Chocolate Roulade

This delicious dessert is made with only three ingredients plus cream for the filling. It contains neither butter nor flour and is very easy to make!

For the roulade you will need:

175g of dark chocolate, the darker the better

4 large free range eggs, separated

100g of caster sugar

For the filling you will need:

250ml of fresh cream, whipped

chocolate flakes or grated chocolate for decoration

Method:

line a swiss roll type tin (approx. 30cm x 23cm) with baking parchment
break the chocolate into pieces and melt it in a microwave for 3 x 30 second bursts
mix the chocolate until smooth then leave it aside to cool
separate the eggs
measure the caster sugar into a large bowl and put the egg yolks in with the sugar
put the egg whites into a separate, very clean, grease-free bowl. If there is any trace of grease, including even tiny wisps of egg yolk, the egg whites will not whisk up properly, so it’s worth taking a bit of care at this stage
whisk the egg whites until they are stiff and hold their shape

whisk the sugar and egg yolks together until they are pale, thick and creamy – this should take about 3 – 4 minutes if using an electric beater

gently fold the cooled chocolate, a little at a time, into the egg yolk and sugar mixture

when the chocolate is all mixed in, then fold the egg whites into this mixture a little at a time, using a spatula. Be gentle with this folding so as to keep as much air as possible in the mixture

spread the mixture into the prepared tin and bake it for about 15 minutes, or until it is well risen and firm

turn the cooked roulade out onto a sheet of baking parchment that has been sprinkled with a little caster sugar. Gently peel off the lining paper and then cover the roulade with a clean tea towel. Leave it to cool completely
when the roulade has cooled, trim the edges of it with a very sharp knife. This will make it easier to roll up

to finish, whip the cream until it is stiff. Keep some of it back to decorate the top of the finished roulade, then spread the rest over the cake
gently roll the cake from the narrow end, using the parchment paper to roll it away from you. Don’t worry about the odd crack in the surface – the cream will cover it up!