Like Diwali is the Festival of Lights, Holi is the Festival of Color. My favorite part about holi, in India, is that it brings people from all races, castes, creed, be it rich or poor, together to play with colors. Everyone wears neutral colors, to show off the holi colors that adorn the outfits. There is no competition as to who is best dressed, or who has how much jewelry. It is humbling for sure.
What is Holi and how is it celebrated?
Holi signifies the end of winter, beginning of spring, or new beginnings and new blooms, and harvest. You can read more about the mythological reason for celebrating Holi here. Although I did not like playing holi in my adulthood, I loved playing holi with my family and friends as a kid.
We would patiently anticipate holi, because firstly it means that we did not have school that day! And secondly, we got to play with friends, and throw water balloons at them, and colored water using pichkaris or water pumps, to get them wet and have their faces unrecognizable! Those were some really fun times.
Thought process behind the Pistachio Swill Roll Cake with Rose Whipped Cream
I have been wanting to make a swiss cake roll for a very long time, with holi colors to signify new beginnings. To let you into my thought process for decorating, I always turn to images on Google. I put in “abstract holi” and came across this beautiful artwork that immediately caught my attention and I wanted to create this scene for my swiss cake roll.
Ingredients for the Paste to create the design
I created a paste for the design with 4 ingredients :
- All purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Softened butter
- Egg whites
They all have to be the same weight in grams. Egg whites can be slightly more in weight. So if you wanted to make a more elaborate design, you could incrementally increase the 4 ingredients in grams.
How to make the outer pattern on the Pistachio Swiss Roll Cake
I divided it into 4 bowls, and added Americolor food gel to each bowl, and added them to piping bags with Wilton #2 and Wilton #3 tips so that it can help to create intricate designs such as the one shown here. You could potentially trace out the pattern on the parchment paper, and invert it onto the baking tray, to help you pipe in an easier manner. I simply went free form with my design.
Once the design is piped, you can put the baking sheet into the freezer for 15 minutes, while you prepare the cake batter.
Pistachio Swiss Cake Roll Batter and method – You want to read this part carefully
The pistachio swiss cake roll batter starts with egg whites, cream of tartar and sugar. You want to whisk it for a good 4-5 minutes until it can form soft peaks when the whisk of the stand mixer is turned upside down.
Meanwhile, you want to whip up the egg yolks with sugar, until it turns a pale yellow in color. There is no leavening in this batter, so the only leavening is the egg whites and yolks to make the batter light and airy and the sponge moist. I add pistachio powder in the batter, along with all purpose flour and a tad bit of ground cardamom, because pistachio and cardamom are a match made in heaven!
The batter is super light and airy. You want to ensure that you fold in the egg whites gently, so as not to disturb the airyness of the batter. Is airyness even a word?! The batter is added on top of the frozen pattern and leveled out completely so that it bakes evenly in the oven. The bake is very quick. It takes 10 minutes to bake the cake.
You want to be sure to get everything ready for the next few steps, such as a parchment paper, cutting board, a kitchen towel, sieve and confectioner’s sugar. All the steps happen very quickly since you want to work on the cake while it is still hot, so that it can roll easily.
Once the cake comes out of the oven, put a parchment paper on the top. Put a cutting board on top and immediately invert it, ofcourse using gloves in both your hands because the sheet is hot! Then gently remove the parchment paper to reveal the pattern! It is so pretty! Immediately set the cutting board aside, lay the kitchen towel, and sprinkle confectioner’s sugar on it.
You want the design side to be DOWN on the confectioner’s sugar, so this step happens accurately yet quickly! Once you do this step, remove the parchment paper from the plain side, and immediately using the kitchen towel as an aide, roll the cake with the towel tucked into each roll. Go gently, so that you do not break the cake. Keep it aside to cool completely.
Assembly of the Pistachio Swiss Roll Cake with Rose Whipped Cream
Once the cake is cooled, I applied pistachio paste, a thin layer ofcourse, all over the cake. The pistachio cream I used is linked here. It is truly nutella’s cousin, SO GOOD and SO ADDICTIVE! I could eat it with a spoonful!
Then I apply the rose whipped cream, which is SO GOOD! I use THIS rose water for the whipped cream. The Indian Rose water is diluted and smells like soap. This stuff is GOOD and a little bit goes a long way!
Roll the cake gently, but firmly to make sure that there are no loose holes when rolling the cake. Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours. This will ensure that it holds it’s shape. After 2 hours you can cut it into slices and serve.
To serve, leave it out for 15 minutes and then serve so that the cake comes slightly to room temperature.
Another TIP: Always use a weighing scale to measure out the ingredients, it truly helps to achieve successful results.
I loved making this cake and the design.
CHANGING FLAVORS
I did try making the same cake with thandai flavors too and rose whipped cream and it turned out really delicious too! You simply substitute the pistachio powder with thandai powder. The same amount works.
You can use your imagination and make any flavor that you want! The possibilities are endless!
What pistachio cream do you use?
Do your research but the pistachio cream that I have used in the past is here.
What rose extract do you use?
The rose extract that I use is linked here.
What kind of baking pan do you use for the swiss roll?
You want to use a half sheet baking pan as linked here. This way you can get a nice swirl of the roll.
Can I change up the flavor of the cake if I don’t want to make a pistachio swiss roll cake?
Yes you can make a Thandai flavor Swill Roll Cake. It tastes amazing with the pistachio paste and the rose whipped cream.
How long will this cake last?
It can be stored in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to 2-3 days for maximum freshness.
Other Holi recipes that are on my blog are:
Hope you have a safe and happy HOLI, from our family to yours!
