King’s Salami (Roll): The Show-Stopping Dessert with Two-Tone Custard and Alchermes
Forget the classic chocolate salami: today we make the King’s Salami!
This dessert, also known as Two-Tone Roll, is a true ode to Sunday pastry.
For me, the inspiration came from an irresistible craving for English Trifle, but knowing that making Ladyfingers or Sponge Cake is too laborious and requires excessive attention.
I discovered that Sponge Cake is the perfect base: it’s definitely simpler and once you’ve learned the tricks, success is guaranteed!
Its magic lies in the contrast: the sponge cake is so soft it melts in your mouth, kept moist by the intense soaking in Alchermes (that ruby red liqueur that immediately brings a festive air!).
Inside, the filling is a double temptation: a velvety lemon custard joins a rich dark chocolate cream. The balance between the light acidity of the clear cream and the intensity of the chocolate is perfectly balanced.
But let’s get to the crucial point, where experience makes the difference. If you’ve ever tried making a roll, you know the fear is always that: the dough cracks into a thousand pieces when you try to roll it!
I’ll reveal the ultimate trick I’ve refined, which gives you an almost guaranteed result: once baked, the sponge cake should be sprinkled immediately with sugar, covered immediately with cling film in contact and allowed to cool that way.
This trick traps the steam and keeps the dough incredibly elastic, ready to embrace the two-tone filling without a single crack.
Prepare to create a regal, elegant, show-stopping dessert that is above all, flawless in execution. With my method, I assure you that the satisfaction of rolling a perfect roll, without cracks, is priceless!
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 1 Hour
- Portions: 8
- Cooking methods: Oven, Stove
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients (for a roll about 16×12 inches)
- 12 oz milk
- 5 oz fresh liquid cream
- 120 g egg yolks
- 4/5 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp rice starch
- 1 pod vanilla
- 1 lemon zest
- 2/3 cup dark chocolate
- 5 oz alchermes
- 2 oz water
- 140 g egg whites
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 90 g egg yolks
- 4/5 cup granulated sugar
- 1 pod vanilla
- 1 lemon zest
Tools
- Kitchen Scale
- Bowl
- Electric Whisk
- Spatula
- Parchment Paper
- Baking Pan
- Saucepan
- Small Bowl
- Brush
Procedure KING’S SALAMI OR ROLL
Whip the egg whites until they are white and frothy, then gradually incorporate the sugar in three parts, obtaining a firm meringue. Add the egg yolks (one at a time), the vanilla seeds, and the lemon zest, continuing to beat. Gently fold in the sifted flour, stirring from bottom to top with a spatula so as not to deflate the mixture. Distribute the mixture evenly on a baking tray lined with parchment paper (about 16×12 inches). Bake in a preheated static oven at 392°F for 10 minutes. Remove from oven, immediately sprinkle the surface with granulated sugar, cover with cling film in contact, and let cool completely. This is the trick to prevent it from breaking!
In a saucepan, heat milk and cream with the vanilla seeds and pod, and lemon zest. Bring to a boil. In a bowl, combine the egg yolks, sugar, and starches (corn and rice) and mix. Remove the vanilla pod and zest from the boiling milk, and pour it gradually over the egg yolk mixture, stirring.
Return everything to the heat and thicken the cream, always stirring. Divide the cream: Take 15.5 oz of clear cream. To the remaining 12.5 oz add the chopped chocolate and stir to melt it. Pour the two creams into two separate dishes, cover with cling film in contact, and let cool first at room temperature and then in the refrigerator. Once cooled, stir them separately to make them creamy again and transfer them into two piping bags.Simply mix the Alchermes and water. When the sponge cake is cold, remove the cling film. Gently remove the dark surface part for a more beautiful roll. Adjust the cake back on the parchment paper. Generously soak the surface with the Alchermes soaking.
Spread the clear custard and level it. Set aside two tablespoons of chocolate cream and spread the remaining over the clear cream, leveling it. Rolling: Starting from one of the shorter sides, begin to roll the cake using the parchment paper for help. Proceed slowly and firmly. Place the roll with the seam side down. Wrap it in parchment paper, close it like a candy, and then wrap it tightly in cling film. Rest: Place in the refrigerator overnight (at least 4 hours).Take the roll, cut the ends to even it and to show the beautiful two-tone filling. Decorate the surface with the set-aside chocolate cream (you can use a star nozzle). Serve the King’s Salami!
