Our Recipes, re-invented from cooking shows
Orange Almond Mini Rolls
Prep. Time:
Baking Time:
Total Time:
50 mins
15 mins
1 hour 45 mins
Serves:
Makes 12 mini rolls
Delicate almond sponge cake infused with fresh orange, filled with honey-sweetened mascarpone and topped with candied orange and toasted almonds
Ingredients
ALMOND ORANGE SPONGE
4 large eggs, separated, room temperature
½ cup (100g) caster sugar, divided
⅓ cup (40g) cake flour (or all-purpose flour sifted twice)
⅓ cup (35g) almond flour (finely ground)
Zest of 2 large navel oranges (about 2 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon butter, melted and cooled
Powdered sugar for dusting
HONEY MASCARPONE FILLING
8 oz (225g) mascarpone cheese, room temperature
3 tablespoons orange blossom honey
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon orange blossom water
Zest of 1 orange
Pinch of kosher salt
TOPPING:
4 oz high-quality white chocolate, finely chopped
2 tablespoons heavy cream
½ cup sliced almonds, toasted golden
2 tablespoons candied orange peel, finely chopped (or store-bought)
Flaky sea salt for finishing
Instructions
SPONGE:
Prep: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a 10×15-inch jelly roll pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang. Lightly butter the parchment.
Yolk mixture: In a large bowl, whisk egg yolks with ¼ cup sugar until pale and ribbony (about 3 minutes). Whisk in orange zest, orange juice, and vanilla.
Meringue: In a spotlessly clean bowl, whip egg whites with salt until foamy. Gradually add remaining ¼ cup sugar and whip to glossy, stiff peaks that hold their shape.
Fold: Sift cake flour and almond flour together twice. Gently fold flour mixture into yolk mixture until just combined. Fold in cooled melted butter, then fold in ⅓ of the meringue to lighten. Carefully fold in remaining meringue in two additions, being gentle to preserve volume.
Bake: Spread batter evenly in prepared pan using an offset spatula. Bake 12-15 minutes until golden and springs back when lightly touched. The cake should just start to pull away from the edges.
Roll: While still hot, turn cake onto a clean kitchen towel generously dusted with powdered sugar. Remove parchment and trim any crispy edges. Starting from the short end, roll cake in towel. Cool completely on a wire rack (about 45 minutes).
FILLING:
In a medium bowl, whisk mascarpone until smooth. Add honey, heavy cream, orange blossom water (if using), orange zest, and salt. Whisk until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Taste and adjust sweetness or orange blossom water as desired.
WHITE CHOCOLATE GANACHE:
Place chopped white chocolate in a small bowl. Heat cream in a small saucepan until just simmering. Pour over chocolate and let sit 1 minute, then whisk until smooth. Let cool slightly until spreadable but not set.
ASSEMBLY:
Fill: Carefully unroll cooled sponge. Using an offset spatula, spread mascarpone filling evenly over surface, leaving a ½-inch border on all sides.
Roll: Re-roll tightly without the towel, using the parchment to help guide. The seam should be on the bottom. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.
Slice: Using a sharp serrated knife wiped clean between cuts, trim ends to create clean edges. Cut into 12 even slices (about 1¼ inches each).
Finish: Arrange on serving plates. Drizzle or brush tops with white chocolate ganache. Sprinkle with toasted almonds and candied orange peel. Finish with a tiny pinch of flaky sea salt on each roll.
Let's talk about the moment you decided to make proper orange almond rolls and realized you need orange blossom water. You've probably spent time online discovering it exists, costs £15 for a tiny bottle, and ships from somewhere that definitely isn't your local supermarket.
Here's what sophisticated baking blogs won't tell you: creating authentic Middle Eastern-European flavors is impossible when you can't source the ingredients that actually create those flavors. Orange blossom honey isn't just "fancy honey" - it's a completely different flavor profile. And orange blossom water? Good luck finding that outside a specialty Middle Eastern market three towns over.
We provide enough ingredients for you to make these stunning mini rolls twice - because once you taste what orange blossom actually does to baked goods, you'll understand why professional pastry chefs guard these ingredients like secrets.
Stop compromising with "orange extract." Stop wondering why your elegant baking doesn't taste quite... elegant.
What's in your kit:
- 1 cup caster sugar (proper British baking foundation)
- ⅔ cup almond flour (finely ground perfection, not chopped almonds)
- 6 tablespoons orange blossom honey (floral sophistication you can't fake)
- 2 teaspoons orange blossom water (the unicorn ingredient that changes everything)
- 4 tablespoons candied orange peel (quality crystallized citrus, not grocery store rubber)
- Finishing flaky sea salt (because sophisticated baking demands sophisticated seasoning)
This isn't just about making mini rolls - it's about understanding what separates good baking from the kind that makes people stop mid-conversation and ask for the recipe.
$23.50 shipped. Two dozen sophisticated mini rolls. Zero ingredient hunting.
You'll still need eggs, basic flour, mascarpone, and white chocolate, but those are the ingredients any decent store stocks.
