Makes one log, serves 8-10
.
4 eggs, whites and yolks separated
½ cup sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
¼ cup sugar
2 tablespoons milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ cup flour
¼ cup cocoa powder + more to sprinkle on parchment
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 pints ice cream (mint chocolate chip and cherry vanilla)
1 recipe Fudge Sauce
Heat the oven to 350°F and pan spray a 9x13” baking pan, line it with parchment paper, then pan spray the parchment paper, too.
In a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites on medium high speed until soft peaks form. On low speed, slowly sprinkle in ½ cup sugar, then turn the speed up to high and continue whisking until you achieve glossy and medium stiff peaks, with a little droop when you pull the mixture away from itself and turn it upside down.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter, the remaining ¼ cup sugar, and the yolks, mixing aggressively to combine and aerate, about 1 minute. Whisk in the milk and vanilla and stir to combine, about 30 seconds. Ditch the whisk and grab a sturdy spatula.
Measure the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt into the mixing bowl. Toss only the dry ingredients on top together with the spatula first, before truly stirring them into the wet ingredients below. Mix all until just combined.
Take a heaping spatula-full (about ½ cup) of egg whites and mix it into the chocolate mixture until it disappears and the chocolate is lighter. Then spatula in the remainder of the egg whites and carefully mix the two together, folding the egg in--or tracing the spatula through the center of the bowl, pulling the mixture towards you, then tracing the sides of the bowl to scoop any unmixed chocolate mixture on top of the egg whites, repeating until the egg whites are full incorporated, any white streaks having disappeared in full, and a only a lighter chocolate mixture remains.
Spread the batter evenly on the prepared pan and bake at 350F for 10 minutes. The cake will poof in height and start to pull back from the sides of the pan. Remove the cake from the oven and immediately flip the hot pan upside down onto a new piece of parchment paper, sprinkled lightly with cocoa powder to prevent sticking. Carefully but quickly, peel off the bottom layer of parchment that the cake baked on, then roll the warm cake up into a tight log. Let cool completely at room temperature in this log shape for 10 minutes. Pull the 2 pints of ice cream from the freezer to temper out for 10 minutes, making it more spreadable.
Gently unroll the cooled cake and spread the ice cream evenly over the surface, then roll the cake back up, placing the seam-side down to keep the roll intact. Place on a wire rack and pop in the freezer for 10 minutes to keep the ice cream frozen.
Ensure the fudge sauce is in a pourable state, warming it slightly if it’s not, then pour it evenly over the surface of the log. Slice and serve! In an airtight container the Ice Cream Roll cake will keep in the freezer for up to 1 month