Mint Chocolate Ice Cream Rolls

Look I am just going to tell you how to make this thing. I tried making this three times before I got it right. First time the cake stuck to the towel. Second time the ice cream melted everywhere. Third time I forgot the peppermint extract. I used mint syrup instead. Big mistake. Tasted like toothpaste. Fourth time worked. So mint chocolate ice cream rolls.

What Even Is This?

You take chocolate cake. Thin cake. Like really thin. You put mint ice cream on it. You roll it. You freeze it. You slice it. That is it. People think this is fancy. It is not fancy. It is just cake and ice cream put together in a different way. The rolling part is the only hard part. Everything else is normal.

Read Also: Vegan Ice Cream Rolls Recipe

The Flavor

Mint and chocolate go together. Everyone knows this. It is not a secret.

Here is something I read. A student made mint chocolate chip ice cream in 1973. Her name was Marilyn Ricketts. She made it for a princess wedding. She won the contest. That is why mint chocolate chip is a thing.

But really people have been eating mint with chocolate for hundreds of years. They did it in Europe in the 1500s. Chocolate was bitter back then. Mint made it taste better. So this is not new.

Baskin Robbins sold it in 1945. That is old. Today it is the fourth most popular flavor. Everyone likes it. So you are making something people already like. You are just rolling it up.

What You Need?

Go to the store.

• Eggs. Get a dozen because you will break one. I broke one.
• Sugar. White sugar. The regular kind.
• Flour. Just flour. Not the fancy kind.
• Cocoa powder. Unsweetened.
• Salt. Just a pinch.
• Heavy cream. Two cartons. One for the ice cream and one for the topping.
• Milk. Whole milk.
• Peppermint extract. This is important. Do not get mint syrup. Get the extract. It is stronger.
• Mini chocolate chips. The small ones. If you use regular chips they are too big and they sink.
• Green food coloring. I use it. You do not have to. But the green looks nice when you slice it.
• Powdered sugar for the towel and for the whipped cream.
• Vanilla.
• That is everything.

The Pan

You need a jelly roll pan. It is 10 by 15 inches. It has a lip on the edges. You cannot use a regular baking sheet because the batter will run off. Line it with parchment paper. Make the paper hang over the edges. This helps you lift the cake out.

The Towel

This is important. Get a clean kitchen towel. Not a fluffy one. A smooth one. Like the ones you dry dishes with. You dust this towel with powdered sugar. A lot of powdered sugar. Cover the whole thing. This stops the cake from sticking. I used a fluffy towel once. The cake stuck. I had to scrape it off with a spatula. It was not a roll anymore. It was crumbs.

Make the Cake

Set the oven to 375. Let it heat up.

Separate the eggs. Yolks in one bowl. Whites in another bowl. Be careful. If any yolk gets in the whites they will not whip right. I am bad at separating eggs so I always use a little cup to separate each one. If I mess one up I throw it away and try again. Take the yolks. Put half the sugar in. Beat it with a mixer. Beat it until it is pale and thick. This takes maybe three minutes. When you lift the beaters the mixture should fall in ribbons. If it is too thin keep beating.

Now take the egg whites. Beat them until they are foamy. Then add the rest of the sugar slowly. Keep beating. Beat until stiff peaks. Stiff peaks mean when you lift the beater the egg white stands straight up. It does not droop. Now sift the cocoa and flour and salt together. I hate sifting. I always make a mess. But you have to do it. It gets the lumps out.

Fold the dry stuff into the egg yolk mixture. Do not stir. Fold. Gently. I use a spatula and go under and over. Under and over. If you stir hard the cake gets tough. Fold in the egg whites. Do it in three parts. Fold each part in gently. Stop when you do not see white streaks. Do not overmix. Overmixing makes the cake flat.

Pour the batter into the pan. Spread it even. The layer will be thin. That is right. Bake for ten to twelve minutes. Watch it. When you touch it and it springs back it is done. When the edges pull away from the pan it is done.

Roll It Right Away

This part is urgent. Do not wait.

