Equipment
Ingredients
roulade sponge
- 10 g unsalted butter, melted
- 180 g dark chocolate, chopped
- 6 egg, separated
- 175 g caster sugar
- 25 g cocoa powder
- 30 ml whiskey
- 150 ml heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks
ganache
- 300 ml heavy cream
- 300 g dark chocolate, chopped
decoration
- 5 g icing sugar, powdered
- 1 holly sprig
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 690 kcal
- Protein
- 10 g
- Carbohydrates
- 63 g
- Fat
- 44 g
- Fiber
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 53 g
- Sodium
- 89 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 26 g
- Trans Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 13 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 225 mg
- Potassium
- 494 mg
- Calcium
- 98 mg
- Iron
- 6.0 mg
- Magnesium
- 112 mg
- Phosphorus
- 261 mg
- Zinc
- 2.1 mg
- Vitamin A
- 307 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 0 mg
- Vitamin D
- 1.7 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.3 mg
- Vitamin K
- 7 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.6 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.05 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.34 mg
- Niacin
- 0.6 mg
- Folate
- 23 mcg
- Water
- 67 g
- Alcohol
- 1 g
- Caffeine
- 33 mg
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease a 33x23cm Swiss roll tin with butter and line it with baking paper.
Melt 180g of dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, ensuring the bowl does not touch the water. Stir until smooth and set aside to cool.
Whisk the egg whites in a clean bowl using an electric whisk until they form stiff peaks.
In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks and caster sugar until the mixture becomes thick, pale, and creamy.
Gently stir the cooled melted chocolate into the egg yolk mixture until fully combined.
Fold two tablespoons of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it, then carefully fold in the remaining whites followed by the sifted cocoa powder.
Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake at 180°C (350°F) for 25 minutes or until the center feels firm to the touch.
Heat 300ml of heavy cream in a saucepan until steaming, then remove from heat and stir in 300g of chopped chocolate until smooth. Chill until spreadable.
Turn the cooled sponge out onto a sheet of baking paper dusted with cocoa powder, peel off the original lining paper, and brush the surface with whiskey.
Spread the 150ml of whipped cream over the sponge and roll it tightly from the long edge, using the paper to guide the movement.
Trim one end of the roll at an angle and attach it to the side to form a branch. Pipe the ganache in rows over the roll and dust with icing sugar.
Chef's Notes
- For a foolproof roulade, ensure your egg whites are whisked to stiff, glossy peaks. Any under-whisking will result in a cake that cracks easily.
- When folding in the dry ingredients and egg whites, use a light hand. Overmixing will deflate the batter, leading to a dense and less flexible sponge.
- Don't overbake the sponge! A slightly underbaked, moist cake will be more pliable for rolling and less prone to cracking. The residual heat will continue to cook it slightly as it cools.
- For the ganache, use good quality dark chocolate. The flavor of the chocolate is paramount here. Ensure it's cooled to a spreadable consistency before applying to the roulade.
- When rolling, be firm but gentle. Using the parchment paper as a tool will help you achieve a tight, even roll without crushing the cake.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Keep in an airtight container to prevent the sponge from drying out.
Troubleshooting
Sponge cracks significantly when rolling
Cause: The cake was overbaked and lost too much moisture
Fix: Use the ganache to fill and cover the cracks; the bark texture will hide imperfections
Prevention: Check the cake at 20 minutes; it should be just set and not brittle
Ganache is too runny to pipe
Cause: The mixture has not chilled sufficiently
Fix: Refrigerate for another 20 minutes and re-test the consistency
Prevention: Allow at least 60 minutes of refrigeration for the ganache to set
Cultural Context
The roulade, a rolled cake, has roots in Central Europe, with variations appearing in Austrian, German, and Hungarian cuisines. The chocolate version, particularly a flourless one, gained popularity as a rich and decadent dessert, often associated with celebratory occasions and fine dining due to its elegant presentation and intense chocolate flavor.
