Go Back
chocolate roulade

Chocolate roulade

This chocolate roulade is a delicious, light but decadent dessert. With no flour, it's gluten free but best of all, so easy to make.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 8
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: British, French
Calories: 433
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 175 g (1 cup) dark chocolate (at least 35% cocoa solids)
  • 6 eggs
  • 175 g (¾ cup + 1/8 cup) caster sugar
  • 2 tbsp cocoa powder
  • 300 ml (1 ¼ cup) double cream
  • icing sugar to dust

Equipment

  • Digital scales
  • Freestanding mixer
  • Mixing bowl
  • Hand held mixer
  • Measuring cups
  • measuring spoons
  • Swiss roll tin
  • Spatula
  • Sauce pan

Method
 

Preheat your oven to 180C / 160C / 350F and grease and line a swiss roll tin
  1. When you're lining the tin with baking / parchment paper make sure you get it right in the corner. If you need to, snip the paper in the corner so it lies neatly.
Melt the chocolate
  1. Weigh the chocolate, and break it up into pieces to to make it easier to melt. Put it all in a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water (a double boiler). Make sure the bowl isn't touch the water so the chocolate doesn't scold.
  2. Melt the chocolate gently, stirring it unil it is nice and smooth.
  3. Alternatively, put the chocolate in a microwavable bowl and put it in the microwave on 80% for 30 second bursts. Stir it inbetween bursts making sure it doesn't go on for long enough to burn.
  4. Set the melted chocolate aside for now.
Whisk the egg whites
  1. Start by separating the egg yolks / whites. We normally do this by cracking the egg on a bowl then breaking it in half. We then tip the egg yolk from one half to the other, letting the whites fall into a bowl below.
  2. Pop the egg yolks in a separate bowl.
  3. Now whisk the egg whites in a large mixing bowl or free-standing mixer, until they are light and fluffy. When they are ready, the egg whites will form stiff peaks, which means if you leave the whisk out the egg whites will stand proud and not fall down. If you were to turn the bowl upside down, the egg whites shouldn't fall out.
  4. Set the egg whites aside for now.
Whisk the egg yolks and sugar
  1. Whisk the egg yolks and caster sugar in a bowl or free-standing mixer. Keep going until the egg yolks are thick and creamy. If you take the whisk out, the egg trail should leave a 'ribbon' on top of the mixture rather than disappearing straight away.
Add the melted chocolate
  1. Pour the melted chocolate into the egg yolks and using a spatula, gently fold them together.
Add the egg whites
  1. Start by adding a few spoons of the egg whites into your chocolate / egg yolk mixture. Really, really gently fold the egg whites in with a spatula or large metal spoon.
  2. Now add the rest of the egg whites and fold them in gently.
Add the cocoa powder
  1. Sift the 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder and gently mix it in.
  2. You want the mixture to end up chocolatey, with no great lumps of egg white showing. But don't mix it so much that you knock all the air out of your mixture.
Bake the chocolate roulade
  1. Carefully pour the roulade mixture into your prepared tin. Give it a wee shoogle to spread the mixture into each corner.
  2. Bake the chocolate roulade in the oven for 20-25 minutes. It's ready when the top of the roulade feels firm and a little crisp.
  3. Remove the roulade from the oven and leave it to cool in the tin. Don't worry if it cracks and falls a little as it cools.
Make the chocolate roulade
  1. Whip the cream until the cream is just holding it's shape, but still a little soft.
  2. Put a clean tea towel down on your work surface and lay a large piece of baking / parchment paper down on top of it. Carefully turn the roulade out on the baking paper then peel the paper from the base off.
  3. Spread the whipped cream onto the roulade. Leave a few cm (about an inch) gap around the edges.
  4. Now roll up the roulade, starting with the short edge facing you. To make it easier to roll, cut near the edge with a sharp knife, going about half way through the roulade. Roll the roulade up, using the cut to help you make it tight in the middle. Use the baking paper / tea towel to help you roll it tightly.
  5. Finish it by dusting a little icing sugar over the top.

Notes

If you find it difficult to turn the roulade out you can try putting a large chopping board on top then flipping them over together.