top and decorate with the reserved fresh raspberries.
- Chill and Serve: Transfer the roulade to a serving platter and refrigerate. Take out 30 minutes before serving to allow the cream to soften.
Notes
- Use store-bought self-raising flour or make your own by mixing 2 teaspoons of baking powder and ½ teaspoon of salt per cup (125 g) of plain or all-purpose flour. Sift dry ingredients together before use.
- Prepare the white chocolate cream one day in advance and keep covered in the refrigerator. Remove 30 minutes before assembling to soften.
- Remove the roulade from the refrigerator 30 minutes before serving to allow the cream to soften and improve flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (approx. 1/10 of roulade)
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 22 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
