FRENCH CHOCOLATE ROLL

French Chocolate Roll – a Valentine’s Day favorite

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today’s French Chocolate Roll recipe is a dream in rich dark chocolate. The sponge cake is a rich chocolatey base for this confection with hints of coffee and cinnamon.  The filling is rich, smooth and silky. Use lots. In our picture today, I definitely think this roll needs more filling. The filling can also serve as frosting on the outside of the jelly roll cake, if there is any left over. An alternative to using filling on the outside is to use a chocolate glaze or a coating of whipped cream. Garnish with chocolate curls and chocolate dipped maraschino cherries.

The cake needs to stay in the refrigerator until serving time as the filling is rich and gooey and will become too soft if left at room temperature.  The chocolate roll will serve 6 to 8 deserving loved ones easily. A delectable treat for Valentine’s Day celebrations.

 

CHOCOLATE SPONGE CAKE:

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 cup sifted cake flour

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon instant coffee

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup cocoa

1/4 cup vegetable oil

3 egg yolks

6 tablespoons water

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

3 egg whites

Icing (confectioner’s) sugar

 

METHOD:

Preheat oven: 350°F.

1. Whisk the first 7 ingredients together in a deep bowl.
2. Make a well. Add in order: vegetable oil, egg yolks, water, and vanilla. Beat batter with a spoon until smooth.
3. Add cream of tartar to egg whites in a beater bowl. Beat egg whites until very stiff peaks form.
4. Fold batter into the egg whites very gently using a rubber spatula until well blended. Fold. Do not stir.
5. Line a 10×15 inch jelly roll pan with waxed paper and grease paper lightly (no stick spray works well for this).
6. Turn batter into pan, smoothing batter to the edges. Bake at 350°F. for 12 – 15 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched with your finger.
7. Immediately turn out onto a clean tea towel that has been covered with sifted icing sugar. Peel off waxed paper, working quickly. Trim off any crisp edges. Roll the cake in the tea towel beginning at the long end, encasing the cake in the towel. Let cool. Gently unroll the cake, spread cake with the French Chocolate filling. Reroll. Use the remaining filling to frost the outside of the cake. Refrigerate until serving time.

FRENCH CHOCOLATE FILLING:

3 oz. unsweetened chocolate

1/4 pound unsalted butter

1 cup sifted icing sugar

2 eggs

1.Melt chocolate.

2.Cream butter. Add sugar gradually while creaming.

3.Beat eggs into mixture thoroughly. Slowly add melted chocolate while beating.

4.Spread filling generously on cooled cake and roll up. Reserve some filling to frost the outside.

Note: If you run out of filling for the outside of the cake, whip 1 cup of heavy (whipping) cream with 1 package of Dr. Oetker’s Whip It and about 3 tablespoons of sugar. Spread on outside of cake. Garnish with chocolate curls and chocolate dipped maraschino cherries.

Tags: chocolate jelly roll, chocolate sponge cake, French chocolate frosting, French chocolate roll

Category: Cakes & Tortes, Desserts