Rhubarb Lemon Cake Roll w/white chocolate toasted almond semifreddo

Martina, I have never made this recipe. I would, however, be glad to be invited to the event at which it is being served!!!!!
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Rhubarb Lemon Cake Roll

Ingredients:

For filling

1 pound rhubarb, chopped (about 4 cups)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
1 tablespoon cold water

For cake

4 large eggs, separated
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
confectioners' sugar for dusting

For lemon syrup

2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon water

For lemon glaze

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Procedure:

Make filling:

In a heavy saucepan cook rhubarb with sugar over moderate heat, stirring often, 20 to 25 minutes, or until rhubarb is a thick pur e (about 1 1/2 cups). In a small bowl sprinkle gelatin over water and let soften 1 minute. Add gelatin to rhubarb and stir over low heat 1 minute, or until gelatin is dissolved. Transfer filling to a metal bowl set in a bowl of ice and cold water and stir occasionally until cooled and thickened.

Make cake:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line the bottom of a greased jelly-roll pan, 15 1/2 by 10 1/2 by 1 inch, with foil. Grease foil and dust with flour, knocking out excess.

In a bowl with an electric mixer beat egg yolks, 1/4 cup of the granulated sugar, zest, and vanilla until thick and pale and mixture forms a ribbon when beaters are lifted.

In a large bowl with cleaned beaters beat egg whites with salt until they hold soft peaks. Beat in the remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar gradually and beat whites until they hold stiff peaks.

Stir one third of whites into yolk mixture to lighten it and fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly. Sift flour and cornstarch over batter and fold in until batter is just combined.

Spread batter evenly in prepared pan and bake in middle of oven 6 to 9 minutes, or until cake is lightly colored and springs back when pressed lightly.

Dust a kitchen towel generously with confectioners' sugar and invert cake onto it. Remove foil carefully from cake. Starting with a long side, roll up cake loosely and gently in the towel and cool 30 minutes.

Make lemon syrup:

In a very small saucepan bring all ingredients to simmer, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Keep syrup warm.

Assemble cake:

Unroll cake carefully and brush with half of the warm syrup. Spread cake with filling and reroll cake carefully. Transfer cake to a platter, seam side down, and brush with remaining syrup. Chill roll, covered loosely, at least 2 hours or overnight.

Make lemon glaze:

In a small bowl stir together sugar and lemon juice to make a pourable glaze.

Transfer glaze to a small resealable plastic bag and snip one corner to make a small hole. Trim ends of cake diagonally and squeeze glaze decoratively over cake.

Serve cake, sliced crosswise, with white chocolate toasted almond semifreddo (recipe follows).

WHITE CHOCOLATE TOASTED ALMOND SEMIFREDDO

a scant cup sliced almonds (3 1/2 ounces), toasted lightly 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 6 ounces fine-quality white chocolate, chopped 2 large eggs 1/3 cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/4 teaspoon almond extract 1 1/2 cups chilled heavy cream

Line a metal loaf pan, 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 by 2 1/2 inches, with plastic wrap, leaving a 2-inch overhang on ends, and chill in freezer.

In a skillet cook almonds with salt in butter over moderately low heat, stirring, until almonds are coated well, about 1 minute. Chill almonds until cold.

In a metal bowl set over a pan of hot but not simmering water melt chocolate, stirring occasionally, and remove bowl from heat.

In another metal bowl beat eggs with sugar to combine. Set bowl over a pan of simmering water and beat until thick and pale and mixture registers 140 F. on an instant-read thermometer. Continue beating over simmering water 3 minutes (for egg safety) and remove from heat. Beat in chocolate, vanilla, and almond extract.

In another bowl beat cream until it just holds stiff peaks and fold into egg mixture gently but thoroughly. Fold in almonds and pour mixture into prepared pan. Cover pan with plastic wrap and freeze semifreddo 8 hours or overnight.

Unmold semifreddo onto a platter, discarding plastic wrap, and cut into thick slices. Cut slices crosswise into thirds and serve with rhubarb lemon cake roll. Serve 6 to 8.