Makes 16 servings
This is a big recipe. A proper pastry! But we know you have it in you, so give it a try. The key to handling a multi-part recipe like this is to read everything first. The main recipe (Sweet Coffee Chiffon Roulade, right below) will tell you everything you need to know to assemble. You'll want to have everything ready to go before you get to that step, and it's okay to take several days to get it all done. And it's also okay to omit the truffles for garnish. They are tasty, though!
Ingredients
- Dulce de Leche Ganache (recipe follows)
- Vanilla Chiffon Cake (recipe follows)
- Chocolate Cookies (recipe follows)
- Coffee Bavarian Cream (recipe follows)
- Irish Cream Truffles (recipe follows)
Directions
- Prepare the dulce de leche ganache and refrigerate while you prepare the chiffon cake.
- Prepare and bake the chiffon cake. Once it has cooled, run a butter knife around the edges of the baking sheet to loosen the cake. Use the knife to lift one corner of the cake, and then carefully use your hands to loosen the cake from the baking sheet. Gently slide the cake out of the pan and onto a flat work surface. Place a second piece of parchment paper over top of the cake and use a rolling pin to lightly roll the cake to make it flat and level. Remove the top piece of parchment paper and reserve for another use.
- Turn your baking sheet over and slide the cake (with its bottom parchment paper intact) onto the back of the baking sheet. Pour the chilled ganache over the cake and use an offset spatula to spread it evenly over the whole cake. Refrigerate the cake until the ganache is firm, at least 30 minutes.
- Prepare the coffee Bavarian cream. Immediately pour it over the ganache-covered cake and quickly spread, leaving a ½-inch border around the outside edge, using an offset spatula. Work quickly, since the gelatin in the cream will begin to set. Return the cake to the refrigerator to set for at least 1 hour.
- Remove the roulade from the refrigerator and transfer to a flat work surface, with the long side of the cake parallel to the edge of the counter. Starting with the edge closest to you, start to slowly and carefully roll the cake inward, loosening the parchment paper as you roll. Use the parchment paper as a guide to assist in the rolling. Roll inward until you form a tight cylinder.
- Tightly roll the roulade in the parchment paper and carefully transfer to the baking sheet. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Remove the chilled roulade from the refrigerator and remove the parchment paper. Slice the roll into 16 even slices. Serve each slice with a chocolate cookie and an Irish cream truffle.
Dulce de Leche Ganache
Makes about 2 ½ cups
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups (7 ounces) chopped white chocolate or white chocolate chips
- ¼ cup prepared dulce de leche
- Pinch of kosher salt
- ¾ cup heavy cream
Directions
- Place the chocolate, dulce de leche, and salt in a medium heat-safe bowl and set aside.
- In a small saucepan, bring the heavy cream to a boil over moderate heat. Pour over the chocolate mixture and let sit for 3 minutes. Starting in the center, gently stir the mixture until it is smooth and all the liquid has been combined. If the chocolate or dulce de leche are not fully melted, place the bowl over a hot water bath to reheat gently. If your dulce de leche does not fully incorporate, some small lumps may remain. Though this won’t affect the final product, you may choose to use a stick-blender for a smoother appearance.
- Set the mixture aside to cool. Refrigerate while you prepare the remaining recipes (it will thicken considerably).
Vanilla Chiffon Cake
Makes one 13 by 18-inch cake
Ingredients
- 3 egg whites
- 7 tablespoons sugar
- 6 egg yolks
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons cake flour
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 13 by 18-inch baking sheet with oil or butter, including the sides. Line the sheet with parchment paper and grease on top of the paper. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment, combine the egg whites and sugar. Whip on high speed until a stiff-peak meringue forms, about 4 minutes.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk together the yolks, oil, vanilla, and salt. Using a rubber spatula, gently mix about 1/3 of the meringue into the egg yolks mixture. Add the remaining meringue and very gently fold the mixture together, using the spatula to scoop from the bottom of the bowl and around the edges. Mix just until combined, taking care not to deflate the meringue as you stir.
- Sift the flour over the top of the batter and gently stir to combine.
- Pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet and use an offset spatula to quickly but gently spread the batter, creating a level surface.
- Bake until the cake is golden brown and springs back slightly when touched, about 12 minutes. Set aside to cool completely before use.
Coffee Bavarian Cream
Makes about 3 1/2 cups
Ingredients
- ¾ cup plus 1/3 cup heavy cream, divided use
- ½ cup milk
- 2 tablespoons coffee beans, cracked
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons ice cold water
- 1 teaspoon granulated gelatin
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup sugar, divided use
Note: This recipe should be prepared immediately before use. The cake should already be cooled and coated in ganache, ready to be topped with cream.
Directions
- In a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment, whip ¾ cup of heavy cream on high speed until soft peaks form, about 30 seconds. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed.
- In a medium saucepan, combine the remaining 1/3 cup of heavy cream, milk, coffee beans, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove from the heat, cover, and set aside for 15 minutes.
- Place the ice water in a small bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin over top, stirring as needed to ensure it is all submerged. Set aside.
- In a medium heat-safe bowl, combine the egg yolks, about half of the sugar, and the vanilla extract. Prepare a large bowl of ice water and set aside.
- Strain the coffee-milk mixture through a fine mesh sieve, discarding the beans. Return the mixture to the pot (wipe out to remove any coffee beans) and add the remaining sugar. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
- Pour about 1/2 of the hot milk into the egg yolks, whisking constantly. Whisk in the remaining hot milk mixture and then transfer back to the pot. Lower the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture coats the back of the spoon, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the soaked gelatin mixture until it has dissolved.
- Return the mixture to the bowl (strain through a fine mesh strainer if there are lumps) and place over the prepared ice water bath. Stir until the sauce feels cool to the touch (about 75 degrees, not too cold).
- Pour the cooled sauce into the bowl of whipped cream and gently fold until combined. Use immediately, according to the method.
Chocolate Cookies
Makes 16 cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup good quality cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
- In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, scraping the bowl as needed.
- Add the egg, yolk, and vanilla and mix until combined, about 1 minute, scraping the bowl as needed.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix just until combined, about 1 minute.
- Remove from the mixer and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Cover with another sheet of parchment paper and use a rolling pin to flatten the dough into a ½-inch square (don’t worry about being too precise). Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Remove the chilled dough and transfer, still between the two pieces of parchment paper, to a work surface. Roll the dough until it is ¼-inch thick. Remove the top piece of parchment paper and use it to line a baking sheet.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Use a 3-inch fluted round cookie cutter to cut 16 cookies from the rolled dough. Transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheet. If the cookies have become too soft to handle, refrigerate the dough for about 10 minutes to firm.
- Bake until the cookies are slightly firm to the touch, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely before using.
Irish Cream Truffles
Makes 16 truffles
Ingredients
- 1 cup (about 7 ounces) chopped milk chocolate or milk chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
- 1 tablespoon Irish cream liqueur
- 1 cup white chocolate coating chocolate
- White chocolate shavings, as needed for garnish (optional)
Directions
- Place the chocolate and butter in a medium heat-proof bowl and set aside.
- In a small saucepan, combine the cream and corn syrup and bring to a boil over medium heat.
- Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let rest for 3 minutes. Gently stir the mixture until smooth. If all the chocolate has not melted, place the bowl over a hot water bath to gently heat.
- Add the Irish cream liqueur and stir until the liquid is incorporated. Transfer the mixture to a baking dish (about 8 by 8-inch, though any size will work), cover the surface with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
- Using a small scoop (#100) or teaspoon, scoop 16 portions and place on a parchment-lined dish or tray. Roll each truffle between your palms until they are round and return to the tray. Refrigerate while you prepare the coating chocolate.
- Place the coating chocolate in a heat-safe bowl and melt gently over a hot water bath. Let cool slightly, until it is about body temperature. Dip each truffle in the coating chocolate and return to the parchment-lined dish. If you would like a thicker coating, wait for the coating to set, and then dip them again. If desired, garnish the truffles with chocolate shavings before the coating has fully set.
