[ RECIPE ] Chocolate Roulade

Although I’m most likely to share the healthiest and tastiest of dishes, there is a time when an occasional ‘little bit of something good’ is worth a try! Plus, if you’re going to share with friends, family, neighbours and colleagues etc and not consume the whole thing on your own in a dark room, what’s the harm?!

I absolutely adore Chocolate Roulade. Growing up, it was always more about this being bought in. I didn’t even know that it could be made from scratch unless you were an actual professional in the kitchen. The bake has been adapted from Leith’s ‘How To Cook’, a book that really got me started with cooking and baking. 

There are a number of steps to making this bake a success but they are well worth it and not too difficult either for someone with some baking experience.

I’d suggest to serve with something sweet like raspberries, strawberries or even kiwi to counter the richness (although the filling helps with this too). Let’s bake!

Serves 6-8  |  30 Mins Prep Time  |  20 Mins Baking

300g Quality Dark Chocolate
100ml Water
1 teaspoon Coffee Granules
5 Large Eggs (separated into two bowl)
150g Caster Sugar 
2 tablespoons Icing Sugar, plus extra
200ml Double Cream

 

Line a shallow roasting tin with enough greaseproof paper to cover the entire tin, with enough excess to go over the sides. 

Break up the chocolate into small pieces and place in a small, heavy-based saucepan over a low heat, along with the water and coffee granules. As soon as it has melted, leave to the side to cool.

Pre-heat the oven to 200C (conventional) or 180C (fan-assisted)

Add the 5 yolks to a medium-sized mixing bowl along with the caster sugar (reserving 1 tablespoon).

Using an electric whisk, mix until the ingredients become pale (3-4 minutes). Now thoroughly wash and dry the beaters from the whisk.

In a seperate medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk the egg whites to medium-stiff peaks, then add the remaining tablespoon of caster sugar. This will stabilise the whites.

Going back to the egg yolk and sugar mixture, stir in the cooled chocolate mixture until a marbled texture forms. Then take a large spoonful of the egg white mixture and slowly add to the other bowl. Add the remaining whites and continue to carefully fold in.

Spread the mixture into the lined baking tray and place in the oven for about 15-20 minutes, or until you can see a crust forming. It will also be ready when it is slightly spongy in the middle when pressed.

When ready, remove from the oven and carefully slide the greaseproof paper across onto a wire rack to allow the sponge to cool down. Cover with a clean and slightly dampened tea towl (or kitchen paper) to stop it from drying out.

Once the sponge has fully cooled, place a large piece of greaseproof paper (larger than the one used for the sponge) onto the work surface, along with some icing sugar.

Very quickly and carefully, turn the sponge onto this greaseproof paper, using the wire rack as support and then peel off the original paper.

To make the filling, using the electric whisk on a low setting, whisk together the cream and the icing sugar. The mixture should hold its shape, not too be too rigid but easy enough to spread.

Spread the mixture over the sponge, leaving a 2cm border around all of the edges.

Make an indentation across the width of the sponge (about 1cm in), which will help to initially roll it. Begin to roll the sponge over using the greaseproof paper as support. Remove the greaseproof paper as you are going along.

Wrap the roulade back into greaseproof paper and leave in the fridge for 20 minutes to stiffen.

When ready to serve, trim off both ends, dust with icing sugar and serve as suggested.