Rolette- An Iranian Dessert

I am blessed with many Iranian friends. There our many benefits to our friendship- laughter, learning, understanding, love, and most of all, the food. They feed me well. They feed me until my pants won't button and all I can do is lay still on the couch like a beached whale. By far, my most favorite dish is this rolette. My friend, Viyan, taught me to make it about a year ago and it is now a favorite in our household.

Rolette is basically a sponge cake rolled up in cream and topped with chocolate or pistachios.  When you eat it you are taken away in your minds eye, not to Iran, but to France. Persian desserts are heavily influenced by French pastry and you will find many Persians that are fluent not only in Farsi and English, but French as well.

Take a look at this one here. It is rolled to perfection. I have not mastered this art. You will find my roll cracked at the edges- a disgrace to my cooking teacher, to be sure. What can I say? I'm an American! Rolette is in their blood and I just started making it one year ago!

Exhibit A

Iranian Rolette

Cake Ingredients: 
6 eggs (whites and yolks seperated)
6 heaping tablespoons of all purpose flour
7 and 1/2 heaping tablespoons powdered sugar
1 and 1/3 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
Butter (to grease pan)

Creme Ingredients: 
1 pint heavy whipping creme
2 and 1/2 heaping tablespoons powdered sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 or 2 pieces of dove dark chocolate (for garnish)

Exhibit B

Directions: 
* heaping tablespoons is not a measurement.  Rather, take a big soup spoon and scoop a heaping helping. That's one. A lot of this is eyeballing it, and I've done my best to adapt it into an accurate recipe.

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Crack 6 egg whites into a large bowl and place the yolks in a bowl. Beat the egg whites until stiff. Add egg yolks one at a time, keeping the mixer on high speed until all the yolks have been incorporated.

2. Mix in flour one spoonful at a time until smooth and fluffy. Mix in powdered sugar one spoonful at a time. Add baking powder and vanilla and mix well.

3. Butter a 9x13 cookie sheet and pour in batter. Make sure it sits evenly. Place in oven and bake for 15 minutes. Once cooked, roll the cake straight out of the oven being careful not to crack  the edges (if possible). Roll the roll loosely in a paper towel and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

4. Whip creme with a beaters until frothy. Add powdered sugar and continue mixing until stiff. Chop nuts and stir into creme. Carefully unroll the cake once cooled, supporting it where needed to avoid cracking. Fill with creme and roll as you go (see exhibit A).

5. Once the cake it filled, cover the rolette with the extra creme, and fill in the end holes with creme (exhibit B). Grate dark chocolate (or chopped nuts) on top for garnish. Serve cold, and keep refrigerated.


What is your favorite ethnic dessert?



 Also, don't forget to enter the Emile Henry Ruffled Pie Dish Giveaway if you haven't already!