Gingerbread Roulade with Dulce de Leche Cream Filling

 

Fluffy caramel cream is at the center of these spiral treats. Rolling the cake in a towel as it cools allows the cake to "learn" its curve before slathering it with the fluffy cream.


Ingredients

• 4 eggs
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons molasses
• Powdered sugar
• 1   7 ounce containercreme fraiche (3/4 cup) ( Heavy cream with tablespoon of buttermilk in container. Cover and set aside for several hours) 
• 3/4 cup dulce de leche* (easy recipe below) 
• 1/4 cup crystallized ginger, finely chopped
• Thin lemon slices (optional)
• 1 recipe Lemon Sauce

Directions

 1. Separate eggs; allow egg yolks and egg whites to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Line bottom of pan with waxed paper or parchment paper; grease and flour paper. Set pan aside. In a small bowl stir together flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, baking powder, allspice, and salt; set aside.
  

2. In a large bowl combine egg yolks and brown sugar. Beat with an electric mixer on high speed about 3 minutes or until thick and light-color. Stir in melted butter and molasses. Fold in flour mixture.

  

3. Thoroughly wash beaters. In a medium bowl beat egg whites on medium to high speed until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight). Fold one-third of the beaten egg whites into egg yolk mixture to lighten. Fold in remaining beaten egg whites. Pour batter into prepared pan, spreading evenly.

  

4. Bake about 12 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched. Meanwhile, place a clean kitchen towel on a work surface. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Immediately loosen edges of cake from pan and turn cake out onto towel. Remove waxed paper. Starting from a long side, roll towel and cake into a spiral. Cool, seam side down, on a wire rack.

  

5. Unroll cake; remove towel. Spread cake with creme fraiche to within 1 inch of the edges. Spoon dulce de leche in mounds on top of creme fraiche; gently swirl together with a knife or narrow metal spatula. Sprinkle with crystallized ginger. Roll up cake; trim ends. Cover and chill for 2 to 48 hours.

  

6. To serve, lightly sprinkle cake with additional powdered sugar and, if desired, garnish with lemon slices. Using a serrated knife, cut into slices. Serve with Lemon Sauce.

 

From the Test Kitchen*Tip:

• If dulce de leche is too thick to spread, transfer to a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on 100 percent power (high) for 10 seconds; stir. Repeat just until softened, stirring every 10 seconds.

Dulce de Leche*

Ingredients

2 cans sweetened condensed milk

       

Directions

1. Place the unopened cans into a pot large enough to hold them.
2. Cover the cans with water and over medium-high heat, bring to a simmer.
3. Reduce the heat and gently simmer for 2 hours. Keep an extra pot of boiling water on the side to replenish evaporated water from the pot. The cans of condensed milk should always be covered by simmering water.
4. When cooked, let the cans cool in the water bath. When cooled, remove the cans.
5. Open the cans, scoop out the Dulce de Leche and serve

Lemon Sauce

    Yield: about 1-1/3 cups                

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup sugar
• 4 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 teaspoons finely shredded Meyer lemon peel or regular lemon peel
• 1/4 cup Meyer lemon juice or regular lemon juice
• 2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
• 6 tablespoons butter, cut up
• 1/4 cup half-and-half, light cream, or milk

Directions

1. In a small saucepan stir together sugar and cornstarch. Stir in the water, lemon peel, and lemon juice. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 1 minute more. Remove from heat. Gradually stir some of the hot lemon mixture into egg yolks. Return egg yolk mixture to saucepan. Cook and stir over low heat for 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in butter until melted. Stir in half-and-half. Serve warm.