Bolo de Rolo is a traditional Brazilian dessert with origins in the state of Pernambuco. This rolled guava cake is similar to a jelly roll cake or a Swiss roll; however, its preparation is much more complicated. It incorporates many delicate and thin sponge layers which are connected to form a giant sheet, spread with a layer of sweet guava jam, then rolled into a log.
Variations of the Bolo de Rolo
The most elaborate varieties of bolo de rolo can have up to twenty layers of sponge, which results in an unusual decorative spiral. Because of the intricate and time-consuming preparation, it is rarely made at home and can usually be found in pastry shops and supermarkets around Brazil.
The traditional roll cake is made with guava, however, there are several other variations of the filling such as dulce de leche, chocolate, coconut candy, and several others that depend on your will and creativity in using them.
History of Recipe
Its origin lies in the adaptation of the Portuguese cake colchão de noiva (bride’s mattress), a kind of sponge cake rolled with a filling of nuts. Upon arriving in Brazil, the Portuguese cooks changed the filling to guava fruit, which is plentiful in northeastern Brazil, cooked with sugar, which was abundant since it was made in the factories of the region. Even today it is common to sprinkle the bolo de rolo with sugar in its outer shell, snapping up the presentation of the dessert.
The City of Natal, Brazil
Natal is the capital city of the state of Rio Grande do Norte, on Brazil’s northeastern tip. It’s known for its extensive coastal sand dunes and star-shaped Forte dos Reis Magos, a 16th-century Portuguese fortress at the mouth of the Potengi River. North across the river, Genipabu is an area of towering dunes with a freshwater lagoon. The Via Costeira highway links a 15km stretch of beaches south of the fort.
![Praia dos Artistas Beach in Natal, capital of the state of Rio Grande do Norte|Rio Grande do Norte]], Brazil](https://i0.wp.com/hispanicfoodnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/1080px-Praia_dos_Artistas_-_Natal_RN.jpg?resize=696%2C464&ssl=1)
Tourism in Natal, Brazil
Carnival in Natal, known as “Carnatal“, is one of the largest off-season carnivals in Brazil. Carnatal takes place sometime in November or December, in the streets around the Arena das Dunas Stadium (traffic around the stadium changes radically during Carnatal days). Natal is also home to the “Mada”, a national festival of pop rock national, and the “Verão de Todos”, a summer festival.
The Natal Dunes State Park is considered the second largest urban park in Brazil. It includes 1,172 hectares of land and allows observation of several vegetal and animal species, which are typical of the Atlantic Forest. The tour is along a trail, accompanied by trained guides. The park also has a jogging track and stays open for visitors from Tuesday to Sunday.
The Natal Aquarium was founded and is run by a family of biologists and retired environmentalists. Besides the exhibit, the aquarium also serves as a surgery center for sea animals. The Aquarium is located between Oceânica Avenue and the beach. The Aquarium exhibits about 60 marine species.
The Cashew of Pirangi is the biggest cashew tree in the world. In 1994, it entered the Guinness book as the tree which covers the largest area, 8,400 square meters.
The Cuisine of Brazil
Brazilian cuisine is a combination of assorted flavors taken from the various cultures that constitute modern Brazil. Numerous ethnic groups with varying cultural backgrounds were already inhabiting the huge country by the time European explorers arrived. Each group has its own peculiar cuisines and food essentials.
– Featured Bakery –
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Phone Number: +55 84 98166-0742
It is a company in the field of artisanal confectionery specializing in sweet and savory cakes and pies, all with quality and natural products.
How to Make This Bolo de Rolo Recipe
This is a time-consuming recipe but well worth the effort. Take out the eggs and butter so they will be at room temperature when you start this recip. Assemble the equipment and ingredients before starting to save time.
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Filling
- 28 ounces guava paste
- 61 1/2 tbsp water
- 1 1/2 tablespoons port wine (optional)
- 18 tablespoons granulated sugar divided (for the topping)
For the Cake
- 45 tbsp unsalted butter at room temperature
- 16 1/2 tbsp sugar
- 9 large egg yolks at room temperature
- 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 9 large egg whites beaten to stiff peaks
How to Cook Bolo de Rolo
Time needed: 1 hour and 40 minutes
Cooking Directions for the Bolo de Rolo
- Prepare the Filling
Add guava paste, water, and port, if using, to a non-stick medium pan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring well until guava paste is fully melted and the mixture is homogeneous and smooth. Strain through a fine mesh sieve if chunky. Remove from heat, let cool, and divide into 9 portions. Set aside.
- Preheat the Oven
Preheat the oven to 350° F.
- Prepare the Batter
In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter at medium speed for about 2 minutes. At a slow speed, gradually add the sugar, then beat for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Add the yolks one by one, beating at low speed after each addition until just incorporated.
- Mix the Batter
At low speed, gradually add flour until you have a homogenous batter. You may have to scrape down the batter from the sides of the bowl a few times.
- Fold in the Egg Whites
With a spatula, gently fold in the egg whites (do not beat).
- Prepare the Baking Pans
Grease and flour 9 (10- by 15-inch) baking pans and pour about 1 cup of batter into each. (If you are short on baking sheets, you can wash and dry the baking sheet, repeating the process of unmolding and rolling as described below as each layer of cake bakes.)
- Bake the Cake
Use an offset icing spatula to spread the batter into a very thin and uniform layer covering the bottom of each sheet pan. Bake the first layer of cake for 3 1/2 to 4 minutes; do not let the cake brown.
