“When you celebrate, there is sure to be cake.”
Florence Ditlow
A roulade is a dish of filled rolled meat or pastry. Traditionally found in various European cuisines, the term roulade originates from the French word “rouler”, meaning “to roll”. Some roulades consist of cake (often sponge cake) baked in a flat pan rolled around a filling. Cake rolled around jam, chocolate butter cream, nuts or other fillings, is an example of a sweet roulade like the bejgli or the Swiss roll. The bûche de Noël or “Yule log” is a traditional French Christmas cake roll, often decorated with frosting made to look like bark.
I find it comforting that everything sits snug inside a cake. It’s a funny way to look at it, but nice. One of my most memorable ones was a savoury Ricotta & Spinach Roulade from Ottolenghi. That was special and carried trademark Ottolenghi flavours and philosophy. Fresh, seasonal, simple. And then another, the Raspberry Pistachio Swiss Roll {or Spring Roll to herald in Spring one year!}
You can find loads of COFFEE in my desserts here. That’s my most favourite flavour ever!
Summary: A quick Coffee Dark Chocolate Roulade that comes together with minimal fuss. If you like love coffee, then this is for you. Paired with a dark chocolate ganache, flavoured with a hint of Kahlua, dressed up with doodles, what’s not to love about it! Serves 6
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hours
Ingredients:
- Coffee Roulade
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup – 1 tbsp plain flour
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1tbsp instant coffee
- Coffee Syrup
- 1/4 cup water
- 25g brown sugar
- 1 tsp instant coffee
- 1tsp Kahlua {optional}
- Filling/Chocolate Ganache
- 120g dark couverture chocolate
- 100g single cream
- 1 tbsp Kahlua {optional}
- Icing sugar for sifting
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 190C. Line a jelly roll pan with baking parchment.
- In a large bowl, using an electric beater, whisk the eggs and brown sugar until tripled in volume and light and mousse like, about 8 minutes.
- Add the coffee and vanilla extract, and beat for another minute.
- Sift the flour over the bowl, and gently fold in making sure you don’t release the beaten in air.
- Turn batter into prepared tray, smoothen out and bake for approx 25 minutes until light golden and firm to touch. Keep an eye during the last 5 minutes.
- Lay a kitchen towel flat on the counter and sift over with powdered sugar. Turn the baked cake onto it, and gently peel off the parchment. Sift over with icing sugar, cover with sheet of parchment and roll gently into a tight roll, using the kitchen towel to guide you. Leave to cool completely.
- Coffee Syrup
- Place all ingredients in a small pan and simmer until the sugar dissolves. Cool and stir in the Kahlua if using. Reserve
- Filling/Chocolate Ganache
- Place the chocolate and cream in a heatproof bowl. Heat until the chocolate is 3/4 done in the microwave, one minute at a time, or over a double boiler. Whisk until smooth. Add the Kahlua if using, whisk again. Cool completely. Reserve 2 tbsp in a piping bag if you wish to decorate the outside.
- Assemble
- Gently unroll the cake, paint over with syrup, and then spread the chocolate ganache all over it. Roll back gently but firmly, wrap in cling wrap and allow to chill seam down for an hour or two {or overnight} to allow the flavours to develop.
- Unwrap and place on serving platter. Pipe a design over the roll if desired, slice and serve.
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Also find me on The Rabid Baker, The Times of India