Mocha dessert roll

ingredients

• Mocha roll

  • melted butter, to grease
  • 180 gram good-quality dark chocolate, chopped
  • 1/4 cup (60ml) espresso coffee or strong freshly brewed coffee
  • 5 eggs, at room temperature, separated
  • 1/3 cup (75g) caster (superfine) sugar
  • 3/4 cup (185ml) thickened (whipping) cream
  • 1 tablespoon frangelico (or liqueur of your choice)
  • 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
  • berries, to serve (optional)

method

• Mocha roll

  • 1

    Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Brush a 20 cm x 30 cm (base measurement) Swiss roll tin (jelly roll tin) or shallow slice tin with melted butter to grease. Line the base and sides with one piece of baking paper, cutting into the corners to fit.

  • 2

    Melt the chocolate with the coffee and water in a medium heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, making sure the base of the bowl doesn’t touch the water, and stir until smooth. Remove the bowl from the saucepan.

  • 3

    Put the egg yolks and sugar in a large bowl and use an electric mixer with a whisk attachment to whisk on high speed until very thick and pale and a ribbon trail forms. Use a large metal spoon or spatula to fold in the chocolate mixture until just combined.

  • 4

    Clean the whisk attachment and use the electric mixer to whisk the egg whites on medium or medium–high speed in a clean, dry large bowl until soft peaks form.

  • 5

    Add a large spoonful of the egg whites to the chocolate mixture and fold in to ‘loosen’ the mixture. Add the remaining egg white and fold until evenly combined. Pour into the prepared tin and smooth the surface.

  • 6

    Bake in the preheated oven for 18–20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and cover immediately with a piece of baking paper and a damp tea towel (dish towel). Set aside for 30 minutes or until cooled completely.

  • 7

    Meanwhile, whisk the cream and liqueur using an electric mixer with a whisk attachment on medium speed until firm peaks form.

  • 8

    Dust another piece of baking paper evenly with the cocoa powder. Remove the tea towel and baking paper from the cake. Carefully invert the cake onto the cocoa-dusted paper. Remove the baking paper on top.

  • 9

    Spread the cake with the liqueur cream, leaving a 1 cm (1/2 in) border. Starting at the longer side closest to you and using the baking paper as a guide, firmly roll up the cake. Wrap the baking paper firmly around the roll and place, seam side down, on a tray.

  • 10

    Chill for at least 2 hours before serving with fresh berries, if you like.

notes

The mocha flavour is subtle but you can replace the coffee with just water if you prefer. This roll will keep covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Recipe and image from BakeClass by Anneka Manning (Murdoch Books) RRP $45 available now in all good bookstores and online.