Let It Roll
Baking up a holiday showstopper
Call it a Yule Cake Log, Duche e Noel or Chocolate Cake Roll, this delicious dessert is an impressive crescendo to a holiday table. It puts the “zazz” in “pizzazz.”
I appreciate this recipe for Chocolate Cake Roll because it is fairly simple without a lot of steps. When the holidays roll around, I can use a little simple.
This recipe is also a good template, meaning you can “zhuzh” it up with a favorite filling like coffee butter cream instead of whipped cream. Chocolate and coffee are an amazing pairing. A chocolate ganache can also be used over the cake roll instead of the chocolate glaze.
Besides, if you ask me, nothing says “holiday” more than a little chocolate.
Enjoy!
Chocolate Cake Roll
~Recipe by Kay Erickson
· 6 eggs, room temperature, separated
· 1 t. vanilla extract
· ¾ c. granulated sugar
· ¼ c. cocoa
· 2 t. instant espresso coffee (I like Medaglia D’oro)
· 3 T. cake flour
· ½ pint whipping cream, whipped
Chocolate Glaze
· 1 T. unsalted butter
· 1 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
· ¾ c. powdered sugar
· 1 t. corn syrup
· ½ t. vanilla extract
· Whipped cream rosettes for garnish
· Decorative candy for garnish
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Spray a 15-by-10-by-1-inch jelly roll pan with cooking spray. Line with parchment paper. Spray parchment paper. Set aside.
Beat the egg yolks and vanilla extract in small bowl with an electric mixer until thick and lemon colored. Gradually beat in ¼ cup of sugar. Beat the egg whites with a mixer in a large bowl with clean beaters until they are stiff but not dry. Gradually beat in ¼ cup sugar.
Fold egg yolk mixture into the whites. Sift together the remaining ¼ cup of sugar with cocoa, espresso coffee and cake flour. Fold this mixture into the egg mixture, about 2 tablespoons at a time.
Spread the batter in the prepared pan. Bake in a 375-degree oven for 15 minutes or just until cake springs back to the touch.
Loosen the edges of the cake. Turn out on a damp towel. Gradually remove the paper. Cut off any crisp cake edges. With the help of the towel, gently roll the cake, starting from the long side. Cool to room temperature. Unroll and spread with whipped cream, reserving some for garnish. Reroll.
Melt butter and chocolate in heavy pan. Do not stir. Combine the sugar with corn syrup, vanilla extract and 1½ tablespoons of water, blending in with the chocolate mixture. Beat until smooth. Spread glaze on the cake roll. Garnish with whipped cream rosettes and decorate with Christmas or holiday CandiFetti. Do not use nonpareils (a type of decorative confection,) as they will bleed into the rosettes.
Refrigerate until ready to serve.
