PETALING JAYA, May 3 — Baked cheese tarts seem so yesterday. Could Japanese-style roll cakes be the next new trend?
Recently, Kakigori launched their Japanese-style roll cakes in two flavours: Uji Matcha and Hojicha. It is an extension of their Japanese desserts selection of kakigori and mochi.
The Taman Paramount eatery was started last September by the Beh siblings: Kok Boon, Chew Yeng and Kok Aun. They also run Thirdwave, a cafe located in Nexus, Bangsar South.
“We ate a lot of these rolls in Japan and liked them a lot,” explained Chew Yeng. Unlike the Swiss rolls we are used to, these Japanese-style roll cakes are plumper yet light, fluffy and moist. The ratio of cream to roll is also greater.
The difference lies in the baking method, as it's essentially a chiffon cake. You need to separate the eggs, beating the whites to a fluffy mass which is folded into the egg yolk batter. It is also leavened naturally so the cake has a feather-like texture.
What Chew Yeng found out during their own R&D efforts is the texture of the cake is solely dependent on the quality and freshness of the eggs used.
After almost six months of testing including numerous batches using various eggs available in the local market, Kakigōri is happy that they have finally nailed the recipe.
You will also discover that two types of cream is used here; cloud-like whipped dairy cream and a flowing flavoured cream.
When served straight from the chiller, the flavoured cream tends to be a little firmer. Leave it out for a short time and the flavoured cream either in matcha or hojicha will have a flowing consistency.
Usually the roll cake is dusted with icing sugar but Kakigori prefers the use of kinako or toasted soy powder so the overall taste of the dessert is not too sweet.
In fact, the cream is unsweetened and the only hint of sweetness is from the cake. Underpinning the delicious taste of the cakes is the usage of matcha and hojicha from Marukyu-Koyamaen, a centuries-old green tea purveyor from Kyoto which has picked up multiple awards.
Prior to releasing the Japanese-style rolls, Kakigori tested the market by letting their customers sample the cakes. The tasting exercise also helped them gauge people's likes and dislikes and then they made the necessary tweaks for the Japanese-style roll cakes.
It's that pursuit of excellence which sets Kakigori apart from others. “We want to set the bar high or else it is very hard to stand out from the others,” explained Chew Yeng.
The cakes are sold for RM10 per slice or RM18 for two slices.
A whole roll can be pre-ordered for RM50 where it can be cut into approximately six slices measuring at least three centimetres. The cakes can be kept fresh up to three days from the date of purchase.
For the upcoming Mother's Day celebrations on May 14, Kakigōri has also unveiled their limited edition desserts.
There will be a Uji Matcha mousse cake — a multi-layered creation of matcha mousse, purple rice and shortbread crust.
The other option is the Hojicha mousse tart that combines hojicha mousse with coffee jelly and vanilla sponge layers. You can also find a layer of crunchy chocolate caviar pearls inside the soft cake made with the roasted green tea.
These items are available for RM98 each via pre-orders up to May 8. Early birds will enjoy a 10 per cent discount.
You can also add a special bouquet of dried flowers from Záhuòháng for RM130. Orders must be placed at the eatery or via Facebook with a 50 per cent deposit.
Kakigori is located at No. 25, Jalan 20/13, Taman Paramount, PJ. You can contact them via 03-78658999 or through this Facebook page. 
