22.12.2011- Make It Yourself Christmas: Mary Berry's Chocolate Roulade

In my opinion, one of the best things about Christmas is Christmas Dinner. I'm a big fan of a Sunday roast at the best of times, so the opportunity to pile my pate high with turkey and plenty of my favourite vegetables is one I look forward to every year. However, in my house there is invariably the post-turkey dilemma of what to have for dessert; there's always someone who loathes Christmas pudding (that'd be me!) and year after year we end up stockpiling a mountain of different options for afters- meaning I'm still tucking into Vienetta at Easter. This year, however, I've come up with an ingenious plan: I'm going to be making all of the pudding options myself (excluding the Christmas pud of course!) Whilst this might sound like a recipe for a stress filled Christmas Eve (and believe me, I'm drawing up hour by hour plans as I type this!), I'm actually really looking forward to it. One of the desserts I'll be making is Mary Berry's Chocolate Roulade, as showcased on The Great British Bake Off. Similar to a chocolate log but without the fudge frosting on the outside, this is a perfect alternative for any chocolate lover this Christmas:

Mary Berry's Ultimate Chocolate Roulade
Serves 8-10

Ingredients
175 plain chocolate (such as Bourneville)
175g caster sugar
6 large eggs (separated)
2 tablespoons of cocoa powder, sifted
300ml double cream and icing sugar (to finish)

To make the roulade:
1) Preheat the oven to 180 degrees (fan)/160 degrees (gas 4).
2) Lightly grease a swiss roll tin and line with greaseproof paper or non-stick baking parchment, ensuring it is pushed firmly into the corners.

3) Break the chocolate into small pieces over a bowl over a pan of hot water. Make sure that the bowl doesn't touch the water or the chocolate is likely to overheat. Place the pan over a low heat until the chocolate is melted.
4) Measure the sugar and egg yolks into a large bowl and whisk with an electric whisk until light. Mix in the cooled chocolate and stir until evenly blended.
5) In a different bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff but not dry (you should be able to turn the bowl upside down without the eggs running out.) Stir a large spoonful of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture. Mix gently, then fold in the remaining egg whites. To fold in evenly, I found it easiest to work the mixture in a figure of eight motion around the bowl and be sure not to stir too vigorously though or the egg whites will sink.
6) Sieve to cocoa powder into the mixture and stir through evenly.
7) Bake in the preheated oven for approximately twenty minutes, until the roulade is firm.
8) Whip the cream until it holds its shape and refrigerate if necessary.
9) Remove the cake from the oven, leaving it in the tin. Cover with a dry tea towel and leave to cool.
10) Dust a large piece of greaseproof paper with sifted icing sugar and place on a clear worktop.
11) When cool, turn out the roulade and peel off the paper from the reverse. Spread with the cream.
12) Score a mark approximately 2.5cm in along the short edge, and roll up very tightly like a swiss roll. Use the greaseproof paper to help you, but don't worry if the roulade cracks- according to Mary, a good one should!
13) Dust with icing sugar and serve.

Time permitting, I'll hopefully share some of my other creations with you over the next few days! Are you looking forward to Christmas dinner?

(Image credit: Sarah Farrell, please do not reproduce without permission.)