XO
Amisha
Pistachio Swiss Cake Roll with Rose Whipped Cream
Ingredients
Paste for Design:
- 3 ¼ tbsp (45g) unsalted butter, at room temperature (Butter has to be very soft)
- 6 tbsp (45g) all purpose flour
- ¼ cup – 1 tsp (45g) granulated sugar
- 2 egg whites (~ 55 to 60gm)
- Americolor food gel colors (Electric pink, Regal purple, Electric Blue, Orange)
Pistachio Cake Roll Batter:
- ½ cup (60g) all purpose flour
- 2 tbsp (20g) corn starch
- 24g pistachio powder (grind pistachios in a high speed blender)
- ½ tsp freshly ground cardamom
- ½ tsp salt
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature, yolks and whites separated Pinch of cream of tartar
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar, halved
- 30g whole milk, at room temperature
- Smidge of green color, I used Avocado from Americolor food gel colors
- Pistachio Paste
Rose Whipped Cream:
- 1 cup cold heavy whipping cream
- 3 tbsp confectioner’s sugar
- 1 tbsp milk powder
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp rose water
- 4 piping bags
- Wilton #2 or #3 tips x4
- Additional confectioner’s sugar
- Large offset spatula
- Small offset spatula
- Parchment papers
- Baking spray
Get Recipe Ingredients
Method:
Paste for Design:
- In a medium bowl, add the butter and the sugar. Using a rubber spatula, mix both, to form a paste. Keep mixing until it is very soft and the sugar is not grainy anymore.
- Add the flour and mix to combine.
- Add the egg white and mix again, until well combined and there are no traces of egg whites in the mixture.
- Divide the mixture into 4 bowls. Add one color in each bowl, and using separate mini rubber spatulas, mix the color into the paste to combine.
- Add each color paste into a piping bag, fitted with a Wilton tip. Keep it aside.
- To make the design, you can trace it out on a parchment paper. Once traced out, add baking spray on a 10×15 baking sheet. Add the parchment paper with the trace facing down, onto the baking sheet.
- Using your piping bags, trace out the design with the 4 colors. Put the baking tray in the freezer for 15 minutes. Meanwhile we will prepare the Pistachio Cake Roll Batter.
Pistachio Cake Roll Batter:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a medium bowl, sift the all purpose flour, corn starch, pistachio powder, ground cardamom and salt and using a balloon whisk, whisk to combine.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, with the whisk attachment, add the egg whites, and cream of tartar. Starting slow, and gradually increase the speed to high, start whisking the egg whites. Whisk for 3 minutes, and add half the granulated sugar(50g). Whisk for another 2-3 minutes, until you see stiff peaks, on the whisk of the stand mixer.
- In a medium bowl, add the egg yolks and remaining sugar, and whisk continuously for 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture is pale yellow in color and it forms ribbons. Add the dry mixture, and mix to combine.
- Incorporate ⅓ of the egg white mixture into the dough and using a rubber spatula, gradually fold the mixture in. Do not overmix or whisk vigorously, else you will remove the air from the batter. We are in the process of making it light and airy. You want to move the rubber spatula in one circular direction, to fold the mixture.
- Add the remaining egg white mixture and mix until mixture is cohesive and completely incorporated.
- Add a bit of the green color and mix again to incorporate.
- Remove the baking sheet with the design. Add the airy batter on the top of the design. Using a large offset spatula, spread the mixture, and level it out to all the sides of the baking sheet.
- Bake for exactly 10 minutes, upto 11 minutes.
- Remove from the oven. Wait for 2 minutes.
- Place a parchment paper over the baked cake. Place a large cutting board, or another baking sheet, and invert the entire setup. This way the design will be on the top. Remove the baking tray on top.
- You can see the design now. Gently remove the parchment paper to reveal the design.
- Now place a kitchen towel on the work surface. Using a sieve, sprinkle confectioner’s sugar all over the towel.
- This step needs to be quick and accurate! Quickly slap the tray with the cake(with the design on top), quickly onto the powdered towel, such that the design is facing down. Remove the parchment paper. Using the kitchen towel, roll it along with the cake, into a neat, tight roll. You want to do it while the cake is still hot so that the cake does not break and retains it’s moisture. Keep it aside for an hour, until completely cooled.
Rose Whipped Cream:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, with a whisk attachment, add the heavy cream, confectioner’s sugar, milk powder, vanilla extract and rose water.
- Whisk for 2 minutes, until you can see soft peaks of whipped cream.
To assemble:
- Slowly open the kitchen towel, be very gentle, such as not to break the cake. Roll it open. It may have a tendency to roll back, gently push it down.
- Using a small offset spatula, apply a thin layer of the pistachio paste all over the cake.
- Now using a large offset spatula, apply the rose whipped cream all over the cake.
- Gently roll the cake with firmness, into a nice even roll.
- Using plastic wrap, wrap the cake nicely, make sure it is round, the entire way around.
- Place it in the fridge for 2 hours atleast to cool and set completely.
- Once cooled, remove it from the fridge, and cut into 1 ½ to 2 inch slices and serve cold!
PRO-TIP:
It can be stored in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to 2-3 days for maximum freshness.
Notes
- What pistachio cream do you use?
-
- Do your research but the pistachio cream that I have used in the past is here.
- What rose extract do you use?
-
- The rose extract that I use is linked here.
- What kind of baking pan do you use for the swiss roll?
-
- You want to use a half sheet baking pan as linked here. This way you can get a nice swirl of the roll.
- Can I change up the flavor of the cake if I don’t want to make a pistachio swiss roll cake?
-
- Yes you can make a Thandai flavor Swill Roll Cake. It tastes amazing with the pistachio paste and the rose whipped cream.
- How long will this cake last?
-
- It can be stored in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to 2-3 days for maximum freshness.
