Hi, I know I look nice in my edible snowy dress with sunset-coloured jewellery, but I taste far better than I look. I'm vegan, kind and I also have some Irish Cream for more fun. Merry Christmas!
I'll be honest with you, developing this recipe was a pain in the ass. I've gone through 4-5 failures until I got the sponge I dreamed of: airy, light, stretchy and moist. The airy and moist parts were the hardest. As we don't have any egg whites in here (that would make this fluffy and light) it was challenging to adjust the baking soda (our rising agent).
How to find the right amount of baking soda for a fluffy sponge but not too much so you won't taste it at all? I also had to cut down the milk as it had too much fat in it (that would make the batter too dense) and mix it with water.
The airy but stretchy elements were also super important for the rolling part, so the sponge wouldn't crack. So, what flour worked the best? And I also had to find out how to give it a rich taste when I had to cut down the oil, the milk, and what sugar should I use?
Well, long story short, I have the recipe, so you can relax.
WHIPPED CREAM. This is a complex topic and it really depends on where you live and what your health store can provide in terms of vegan whipped creams. If you're in the USA, it will be super easy to find almond or any vegan whipped cream but where I live I find it quite challenging. For whipping, I found that Mega Image Delhaize coconut whip cream works wonderful (just don't forget to cool it before and remember you will only use the thick part, not the liquid one).
Orange and persimmon vegan cake roll
Vegan, Plant-based, Nut-free
Makes 1 roll
Total time: 25 minuts
Ingredients
Fluffy & airy vanilla sponge
2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cups white sugar, powderd
1/2 cup milk
1 cup sparkling water (it can also work with still water)
zest from 1 medium orange
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp natural rum extract
1/2-1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp rapeseed oil
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
pinch sea salt
Orange and Persimmon Whipped Cream
2 cans of full fat coconut milk, chilled (or use a ready to use vegan whipped cream)
juice from 1/2 lemon
1 tsp natural vanilla extract
2-3 tsp Irish cream
1 tsp finely chopped preserved orange peels
1/2 chopped orange, without skin
1 medium persimmon, peeled
Instructions
Prepare the oven at 180 degrees Celsius and a wide oven tray with parchment paper.
Prepare the sponge. Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together all wet ingredients. Mix the dry with wet and spread evenly on the tray. Cook for about 6-10 minutes or until golden on the edges.
While the sponge is cooking, wet a kitchen towel with water and spread on the table. When the sponge is ready, take it out and place it directly on the towel, facing down so you can take off the parchment paper. Roll the sponge in the towel and let it cool down at room temperature.
To make the coconut whipped cream, remove the cans of coconut cream from the fridge and be careful not to shake them. Scoop out only the hard cream that has risen to the top into the bowl of an electric mixer, leaving the water/milk behind. Keep for future uses. Start at slow speed, then gradually increase speed until your cream is whipped and nice. Add the powdered sugar and lemon juice and whip a little bit more. Take it out and add the other ingredients, keeping some of the fruits to garnish with them. Stir in with a spoon and leave aside.
To assemble the roll cake, unfold the rolled sponge. Add the whipped cream and one more layer of fruit if you want. Roll carefully and place on a plate/cutting board. Garnish with preserved orange peels and chopped persimmons.
Chill for 1-2 hours then serve.
Enjoy!
