DB Challenge: Swiss Swirl 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.

As soon as I saw this challenge I knew that I'd use it for my BFF's birthday. The challenge was when to fit in the making of the components. Luckily I had almost all the ingredients in stock, I only needed to buy bananas and cream. Also, the individual parts were all simple recipes. I just needed to consider things like freezing times between each step.


I really liked the cake element with the chocolate genoise cake. Simple, light, soft and fluffy. On reflection, I think I should have rolled it along the long side instead of along the short side. This would have resulted in more smaller slices which would make a prettier design on the outside of the bowl.

I don't care for chocolate ice cream and so I made a banana one for the bottom layer. I also had some left over vanilla from the big canning weekend and so I used that in addition to making a small batch of vanilla.


I got rave reviews from everyone at the party. One 12 year old said it was 'the best cake EVER!' The host of the party begged to keep the leftovers (about 1/4 of the total). I had no problem with that since I wasn't interested in transporting a melting cake back home on a 15 minute drive.

I would make this again for the right occasion. It's easy, just be sure to allot enough time for the freezings.


I'm not including the ice cream recipes below. You can make whatever you like or just buy some from the store.

Swiss Rolls

6 medium sized eggs
1 C caster sugar
8 oz powdered sugar for rolling
6 T all purpose (plain) flour
5 T natural unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted together
2 T boiling water
a little oil for brushing the pans

For the filling-

2C whipping cream
1 vanilla pod, cut into small pieces of about 1/2 cm (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)
5 T sugar

Pre heat the oven at 400 deg F approximately. Brush the baking pans ( 11 inches by 9 inches ) with a little oil and line with greaseproof baking paper. If you have just one pan, bake one cake and then let the pan cool completely before using it for the next cake.
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.
Add the flour mixture, in three batches and fold in gently with a spatula. Fold in the water.
Divide the mixture among the two baking pans and spread it out evenly, into the corners of the pans.
Place a pan in the center of the preheated oven and bake for about 10-12 minutes or till the center is springy to the touch.
Spread a kitchen towel on the counter and sprinkle a little caster sugar over it. (I prefer using another piece of parchment paper.)
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.
Grind together the vanilla pieces and sugar in a food processor till nicely mixed together. If you are using vanilla extract, just grind the sugar on its own and then add the sugar and extract to the cream.
In a large bowl, add the cream and vanilla-sugar mixture and beat till very thick.
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 1/2 an inch should be fine).
Roll the cakes up again, this time without the towel. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge till needed, seam side down.

Fudge Sauce for center layer

1 C sugar
3 T natural unsweetened cocoa powder
2 T cornstarch
1 1/2 C water
1 T butter
1 t vanilla extract

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

Assembly

Cut the Swiss rolls into 20 equal slices.
Cover the bottom and sides of the bowl in which you are going to set the dessert with cling film/plastic wrap.
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).
Soften the vanilla 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 the bottom and sides of the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and freeze till firm ( at least 1 hour).
Add the fudge sauce over the vanilla ice cream, cover and freeze till firm.
Soften the chocolate ice cream and spread it over the fudge sauce. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 4-5 hours till completely set.
Remove the plastic cover, and place the serving plate on top of the bowl. Turn it upside down and remove the bowl and the plastic lining. If the bowl does not come away easily, wipe the outsides of the bowl with a kitchen towel dampened with hot water. The bowl will come away easily.