Recipe: White Chocolate-Raspberry Swiss Rolls

I recently went to Napa Valley and had an opportunity to stop by one of my favorite bakeries in the country, Thomas Keller’s Bouchon Bakery. I was excited to try the pastries I’ve seen in his cookbooks like Oh Ohs, his version of the Hostess classic, Ho Hos. 

I tried my own variation of these chocolate-dipped Swiss rolls, mixing freeze-dried raspberries into the whipped cream filling. The white chocolate on the outside provides a nice crackle before it melts in your mouth, while the soft sponge cake is accompanied by a generous mouthful of sweet-tart raspberry cream. 

A quick baking note: I recommend using a kitchen scale for this recipe and weighing the ingredients for the most exact bake. These rolls are messy but fun to make and wonderful for a special occasion or weekend treat! 

White Chocolate Raspberry Swiss Rolls
Adapted from a recipe by Thomas Keller
10 to 12 servings

½ cup plus 2 Tbsp. plus 2½ tsp. (134 g.) granulated sugar, divided
2 (123 g.) eggs
3 (58 g.) egg yolks 
2 (74 g.) egg whites 
3 Tbsp. plus 2 tsp. (33 g.) all-purpose flour 
3 Tbsp. plus 2 tsp. (25 g.) almond flour 
3 Tbsp. plus ½ tsp. (16 g.) cocoa powder 
½ cup plus 2 Tbsp. (150 g.) heavy cream
3 Tbsp. (30 g.) freeze-dried powdered raspberries*, plus more for finishing 
1 Tbsp. (10 g.) powdered sugar 
10 oz. white chocolate

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line an 18-by-26-inch rimmed baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper and spray the sides and corners of the sheet with nonstick cooking spray.

• In a stand mixer on high speed, beat the ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon (111 grams) sugar, the eggs and yolks about 10 minutes until the mixture ribbons and is light yellow. Set aside. 

• In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites and the remaining 1 tablespoon plus 2½ teaspoons (23 grams) granulated sugar on low speed about 5 minutes until soft peaks form. 

• Sift the flour, almond flour and cocoa powder atop the yolk and sugar mixture. Use a spatula to gently combine. Fold in the egg whites and sugar mixture until there are no streaks. Pour the batter evenly onto the prepared baking sheet.

• Bake about 15 minutes, until you can lightly touch the top of the cake and it springs back. Let cool completely, then gently use a knife to scrape around the edges and lift off the baking mat to make sure the cake did not stick. Set aside. 

• Meanwhile, in a stand mixer on medium speed, whip the cream, powdered sugar and raspberries until the cream is smooth, firm and stiff, about 1 minute. Taste and adjust with more raspberry or sugar. 

• Spread the cream in an even layer atop the sponge cake, covering as much of the surface as you can.

• Turn the sheet pan so a short side of the rectangle is closest to you. Carefully roll the cake onto itself until you reach the center of the pan, creating a cake and cream spiral.

• Turn the pan to the opposite side and roll from the other short end to the center until the rolls meet in the middle. Slice the cake in half to separate into 2 long rolls. 

• Slice the 2 rolls into 5 to 6 even slices. Place on a clean baking sheet with the spirals face up. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze at least 2 hours. 

• To make the chocolate coating, microwave the white chocolate in a glass in 25 second intervals, stirring each time until melted. Pour the melted chocolate into a wide, shallow bowl. 

• Carefully dip each Swiss roll into the white chocolate to lightly coat them on all sides. Gently shake off any excess and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet or pan. Sprinkle with the remaining freeze-dried raspberry powder.

• Refrigerate until chocolate hardens and serve chilled.

*To make raspberry powder, blitz freeze-dried raspberries (I like Trader Joe’s brand) in a food processor or blender until pulverized. Freeze until ready to use.

Amrita Song is a longtime contributor to Sauce Magazine.