Name: Nutella Roll, traditional Italian Salame del re
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 5 large eggs at room temperature; 100 g sugar + more for the towel; 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, especially if using regular baking powder, or lemon zest; 100 g flour; 10 g (1 tablespoon) baking powder (or the Italian lievito vanigliato); Alchermes liqueur (optional); 400 g Nutella, softened, or another chocolate spread

Nutella Roll, or "Salame del Re" as they call it in my Italian parents's small town. A roll cake made of a soft and delicate sponge brushed with a bright red liqueur called Alchermes, and filled with chocolate. A must-make for all the chocolate lovers.

Song of the day: Don't Know Why - Nora Jones

Nutella Roll, or "Salame del Re"

To explain, my parents are from a small town near Rome, in the Valle dell'Aniene, where this Nutella Roll, called "Salame del Re" (literally translated "King's Salami"), is the traditional sweet. It is indeed very popular and all the bakeries in the area sell it, with or without Alchermes liqueur. Needless to say, whenever we are there, we like to buy it. While, when we are in Canada, we make our own, and it is very similar to the original one. Nutella Roll, or "Salame del Re" is basically a light and soft Pan di Spagna, sponge cake, with a chocolate filling, rolled into a "sweet roll". Make it with us.

Ingredients

Eggs. Large, better free run, and at room temperature.
Sugar. Granulated or light cane sugar.
Vanilla extract, especially if using regular baking powder. Or a grating of lemon zest.
Flour. I use 00 flour, all-purpose will do.
Baking powder. I use the Italian lievito vanigliato which is additioned with vanilline.
Alchermes liqueur, it is optional, because it is not easy to find outside of Italy. You can substitute it with another liqueur, or simply brush with milk. Or omit.
Nutella, softened in a bain-marie (water bath) or the microwave. You could use another chocolate spread you like.

How to make Nutella Roll, or "Salame del Re"

Preheat the oven to 350° F/180°C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly grease the parchment, set aside.
In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat together the eggs with the sugar and the vanilla or lemon zest, if using, until foamy and smooth (15 minutes, no less).
Sift the flour and baking powder and slowly add it to the egg mixture with a whisk, with quick bottom to top movements.

Pour the batter onto the lined baking sheet and level with an offset spatula.
Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes or until lightly golden.
Sprinkle some sugar onto a towel. Invert the baking sheet onto it, then gently remove the baking sheet and peel the parchment paper off.

Using the towel, gently roll it onto itself from the shorter side, leaving the towel in between. Leave it rolled for 1-2 minutes, just to get the shape.
Then, unroll it gently.

Lightly brush with the liqueur, if using.
Soften the Nutella in the microwave or on a double boiler. Spread the Nutella evenly on top.

Starting from the shorter side, roll it onto itself, place it onto a platter and let it cool.

Nutella Roll is one of my husband's favorite desserts, and a crowd pleaser. If you love chocolate as much as we do, this is a must make. The sponge cake is soft and delicate with a lovely sweetness, and the Nutella filling is thick and scrumptious. The brush of Alchermes reminds the flavor of the Zuppa Inglese, another classic Italian dessert.

In the end, this Nutella Roll, traditional Italian Salame del Re, is a sweet indulgence, a pretty decadence in swirls and curls, a feast for the tastebuds. It could be such a pretty sweet for Valentine's Day, or any day, for that matter.

Enjoy!