Rhubarb Arctic Roll

This was served as a dessert at the second Shetland Night in London and was made by River Café Chef Joseph Trivelli.

Rhubarb Arctic Roll

It must be made the day before. It is basically as home made swiss roll mixture cooled and spread with cooked rhubarb, vanilla ice-cream shaped into a long sausage- then rolled up and frozen.If you have an ice-cream machine then make a vanilla batch, otherwise buy good quality dairy vanilla ice cream. Allow the ice cream to soften slightly then on a sheet of non-stick paper scoop it into a long sausage shape and roll up. Cover with cling film and return to the freezer. Ideally do this in advance.

Next the rhubarb. Prepare 400g rhubarb – wipe and cut into 2cm lengths, sprinkle over 100g caster sugar and bake at 150°C for 20 minutes. Allow to cool. Add 50g chopped crystallised ginger if you prefer.

Now the Swiss roll. This is made by the whisking method which classically contains no butter. It should be a super-light ‘fatless’ sponge relying on air whisked into the mixture and sieved into the flour as the only raising agent. Many people cheat a little and use self-raising flour. A Genoese sponge is also made by this method but melted butter is folded in with the sieved flour making it a bit richer with more flavour.

Of course you can buy an Arctic Roll but do try this as it is very good indeed.

Rhubarb Arctic Roll

Ingredients

for the rhubarb

400 grams rhubarb
100 grams caster sugar
50 grams crystallised ginger (optional)

for the Swiss roll sponge

4 eggs, room temperature
125 grams caster sugar
125 grams self-raising flour
50 grams unsalted butter – melted – if you want to make the Genoese sponge.

Method

Light the oven to 220°C and prepare a 33x23cm swiss roll tin – lining it with non-stick paper.
In a large bowl whisk the eggs and sugar until the mixture is pale, thick and ‘leaves trails’. If you are using a hand-held mixer – standing the bowl over a basin of hot water will make this easier as the heat will begin the cooking process of the eggs.
Using a metal spoon carefully fold in the flour in 3 stages taking care not to knock out the air you have whisked in. If you are making the Genoese the carefully add the melted butter at this stage too. This can be tricky.
I remember being publicly humiliated in my 4th year at the Edinburgh College of Domestic Science by our highly respected but terrifying tutor. My Genoese turned out badly – ‘Miss Young – that is only fit for the bin – please start again!’
Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and tilt gently to allow the mixture to find its own level. NO banging or tapping. Bake immediately on the top shelf for 10 – 12 minutes until risen and brown.
Have ready a sheet of greaseproof paper and sprinkle it with a tablespoon of caster sugar.
When done, turn out the sponge on to the sugared paper and carefully peel off the tin-lining paper.
Trim 1 cm from the side edges of the sponge, mark 1cm from the lower end and using a clean sheet of greaseproof on top roll up the sponge until you are ready to use it.
Unroll the sponge, spread over the cooled rhubarb, place the ice-cream roll across the lower end and roll up firmly. Cover in cling film and freeze. Serve cut into thick slices with more Rhubarb Compote.

Print this recipe