Layered Pastries and Roulades

Layered Individual Pastries Can be composed of various types of cake or pastry that are baked as sheets so they can be layered or rolled with a complementary filling. Properly assembled, the evenly filled, level layers make a dramatic and visually appealing pastry when sliced. A variety of icings, such as ganache, buttercream, whipped cream, fondant, or a clear glaze, may be applied to the assembled pastry. These large layered pastries can be cut into a variety of shapes, such as triangles or rectangles, to make individual portions. Assembling pastries in this manner results in very little loss or trim, making them an economical choice for production. Many traditional, classic, and contemporary cakes can be adapted with only minor modifications to suit this style of assembly. Roulades are made from a sheet of cake that is flexible enough to be rolled without splitting. The cake is spread with an even layer of filling, then rolled, chilled, iced, and decorated. The roulade is then sliced into individual portions for service. Roulades are easy to prepare and can be made ahead and finished as needed.