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Bolo de rolo
Guava paste roll cake
Bolo de rolo: Pernambuco's roll cake of paper-thin buttery sponge and guava paste in many tight layers
BrazilianCut a slice of bolo de rolo and you see a tight spiral of a dozen hair-thin layers, alternating pale butter sponge and dark red guava. It is Pernambuco's proudest cake, protected as a cultural heritage of the state, sold in Recife's bakeries and airport shops in long boxes and served at birthdays and with coffee in the afternoon. The batter is rich with butter and eggs, spread so thinly it bakes in minutes; each sheet is brushed with melted guava paste and rolled around the last. It takes patience rather than skill. The classic slip is spreading the batter too thick, which gives a fat swiss roll instead of fine stripes; you should almost see the paper through it. Chef's tip: roll each layer while it is still hot from the oven, on a clean cloth dusted with sugar, because the thin sponge cracks as soon as it cools.
- Total time
- 85 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
For the sponge
- 9 oz unsalted buttervery soft, plus extra for the trays
- 9 oz caster sugar
- 6 eggsat room temperature
- 9 oz plain floursifted
- 1 pinch salt
For the filling
- 14 oz goiabada (guava paste)chopped; from Latin shops
- ½ cup water
To finish
- 3 tbsp caster sugarfor the cloth and top
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Method
0/10 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 425°F (400°F fan). Line a 30 x 40 cm baking tray with baking paper and grease the paper with a little butter.
Step 2: Beat 9 oz unsalted butter and 9 oz caster sugar with an electric mixer for 5 minutes, until pale, fluffy and almost white.
5 minStep 3: Beat in 6 eggs one at a time, mixing well after each, until the batter is smooth and glossy.
Step 4: Fold in 9 oz plain flour and 1 pinch salt with a spatula until no streaks remain. The batter should be thick but spreadable.
Step 5: Melt 14 oz goiabada (guava paste) with ½ cup water in a small pan over a low heat for 5 minutes, stirring, until it is a smooth, thick jam that you can brush. Keep it warm.
5 minStep 6: Spread 4–5 heaped tablespoons of batter over the whole tray with an offset spatula, as thin as you can, about 1–2 mm. Bake for 4–5 minutes, until set and just pale gold at the edges.
5 minStep 7: Sprinkle a clean tea towel with some of 1 ½ tbsp caster sugar. Turn the hot sponge onto it, peel off the paper and brush thinly with guava. Roll it up tightly from a short side.
Step 8: Re-line and grease the tray, bake the next thin layer and turn it out onto the towel. Brush with guava, set the first roll at its edge and roll the new layer around it, keeping it tight.
Step 9: Repeat with the remaining batter, about 8–10 layers in all, each time rolling the growing log in the next sheet. Keep 2 tablespoons of guava for the top.
35 minStep 10: Brush the outside with the last of the guava, dust with the rest of 1 ½ tbsp caster sugar and wrap the roll in baking paper. Leave seam-side down to cool and firm for at least 2 hours before slicing thinly with a sharp knife.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 440 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 58 g
- Fat
- 21 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does bolo de rolo take?
- About 85 minutes in total: 40 minutes to prepare and 45 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of unsalted butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
- What can I use instead of caster sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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