Chocolate Roulade Recipe

I’m no cook but this light, chocolaty and moreish pudding from ’The Ideal Home Show Seasonal Cookbook’ is so easy to make and tastes amazing!

Prep Time: 25 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Serves: 6

Ingredients:
6 free range eggs, separated
½ tsp vanilla extract ( I accidently put in a Tbsp)
225g caster sugar
50g cocoa powder, twice sifted ( I forgot to sift)
30g dark chocolate, finely grated
Icing sugar, sifted.

Filling:
300ml double cream
A little icing sugar

1. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees (160 for fan ovens)/ gas mark 4. Line a Swiss roll tin measuring approximately 33×21 cm with non stick baking parchment.

2. Whisk up the egg yolks, vanilla extract and caster sugar together in a large bowl until the mixture it fluffy and thick. Next, carefully fold in the sifted cocoa powder with a large spoon.

3. Whisk the egg whites in a separate bowl (electric whisk is easier than doing it by hand, I learnt the hard way!) until you can form stiff peaks. Fold in a spoonful of the egg whites mixture into the cocoa mixture to loosen, then add the rest of the egg whites and mixture with quick strokes.

4. Spoon the mixture into your Swiss roll tin and evenly spread making sure you get mixture right into the corners.

5. Pop the tin the oven for 20 mins until golden brown and springy to the touch. Take out and leave to rest for 3 to 4 minutes. Then, turn onto a sheet of parchment paper sprinkled with icing sugar.

6. Leave it to cool for 20 minutes until slightly warm so it is easy to roll.

7. Whisk the double cream until nice and thick, then add some icing sugar. Spread the whipped cream evenly over the top of the sponge (Optional: You may like to add some grated chocolate at this stage)

8. This is the fun bit! Start to roll up the sponge, don’t worry if it crackles, it looks more authentic!

9. Get your grated chocolate and sprinkle over the top, and pop into the fridge and voila!

10. Cut a slice and munch away!

Note:

Take it out of the fridge around half an hour before serving – allowing it to come to room temperature.

Buy more than 30g of dark chocolate, you WILL end up eating most of it!

Tip: You may wish to add other fillings into your roulade. Try jam, chocolate spread, cocktail cherries, thick fruit filling or Lemon curd….

Just when your guests think the delicious meal is over, you can bring out this yummy, chocolatey delight!