My birthday is on January 3: born in the middle of the holidays means that the birthday is inevitably affected by the Christmas atmosphere and by problems not unimportant for a child.
One above all, the absolute curse from the "unique gift": no, please, it makes you angry. Then they give it to you on Christmas day and they also say "it's also for the birthday eh!" because they know that they are doing a bad deed and try in vain to justify themselves. I must say that over the years I have overcome this trauma: if the gift consists of a bag of Vuitton or traveling, I appreciate it anyway, I'm not delicate.
The other problem was the birthday cake: I have a list of photos of me, girl of the 80s, with cakes of which I do not remember the composition but I remember the decoration very well. Sugar pines, sugar lodges, sugar fences: pine was always an unknown factor, because it was often fake, so it was not only your self-esteem that was destroyed but also your molars.
At this time in the pastry shop there were, and still are, what we commonly call "Christmas trunks", of French derivation with the name of Bouche de Noel: perhaps mindful of those decorations a bit 'screamed, my Christmas cake is called simply Rollè and is so stuffed but not decorated, a bit 'like all my desserts that are so homemade but full of dedication and love.
The recipe of the biscuit dough is from my friend Ilaria, the stuffing changes according to the seasons: here I leave you some ideas.
NOTES
For a good winter roll, my favorite recipe is the one I leave you here this time. Alternatively, for an exotic touch, the same hazelnut and mascarpone cream goes well with the addition of banana slices, pieces of mango and pineapple in syrup, or fresh kiwi. The autumn version I love is stuffed of a layer of chestnut cream and one of whipped cream, with pieces of marron glacé (bought the broken marron glacé bags, they cost less and are perfect for these desserts). In the spring I like to spread the homemade strawberry and vanilla jam, cover it with a layer of whipped cream and then I add fresh strawberries macerated in sugar and lemon, drain well. In the summer I do the same but I particularly appreciate the version with berries.
Turn on the oven at 180 degrees, static. If you use it ventilated, set it to 165/170 degrees.
Divide the eggs by placing the yolks in a bowl and the whites in the other. Add a pinch of salt to the egg whites and whisk until stiff.
Now add the sugar, vanilla and grated peel of the clementine to the egg yolks and blend these well until they double in volume. Add sifted flour and baking powder and incorporate with a spatula.
Now add the whites, always mixing gently. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper, pour the dough and spread it flat, leveling it with a spatula carefully and bake for 8 minutes then turn the pan (the inner part to the outside) and cook another 8 minutes.
As soon as it is out from the oven, without fear, take the parchment paper from two corners and turn it upside down on a clean sheet of parchment paper: now slowly remove the still stuck paper and spread it over the citrus jam.
Mix the mascarpone with the hazelnut cream and spread now also this, so the dough will now be cold. Roll up immediately with care, wrap it tight with its baking paper and put in the fridge for a while to settle. If you are in a hurry you can eat it immediately, but it is better after a few hours and even the next day.