Notes on Ingredients and Smart Substitutions
For the sponge cake, using rice starch in the cream makes it smoother and silkier. For the soaking, Alchermes is essential for color and flavor, but if you can’t find it, you can opt for diluted rum (with a red food coloring for the visual effect).
Possible Substitutions:
Alchermes (Soaking): Diluted Rum or Brandy. 3.5 oz Rum + 3.5 oz Water (add 1/4 teaspoon red coloring if you want the visual effect).
Dark Chocolate: Milk Chocolate (or gianduja). For a sweeter flavor and a roll for kids.
Rice Starch Additional Cornstarch. If you don’t have rice starch, use 2 oz total cornstarch.
Fresh Liquid Cream: Additional Whole Milk. The cream will be less rich but will work (17.5 oz total milk).
Preservation: Best the Next Day!
The King’s Salami definitely improves the day after preparation because the sponge cake has time to absorb the soaking and the cream settles.
You can store the roll in the refrigerator, wrapped in cling film, for 3-4 days. Being a cream and egg-based dessert, I don’t recommend leaving it out of the refrigerator. It is not suitable for freezing (the custard and Alchermes soaking would not withstand thawing well).
Delicious Alternatives and Variations
Tiramisu: Replace the Alchermes in the soaking with bitter coffee. Eliminate the custard and use a mascarpone filling (17.5 oz Mascarpone, 4 egg yolks, 4/5 cup sugar). Decorate with bitter cocoa.
Tropical: Replace the lemon zest in the cream with pure vanilla. In the soaking, use diluted pineapple juice. Add 3.5 oz of grated coconut or chopped canned pineapple pieces to the cream.
Alcohol-Free: Replace the Alchermes in the soaking with diluted cherry syrup, or orange juice.
Perfect Usage and Pairings
The King’s Salami is the perfect dessert for occasions requiring a touch of elegance and festivity:
End of Meal Dessert: It is a substantial dessert, so serve it as the only dessert after a not too heavy meal.
Birthday Buffet: Sliced it’s a great alternative to cake.
Wine Pairing: Pair the King’s Roll with a sweet wine like a Passito di Pantelleria (whose dried fruit notes balance the chocolate) or a Moscato Rosa (whose aroma pairs well with the Alchermes).
Origin and History of the Roll and Alchermes
The concept of a sweet roll is widespread in many European pastry shops (French Roulade, German Biskuitrolle), but the version filled with custard and the chromatic and aromatic touch of Alchermes is very Italian, often associated with homemade pastries from regions like Emilia-Romagna or Tuscany.
Alchermes itself has a fascinating history: it’s a medieval liqueur, originally called Alkermès from the Arabic “al-qirmiz,” meaning cochineal (the insect from which the red dye was derived). It was considered an elixir of long life and was used in courts, perhaps deriving the name “King” or “Medici” (in Florence). The pairing with the roll makes it a dessert that is not only tasty but also steeped in history!
The Trick for a Crack-Free Roll!
This is the secret that will take you from “Disastrous Roll” to “Cover Roll”: never force the dough! Right baking: 10 minutes at 392°F is perfect. The dough should not dry out.
Sugar and Cling Film: Sprinkle the sugar and cover immediately with cling film in contact as soon as it comes out of the oven. The steam that will form will create moisture that keeps the dough elastic and prevents it from breaking when you roll it.
Rolling: Roll the roll gently using the parchment paper for help and then let it cool already rolled! Only once cold, unroll it to fill it.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
1. I’m afraid the sponge cake will break during rolling, what should I do?
The key trick is not letting it dry out during baking and using the sugar and cling film technique immediately after baking (see additional paragraph). Also, roll the warm sponge on itself (without filling) to shape it, then let it cool wrapped. When you fill it, you’ll only be rolling it for the second time and will avoid cracks.
2. Can I use only cornstarch in the cream?
Yes, you can use 2 oz of cornstarch in total, but rice starch gives a slightly smoother and silkier texture to the cream, so if you can, use both!
3. If I can’t find Alchermes, is rum soaking okay?
It’s fine if you have no alternatives, but the flavor of the Roll will be closer to that of a rum tiramisu. Alchermes has a more spiced flavor (rose, cloves) and an unmistakable color. If you don’t like Alchermes flavor, try a neutral vanilla or orange syrup soaking.
