BLUEBERRY-MASCARPONE ROULADE, this week’s French Friday with Dorie recipe
When I spotted this week’s FFWD recipe choice, Blueberry-Mascarpone Roulade, I immediately thought of the Tour de France 2012. Stick with me here. Having begun Saturday, June 30th and continuing through Sunday, July 22, the world’s most famous bicycle race covers an astounding distance of 3,497 challenging kilometres (2173 miles). The term roulade originated from the French verb rouler which means to roll. Since I’m a bicycle fanatic, every morning, before going to work, I flip on my television and follow those two-hundred competitive riders as they roll through the French countryside. Go Bradley Wiggins!
This is the batter for the sponge cake, turned out on a jelly roll pan covered with parchment paper.
The batter is spread over the parchment paper. Next time I will be sure to blend the top more evenly.
Understandably, if you’re American, your first thought may be “jelly roll” because a dessert roulade is a sponge cake rolled around a sweet tasting filling. Although we’re most familiar with the Bûche de Noël, this week’s recipe would be a perfect dessert finale for your upcoming Bastille Day party on July 14th.
A traditional Bûche de Noël, made with a Génoise cake and chocolate buttercream, and garnished with powdered sugar, raspberries, and spruce sprigs. Photo by Wikipedia
Et, merci à Dorie, c’est facile.
We’re on a roll —– after cooling, the baked sponge cake is laid on a towel, coated with confectionary sugar, and spread with the prepared filling. Then the cake is rolled about one and a half times, finishing with the seam at the bottom. Refrigerate the wrapped cake.
The roulade is now ready to return to its “towel home” and return to the refrigerator for at least two hours.
Although a roulade can be filled with anything, this one is filled with ‘a mixture of blueberry-speckled sweetened mascarpone and whipped cream’. Because I’d never made a roulade before, I admit to approaching this week’s choice with trepidation. However, my worries were unfounded.
Dorie makes this easy for a first-timer like me. 1) Make the berries. 2) Bake the roulade. 3) Make the filling. 4) Assemble the cake. 5) Refrigerate. She also suggests making a berry coulis to serve with the roulade and this is a great idea. Next time.
If you’re game for making this roulade, stop here for a close version. To see what my colleagues baked this week, roll on over to this finish line.
This was a first for me as well and I was quite nervous about it. But it turned out to be much easier than I had anticipated. Heck, maybe I’ll give one of those Christmas logs a go this holiday season.
Hope you are steering clear of the fires out there and that you and yours are healthy and safe.
Very nicely done, Mary! I thought this was difficult when I made it, but it could have been because it was the first time I’d ever made anything like it. I did like the process of boiling the blueberries.
On another note, one of my friends chose “The Hangman’s Daughter” for our book club this month. I’m fascinated that the author, Oliver Pötzsch, is descended from a long line of royal executioners in Bavaria.
Mary, so glad that you you seemed to have liked the Blueberry-Mascarpone Roulade-de-dah as much as we did. It was nice to have an easy recipe that yields such wonderful results! Your cake looks very pretty and summery and just so delicious!
As far as the Tour de France goes, I have always followed it on TV, it is kind of a big deal around here and we love watching it!
Hope that you are feeling well! Take good care of yourself!
I think this was universally enjoyed by all the Doristas…I’m glad yours was a success, too! You’ve been in my thoughts…hope you can enjoy some mountain air soon.
Your roulade looks so pretty on that tray sprinkled with blueberries! I was a little afraid of this one but it seemed to come together without a hitch for me as well. Did I miss something being gone last week? Why is there no LYL on the FFWD page? I feel a little bit lost! About the Seinfeld ep, it’s a pretty good one. I think you might be able to watch them on Netflix. Elaine is easily my favorite Seinfeld character, followed closely by Newman. They are the meanest ones so they always get in the funniest predicaments. 🙂
That look BEAUTIFUL! Very proud of you! xoxoox Your Daughter (who can’t bake a cake to save her life!!! Except bundts!)
Mary, Really enjoyed your post! Although I have baked cake rolls quite often, I still enjoy the process of making this cake! It’s quick, simple and always looks impressive! Your cake looks simply perfect!! So glad you enjoyed it!! Love the title…Roulade-de-dah!! Very clever!
Have a wonderful weekend, Mary!
Your roulade looks delicious! Great post!
This looks amazing!!!!! Great pictures!!!
PS…yes, I did get your comment on waiting on the cookies. Just let me know when. I’ll be gone the first full week in August, but any other time is fine. xo
This was WAY easier than I expected 🙂 Nice job!
Mary – very lovely 🙂
I can’t believe how much easier this was than I thought it would be.
Thank you for the kind words about my blueberry-mascarpone “parfait”. I had a lot of fun with it! Your roulade looks delicious!
I had a similar reaction. I have always wanted to try making a buche de noel, but thought it sounded way too hard. Dorie made the whole process so easy, I’m looking forward to making more jelly roll cakes…Yours came out beautifully!