Chocolate cake can be one of the most decadent and complicated home bakes but this roulade makes the whole thing easier.
Mary Berry’s recipe for creamy, cocoa-infused roulade is the perfect compromise for an indulgent treat that’s both easy and impressive.
As featured in her best-selling book, Mary Berry’s Baking Bible, the cake resembles a classic roulade with its roll form and creamy core.
While it looks complicated to make, it couldn’t be easier with just five ingredients and a five-step method.
Plus, with just 20 minutes required in the oven, it’s great for whipping up in a hurry.
Method
Start with a preheated oven set to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Next, lightly grease a 33cm x 23cm Swiss-roll tin and line it with nonstick baking parchment, making sure to push it right into the corners.
Prepare the mixture by breaking the dark chocolate into small pieces over a bowl, then stand the bowl over a pan of hot water.
It’s important that the bowl doesn’t touch the water or the chocolate may overheat. Instead, keep a gap between the two and place the pan over low heat until the chocolate has melted.
Measure the sugar and egg yolks into a large bowl and whisk with an electric whisk until light and creamy before adding the cooled chocolate.
Stir evenly until everything is blended, then, in a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff but not dry.
Mix a large spoonful of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture. Stir everything gently together, then fold in the remaining egg whites and the sieved cocoa powder.
Spread evenly in the prepared tin and leave to bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes until firm. Remove the cake from the oven, leave in the tin, cover with a dry tea towel and leave alone until completely cold.
Whip the cream until it just holds its shape and dust a large piece of greaseproof paper with sifted icing sugar. Turn out the roulade and peel off the paper then spread with the cream.
Score a mark 2.5cm in along the short edge, then roll up very tightly like a Swiss roll, using the paper to help. Do not worry when the roulade cracks – a good one should! Dust with more sifted icing sugar to serve.
