French Fridays with Dorie: Blueberry-blackcurrant mascapone roulade

This week’s French Fridays with Dorie was one I had been dreading a little – not because I didn’t think Blueberry-Mascarpone Roulade (p 442) didn’t sound scrumptious but because I’m baking in Paris. Sans proper baking equipment. And you know, I didn’t really want to head out and drop a bunch of Euros on a jelly roll pan since I have a perfectly good one at home in Toronto. So I used the oven roasting pan. And let me tell you it worked beautifully!  A friend lent me her electric beaters, thankfully since that would have been a pain to whisk 6 egg whites to stiff peaks!

I made this with a definite purpose. My friend Jennie is in town right now with her two girls and she invited me over for lunch. Jennie is an amazing baker and cook, working on her first cookbook so, you know, no pressure…. (just kidding, Jennie is very gracious).  The cake making went surprisingly well, as did the filling (I used blackcurrants and blueberries instead of just the blueberries that the recipe called for) and I wrapped it up in a tea towel, packed some sucre glace (powdered sugar) and headed off on the métro, hoping for the best!

It was definitely an exciting moment for me when I unrolled the cake and cut into it, revealing more or less even layers of cream and pretty berries!

And the taste? We LOVED this cake. The texture was perfectly sponge-y, the cream/ mascarpone tasted fabulous (full fat cream, bien sûr!) and the berries were wonderfully tart and sweet at the same time. I have to admit I was impressed (if I do say so myself), especially given it was baked on a roasting tray!!

This capped off a wonderful afternoon with Jennie and her girls and I was pleased to leave them some to snack on later. I took home a couple of slices and can attest to the fact that it’s an excellent breakfast dish. Though the berries stained the cake and it was a bit purple the next day. This was a winner. I’ll know to make it again when I want an easy, impressive dessert.

French Fridays with Dorie participants do not publish the recipes on our blogs, rather, we prefer if you purchase Around My French Table for yourselves (trust me, you definitely want this book!) which you can do here on Amazon or Amazon Canada. Or for free worldwide shipping, buy from The Book Depository. Go on, treat yourself – join us I have not missed a week since October 2010 and the recipes that I didn’t like I can count on one hand.

French Friday links:

Want to join me for a culinary tour of Paris this month? Read all about it here. Only one spot left!!!

Can’t join me in Paris this summer? How about “Un après midi à Paris” – a new class I will be teaching at Aprhrodite Cooks this coming October? Join me for a sweet afternoon learning the secrets to some classic French desserts: the elusive macaron, profiteroles, tarte au citron, madeleines and mendiants. We’ll be making “petit four” sizes of each in a hands on class and participants will leave with a box of the class’s creations. After the class you will receive recipes to help you recreate your Parisian treats at home. Refreshments of tea and coffee and infused waters enjoyed throughout the afternoon. Click to book your spot for this exciting new class on Saturday October 13th 2012.

I’m also thrilled to be teaching my first macaron class at Aphrodite Cooks in November – Macarons: Simple comme Bonjour! “Simple comme bonjour” means “as easy as A, B, C” and really, macarons are not as difficult as everyone makes them out to be. Spend the afternoon in a hands-on class, learning the secrets of this temperamental, yet exquisite French delicacy – you’ll leave with some of your creations and a new found confidence (and recipes!) to tackle the cookie with the bad reputation all by yourself at home! Refreshments and snacks will be served. Click to book your spot in this new macaron class on Saturday November 3rd 2012.

Read my latest articles on Food Network Canada: Spotlight on Paris markets, Seven must-visit destinations in Burgundy and Eating, drinking and learning at Ô Chateau, Paris.

Follow my French travels on Flickr this summer with my Summer 2012 set of photos – updated regularly!

20 thoughts on “French Fridays with Dorie: Blueberry-blackcurrant mascapone roulade”

  1. Wasn’t this a great cake? I was so surprised by how forgiving it was of this first timer. I didn’t have a perfect pan either and it still came out looking great. I couldn’t have been more surprised.

    Hope you are enjoying Paris and what is being passed off for summer weather this year.

    Reply
  2. I’ve been enjoying your tweets from France Mardi and really amazed to see how well you’re keeping up with FFwD even abroad! Making the roulade without the tools of your own kitchen required some leap of faith and your cake showed that it was obviously the right decision! I love how your photos look a little different stylistically from your regular photos taken at home. Fresh locations, fresh angles. 🙂 That one inside the tote is particularly cute. I dont’ have to wish you’re having a good time in France because I know you already are!

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  3. Such a well-travelled cake 🙂 I also have been enjoying France vicarously through your tweets.
    This cake was far friendlier than I thought it would be.

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  4. Quel gateau magnifique! I have to confess that I never owned nor seen how a jelly roll pan looks like!!! I followed the instructions in the book and used parchment paper and a pan and my cake came out ok but not perfect! . Maybe I should invest in one!

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  5. It is a good thing your roulade was well-disguised on your metro run, Mardi, because you wouldn’t have disenbarked with it intact if everyone had known the treasure inside your bad. You are proof positive that food can be made anywhere and anyhow. I liked making this also – my first roulade. Although my cake did not show blueberry staining the first/second serving, it did appear in my last two pieces that I finished yesterday. Inevitable. Your adventures are fun to follow.

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  6. I love the combination of the black currents and the blueberries, the coloring is lovely. After
    reading all the blogs it seems that this is not too difficult and I should revisit the recipe again.
    Hubby really enjoyed my so called ” trifle”, but I’m sure he would love this. Great job.
    Enjoy your time in Paris, Tricia and I hope to get there soon, we just love it.

    Reply

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