The word roulade literally means ‘rolled up’ and, as such, refers to a method rather than a specific dough or flavour combination. This viennoiserie can be tweaked to suit the season, a specific celebration or just personal preference if ever there was a blank canvas for you to experiment with your flavour combinations, this is it.
Ingredients
- 2 lb 4 oz (1 kg) cold Croissant Dough, 1 single and 1 double turn
- 10½ oz (300 g) Pistachio Cream
- 10½ oz (300 g) frozen raspberries
- 2 eggs
- pinch of fine salt
- finely chopped pistachios, to decorate (optional)
- finely chopped freeze-dried or fresh raspberries, to decorate (optional)
How to Make It
- Roll out the croissant dough on a lightly floured work surface into a 25 x 50 cm (10 x 20 in) rectangle, dusting with extra flour when needed to ensure the dough doesn’t stick to the surface. The sticking creates resistance, which means you will need to apply more pressure, thus damaging the delicate layers of butter in the dough. If you haven’t achieved a perfectly shaped rectangle with your rolling pin towards the end of the rolling process, simply stretch and pull the dough into shape using your hands.
- Line two baking trays with baking paper and set aside. Before you begin cutting your rolled-out dough (abaisse), fluff it up by running your hands underneath it and lifting it up gently on all sides. This allows the gluten time to relax and stops your cut pieces from shrinking and losing their shape during the cutting process.
- With one long side nearest to you, spread the pistachio cream all over the dough, right up to the edges, then sprinkle the frozen raspberries evenly over the cream. Starting from the top left-hand corner of the dough and working your way across to the top right-hand corner, roll the dough into a tight log. Using a large knife, cut the log into 3–4 cm (1¼–1½ in) thick rolls and place on the lined trays, leaving a 10 cm (4 in) gap between each. Cover with a damp cloth and place in a warm place to prove for 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
- Preheat the oven to 175°C (345°F). Lightly beat the eggs and salt together in a small bowl and set aside for 5 minutes.
- To check if your pastries are ready to bake, poke them with your index finger; they should feel soft but still elastic. If the pastry doesn’t bounce back after being poked, they are probably slightly overproved, so it’s a good idea to occasionally check on their progress towards the end of the recommended proving time. Brush the egg wash generously over the top of each roulade and bake on the bottom shelf of the oven for 25 minutes, or until the bases are golden. If the tops are browning too quickly, cover loosely with a piece of foil and continue baking until ready. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes. If you like, sprinkle with finely chopped pistachios and raspberries before serving.