- Assemble the Layers
Remove from the oven and place the baking sheet on a counter lined with a kitchen towel. Since this cake is thin and delicate, here is a great technique to release it from the pan without breaking the layer: Gently run a butter knife around the edges to loosen the cake from the pan, making it easier to unmold. Next, sprinkle the top of the cake with 2 tablespoons of sugar and spread a kitchen towel on top. Then place an empty and larger baking sheet pan on top of this, right side up, to sandwich the cake and towel between the two pans. Finally, flip the whole assemblage over in order to release the cake from the pan in which it was baked. Remove what is now the top baking sheet pan, and then gently slide the bottom pan from beneath the cake and towel. Working quickly, spread melted guava paste mixture on top of the cake and then roll: Starting from one end, pull up the two adjacent corners along the short length of the towel to initiate rolling of the edge of the cake. Continue supporting/pushing the rolling edge of the cake with the towel beneath as needed until the cake layer is completely rolled. The cake rolls more easily while still warm. Reserve rolled cake layer covered with a towel.
- Roll the Cake
Each rolled cake is then rolled into the next subsequent sheet of cake that has been spread with the guava paste. If any breaks appear in the cake, press break with fingers to seal while it is still warm and sprinkle more sugar on top. Slice the 2 edges of the cake to remove rough, imperfect ends. Serve cake roll sliced into thin slices by itself, with a slice of Edam cheese, or slightly warm with a scoop of vanilla or coconut ice cream.
It is usually served sliced, to showcase the number of meticulously created jelly spirals. To balance the sweetness, slices of bolo de rolo are often served with a dollop of unsweetened whipped cream.
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Bolo de Rolo ~ Roll Cake
Please Rate this Recipe
Equipment
- 1 mixer
- 9 baking sheets
- 1 spatula
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 45 tbsp unsalted butter at room temperature
- 16 1/2 tbsp sugar
- 9 large egg yolks at room temperature
- 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 9 large egg whites beaten to stiff peaks
For the Filling
- 28 ounces guava paste
- 61 1/2 tbsp water
- 1 1/2 tablespoons port wine (optional)
- 18 tablespoons granulated sugar divided (for the topping)
Instructions
- Measure ingredients for the batter and set aside.
- Prepare the filling. Add guava paste, water, and port, if using, to a non-stick medium pan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring well until guava paste is fully melted and the mixture is homogeneous and smooth. Strain through a fine mesh sieve if chunky. Remove from heat, let cool, and divide into 9 portions. Set aside.
- Next, prepare the batter: In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter at medium speed for about 2 minutes. At a slow speed, gradually add the sugar, then beat for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the mixture is homogeneous and creamy. Add the yolks one by one, beating at low speed after each addition until just incorporated.
- At low speed, gradually add flour until you have a homogenous batter. You may have to scrape down the batter from the sides of the bowl a few times.
- With a spatula, gently fold in the egg whites (do not beat). Preheat the oven to 350° F.
- Grease and flour 9 (10- by 15-inch) baking pans and pour about 1 cup of batter into each. (If you are short on baking sheets, you can wash and dry the baking sheet, repeating the process of unmolding and rolling as described below as each layer of cake bakes.)
- Use an offset icing spatula to spread the batter into a very thin and uniform layer covering the bottom of each sheet pan. Bake the first layer of cake for 3 1/2 to 4 minutes; do not let the cake brown.
- Remove from the oven and place the baking sheet on a counter lined with a kitchen towel. Since this cake is thin and delicate, here is a great technique to release it from the pan without breaking the layer: Gently run a butter knife around the edges to loosen the cake from the pan, making it easier to unmold. Next, sprinkle the top of the cake with 2 tablespoons of sugar and spread a kitchen towel on top. Then place an empty and larger baking sheet pan on top of this, right side up, to sandwich the cake and towel between the two pans. Finally, flip the whole assemblage over in order to release the cake from the pan in which it was baked. Remove what is now the top baking sheet pan, and then gently slide the bottom pan from beneath the cake and towel. Working quickly, spread melted guava paste mixture on top of the cake and then roll: Starting from one end, pull up the two adjacent corners along the short length of the towel to initiate rolling of the edge of the cake. Continue supporting/pushing the rolling edge of the cake with the towel beneath as needed until the cake layer is completely rolled. The cake rolls more easily while still warm. Reserve rolled cake layer covered with a towel.
- Each rolled cake is then rolled into the next subsequent sheet of cake that has been spread with the guava paste. If any breaks appear in the cake, press break with fingers to seal while it is still warm and sprinkle more sugar on top. Slice the 2 edges of the cake to remove rough, imperfect ends. Serve cake roll sliced into thin slices by itself, with a slice of Edam cheese, or slightly warm with a scoop of vanilla or coconut ice cream.
Nutrition
Things That Go Well With
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Photo Credits:
- Hispanic Food Network – Copyright 2022
- Doce Vida Confeitaria – https://docevidaconfeitaria.negocio.site/
- https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bolo_de_rolo_servido_com_sorvete.jpg#/media/File:Bolo_de_rolo_servido_com_sorvete.jpg
- By Guilherme Jófili – Flickr, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=24494891
- By Patricialaraia – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=94404093
- By Roberto Faccenda – Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=62604470
- By Diego Henrique Dantas de Oliveira – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=59444667
- By Marcio Lasset – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=73276136
- By Frankie Marcone/MTur Destinos – Flickr, Attribution, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=77014863
- By Ney Douglas/MTur Destinos – Flickr, Attribution, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=77006498
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