Daring Bakers : Swiss Swirl Plum Ice Cream Cake

The July 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Sunita of Sunita’s world – life and food. Sunita challenged everyone to make an ice-cream filled Swiss roll that’s then used to make a bombe with hot fudge. Her recipe is based on an ice cream cake recipe from Taste of Home.

I wasn't expecting to complete this month's magnificent challenge, with all the summers busy schedules and the prep for vacation.As matter of fact I could not entirely finish the challenge,I started putting together the daring bake at the nth hour.This was a do or die ,any mistakes ,I had absolutely no time to redo the challenge.Everything went well as one see the pretty result,but due to lack of time I could not put together the second batch of ice cream to make the layers of different flavors(i.e the bombe effect),the only ice cream filling was the home made vegan plum ice cream.Nonetheless the ice cream was still every bit delicious,with the spongy chocolate Swiss rolls and fruity ice cream

Thanks to Sunita's extensive pictorial recipe , the challenge was clearly understood.The neatly wrapped Swiss rolls are a really beauty,to get the spongy texture you have beat the eggs to the right consistency of airiness.You can play around with the flavors of the rolls , plain vanilla , chocolate,dried ground berries or matcha.


This has to be the summer I indulged in most home made ice creams.The vegan plum ice cream might just be the last of the season,the fresh plums not just impart prettiest pink color but also a nice sweet tart flavor to the ice cream.If you are watching for those fat calories use different layers of fruit sorbet instead and replace the cream filling in the rolls with fruit preserves.

Recipe :Chocolate Swiss rolls with fresh Plum Cream filling
Ingredients
3 large Organic eggs
1/2 cup white sugar + 1 teaspoon for rolling
3 tablespoon all purpose flour,sifted
3 tablespoon natural unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
1 tablespoon boiling water
a little oil for brushing the pans

For the filling
3/4 cup low fat whipping cream
3/4 cup fresh red plums,chopped

Method
Bake the cake
1. Pre heat the oven at 200 deg C /400 deg F approximately. Brush the baking pans ( 11 inches by 9 inches ) with a little oil and line with parchment paper. If you have just one pan, bake one cake and then let the pan cool completely before using it for the next cake.
2. In a large mixing bowl, add the eggs and sugar and beat till very thick; when the beaters are lifted, it should leave a trail on the surface for at least 10 seconds.
3.Add the flour mixture, in three batches and fold in gently with a spatula. Fold in the water.
4.Divide the mixture among the two baking pans and spread it out evenly, into the corners of the pans.
5. Place a pan in the center of the pre heated oven and bake for about 10-12 minutes or till the center is springy to the touch.
Roll ,unroll and roll the cake
6. Spread a kitchen towel on the counter and sprinkle a little caster sugar over it.
7. Turn the cake on to the towel and peel away the baking paper. Trim any crisp edges.Starting from one of the shorter sides, start to make a roll with the towel going inside. Cool the wrapped roll on a rack, seam side down.Repeat the same for the next cake as well.
Prepare the cream filling
8.In a large bowl, add the cream beat till very thick,mix in the plums.
9. Divide the cream mixture between the completely cooled cakes.Open the rolls and spread the cream mixture, making sure it does not go right to the edges (a border of ½ an inch should be fine).
10.Roll the cakes up again, this time without the towel. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge till needed, seam side down.

Recipe :Vegan Plum ice cream
The ice cream is made without an ice cream maker.

Ingredients
3 ripe red plums,seeded and diced
2 and 1/2 cup Thick Coconut milk
1 tablespoon virgin pressed coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup agave nectar or maple syrup
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 tablespoon powdered agar-agar or gelatin

Method
Dissolve the agar-agar or gelatin in 2 tablespoon of hot water.
In a small sauce pan,add the oil, plums and sugar and let cook until soft and bubbly about 10 minutes,add the dissolved agar-agar mixture 3-4 minutes before turning off the heat.Cool.
Transfer the plum mixture in a blender,add the coconut milk,agave nectar and blend until smooth.
Pour into a freezer friendly container and freeze till firm around the edges. Remove from the freezer, beat till smooth and return to the freezer. Do this 3-4 times and then set completely.


Recipe : Hot Fudge Sauce
Ingredients
1/2 cup Agave nectar
3 tablespoon natural unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoon cornstarch
1 and 1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon organic butter or virgin pressed coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method
1. In a small saucepan, whisk together the sugar, cocoa powder, cornflour and water.
2. Place the pan over heat, and stir constantly, till it begins to thicken and is smooth (for about 2 minutes).
3. Remove from heat and mix in the butter and vanilla. Keep aside to cool

Assembly
1. Cut the Swiss rolls into 20 equal slices ( approximately 2 cms each ).
2. Cover the bottom and sides of the bowl in which you are going to set the dessert with cling film/plastic wrap.
3. Arrange two slices at the bottom of the pan, with their seam sides facing each other. Arrange the Swiss roll slices up the bowl, with the seam sides facing away from the bottom, to cover the sides of the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and freeze till the slices are firm (at least 30 minutes).
4. Soften the Plum ice cream. Take the bowl out of the freezer, remove the cling film cover and add the ice cream on top of the cake slices. Spread it out to cover till the half of the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and freeze till firm ,3-4 hours.Add the fudge sauce over the ice cream, cover and freeze till frozen 6-8 hours.
Keep the cake out of the freezer for at least 10 minutes before slicing, depending on how hot your region is. Slice with a sharp knife, dipped in hot water.Serve with some fresh plum slices on side.


Catch more Swirly fun at daring bakers blog roll.