Lay your towel on the counter. Dust it with powdered sugar. Be generous. Cover the whole thing. Take the cake out of the oven. Turn it onto the towel right away. The cake is hot. The parchment paper is on top. Peel the paper off. It comes off easy because the cake is hot. Now roll the cake up in the towel. Start from the short end. Roll it snug but not tight. Let it cool like this. This trains the cake to stay rolled.

Leave it for an hour. Go do something else. Wash the bowls. Check your phone. Eat a snack.

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Make the Ice Cream

While the cake cools make the ice cream.

Put the milk in a saucepan. Add half the sugar. Heat it until little bubbles show up around the edges. Do not boil it. Just get it hot. In a bowl whisk the egg yolks with the rest of the sugar. Whisk until thick and pale. This takes a few minutes.

Now pour the hot milk into the egg yolks. Pour slowly. Whisk constantly while you pour. If you pour too fast the eggs cook and you get bits. I have done this. It is gross.

Pour the whole thing back into the saucepan. Cook it over medium low heat. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon. Stir until it coats the back of the spoon. If you run your finger through it the line stays. That means it is thick enough.

Take it off the heat. Pour it through a strainer into a clean bowl. This catches any little cooked bits. Stir in the heavy cream. Stir in the peppermint extract. Taste it. It should taste like mint. Add more if you want. Add the green food coloring if you want.

Cover the bowl. Put it in the fridge. Leave it for at least four hours. Overnight is better.

When it is cold put it in your ice cream maker. Churn it until it is like soft serve. Add the mini chocolate chips near the end. They mix in better that way.

Put It Together

Take the ice cream out of the churner. It is soft. That is okay.

Unroll the cake on the towel. It will hold its shape.

Spread the ice cream over the cake. Leave an inch of cake bare on all sides. Spread it even. Work fast because the ice cream melts.

Roll the cake back up. Start from the same short end. Use the towel to help you. Roll it gentle but firm. Some ice cream will squish out the ends. That is okay. Just wipe it off.

Wrap the roll in plastic wrap. Wrap it tight. Put it seam side down on a baking sheet. Put it in the freezer for at least four hours.

The Topping

Take the roll out. Unwrap it.

Whip the heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla. Whip until soft peaks. Spread this on the outside of the roll. Cover the whole thing.

Press mini chocolate chips into the whipped cream. Press them gently so they stick.

Put it back in the freezer for another hour.

Slice It

• Take it out ten minutes before you serve. Let it sit.
• Use a sharp knife. Dip it in hot water. Wipe it dry. Make a slice. Dip it again. Wipe it again. Make another slice. This keeps the slices clean.
• Each slice has the spiral. Dark cake. Green ice cream. Little chips everywhere.
• Put it on a plate. Add a mint leaf if you have one.

Problems

• The cake cracks. Mine cracked too. I covered it with the whipped cream. Nobody noticed.
• The ice cream melts while you spread it. Put it back in the freezer for fifteen minutes. Try again.
• The cake sticks to the towel. You did not use enough powdered sugar. Use more next time. For now just peel it off carefully.
• The ice cream gets icy. You froze it too long or you did not churn it enough. It still tastes good. Just not as smooth.

Make It Ahead

• You can make this two days before you serve it. Keep it wrapped in the freezer. It gets better. The flavors blend.
• Leftovers last for weeks in the freezer. Wrap them tight.

Different Ways

No ice cream maker. Just whip heavy cream with sweetened condensed milk and peppermint extract. Add chips. Freeze it. It is not exactly ice cream but it works. No cake. Use chocolate crepes. Fill them with mint cream. Roll them. Freeze them. Dip them in chocolate. This is faster. Different flavors. Vanilla. Chocolate. Cookie dough. Whatever you want. The rolling method is the mint chocolate ice cream rolls.

Conclusion

This dessert is messy. It takes time. You will use a lot of bowls. You will get chocolate on your shirt. You will get ice cream on the counter. But when you slice it and see that spiral you will be happy. It looks good. It tastes good. People will think you are a good cook. You do not have to tell them it cracked.