Cranberries used to make their annual appearance around Christmas when cranberry sauce was served with roast turkey. In recent years, this tart fruit has found its way into our diets, especially among those seeking healthier food options. Dried cranberries can enhance salads, while cranberry powder can be a flavorful addition to yogurt and smoothies, providing not only a burst of flavor but also extra vitamins and flavonoids.
Cranberries are typically harvested from September to October in the US, where fresh and frozen varieties are readily available. However, here in Singapore, we are more accustomed to the dried version, cranberry powder, juice, and canned sauces.
In today’s recipe, we utilize cranberry powder, dried cranberries, and whole-berry cranberry sauce to create a nostalgic Arctic Roll, reminiscent of what those of us who grew up in the 70s and 80s would fondly recall. This treat is essentially a Swiss Roll with an ice cream center, originally filled with raspberry jam. We aim to modernize this classic dessert with a cranberry twist, hoping to introduce a new generation to the delights of Arctic rolls!
More information on cranberries found in this link.
Recipe Card
Preparation Time: 1 -2 hours, plus overnight freezing
Baking Time: 20 mins
Makes 1 x 20 cm Ice Cream Roll Cake
Ingredients
Ice Cream Filling
Dried Cranberries 1 cup
Cranberry Powder 1/4 cup
Vanilla ice cream 700ml
Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce 1/2 can
Chiffon Cake Roll
Yellow Team
Egg Yolk 4. (60-65g eggs)
Castor Sugar 50g
Vegetable Oil 40ml
Whole milk 40ml
Vanilla 1 tsp
Salt 1/2 tsp
Cake Flour 70g
White Team
Egg Whites 4 (60-65g eggs)
Castor Sugar 50g
Cream of Tartar 1/2 tsp
Equipment
Cake Tin 9 x13 Inch
Bake at 170C for 20mins
Method
1. Making the Ice Cream Log
1. Sift cranberry powder onto the ice cream and mix till almost all the powder is dissolved.
2. Add dried cranberries and mix
3. Fill a 9-inch wide plastic bag, roll it into a log, and keep it in the freezer for 1 hr
4. After an hour, mold the ice cream into a perfect log and freeze overnight.
2. Making the chiffon cake roll
1. Whisk egg yolks and sugar until sugar dissolves and add oil and whisk till pale and creamy
2. Add milk, vanilla, and salt and whisk till homogenous
3. Sift in cake flour and mix till smooth
4. In a separate bowl, whisk egg whites till foamy
5. Add cream of tartar and whisk till bubbles are tiny but just visible
6. Add castor sugar and whip till soft peaks
7. Add 1/3 of the whites to the yellow batter and fold till no more whites are visible
8. Add another 1/3 of the whites and fold and repeat for the remaining whites
9. Pour into a cake tin that has been lined with baking paper
10. Give the tin a few sharp taps to get rid of large bubbles
11. Bake for 20mins at 170C until the top of the cake is golden brown and a testing stick comes out clean
3. Pre-rolling the cake
- Remove cake from tin and allow to cool
- Cover the top of the cake with baking paper and overturn the cake
- Remove the baking paper from the bottom of the cake
- Allow the cake to cool for 5 mins
- With a serrated knife, slice off the edges of the cake
- Place the edges in the middle of the cake and gently roll and allow to cool completely
4. Final Assembly
Finally, once the cake sponge is cooled and the ice cream log is sufficiently hardened, it’s time to put it all together!
- Gently unroll the cake.
- Spread cranberry sauce over the inside of the cake, ensuring at least a one-inch margin at the trailing edge.
- Remove the frozen ice cream from the freezer and place it at the starting edge of the cake, then roll it tightly with baking paper.
- Wrap the cake in cling film and freeze it for at least one hour to allow the cake to set.
- When serving, slice the cake and let it rest for 5 minutes before eating!
Serving Suggestion
The arctic roll is pretty much good to eat on its own but there is no harm in putting out a little bit more of that Cranberry sauce/jam.
Disclosure: this recipe entry is written in partnership with U.S. Cranberries. More information on cranberries found in this link.