Many years ago, I had the great fortune to eat at Tio Pepe’s restaurant in Baltimore. In its heyday, it was one of the destinations you would go to for a perfect meal when you had something important to celebrate. You would enter into the restaurant on Franklin street and descend into the basement level where you would encounter the white washed walls and arched doorways lined with folks spilling over from the bar. It didn’t matter if you made reservations, there was always a wait. The first time I ate there, I remember thinking how simple and cheesy it all looked for a fine dining place that had such a great reputation…but each time I went, the food was always very well done.
The traditional fare served here was old world Spanish cuisine, from the paella which was always delicious to the endless pitchers of sangria and the famous mandarin pine nut roll for dessert.
The restaurant originally opened in 1968 and has stayed true to its cuisine over the years. Although I hear mixed reviews on the food these days, the service is always impeccable and performed by seasoned veterans who have been there for years.
When I would visit, my dessert of choice was always the pine nut roll which used to have mandarin segments in it…nowadays there are no mandarins. The cake was always so light and fluffy and filled with an equally delicate custard cream. The mandarin segments were tossed in the custard and appeared in every bite throughout the roll. The toasted pine nuts on the outside simply rounded out the creaminess by creating that perfect but delicate, buttery crunch. It was always something I enjoyed so much and have since replicated the flavor and texture to enjoy it at home. Because of the custard, this is a perishable product and should be kept refrigerated until service. It will also slice much better if it is well chilled. It is quick and easy to make and something that will always WOW your guests.
Mandarin Pine Nut Roll (6 slices)
1 recipe roulade
½ recipe vanilla pastry cream
1 ¼ cups heavy cream, slightly sweetened with powdered sugar
1 large jar mandarin segments in light syrup
2 cups pine nuts, toasted in the oven until golden brown
First make the custard, allow it to cool and then refrigerate until ready to use. Next toast the pine nuts and make the roulade and allow both to cool. Once the cake roll has cooled, invert it onto either a piece of parchment or a piece of plastic wrap, this will help you roll it up easily. For this roll, I rolled it up on the shorter end of the pan to provide a nicer, higher slice. If you would like something smaller, roll it along the longer end of the roll.
Next, add the heavy cream plus a little powdered sugar to the bowl of your stand mixer and begin whipping. As the cream begins to form soft peaks, slowly begin to add the pastry cream until it whips up as stiff as you can get it.
Using an offset spatula, spread about one third of the custard onto the cake, then add the mandarin segments. Next add another one third of the custard over the mandarin segments, making sure not to put too much custard or any mandarin pieces on the far end of the roll that will become the bottom.
If you put too much custard here, it will simply squeeze out. Once you have added the cream, start rolling using the plastic or parchment paper under the cake.
Once the cake is rolled up, coat the entire cake with the final one third of the custard and then add the nuts. Refrigerate this for at least 30 minutes before slicing, it will help the cake set up and provide you with prettier slices.
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