I'm trying to find a picture that I thought I had, but can't. In the meantime, here's the recipe. If you have any questions, I'm here to answer them!
I always serve this on a long, plain board that you can find at craft stores, or you could use a bread board that's long enough for French bread.
ROULAGE (Flourless Chocolate Roll)
VERY important: prepare jelly roll pan properly.
-Butter jelly roll pan very well, especially in corners and up sides.
-Line buttered pan with foil. (I have used waxed paper, etc., but I have found that the foil actually releases better.) The new quick release foil is even better!
-Butter foil very well, as with pan.
THE CAKE:
-Separate five eggs.
-Beat yolks with 1-¼ cups sugar until thick and pale.
(This is important. They need to be thick and pale.)
-Melt 6 oz. semi sweet chocolate in ¼ cup coffee. You can use instant.
(I do this in the microwave on low heat in 30 second increments.)
- Let cool.
-Add to egg yolks.
-Beat egg whites until stiff.
-Fold whites into chocolate mixture.
-Pour into prepared pan and bake at 350* for 10 to 12 minutes just until cake is set. Don't overcook, and watch corners/edges to make certain they aren't burning. Start checking after about 8 minutes.
-Cover cake with damp paper towels and let cool for about 30 minutes. This is important. Dampen them a second time, if you need to...
THE CHALLENGE!!
-Turn jelly roll pan upside down onto waxed paper or foil, dusted with cocoa.
-Gently peel off foil from bottom of cake. (Dont worry if there are some cracks or tears just push it back together!)
-Spread cake with 2 cups sweetened whipped cream.
(I use the large 8 oz whipping cream, and about 1/4 cup of sugar.)
-Using waxed paper (or foil) to help, begin rolling the cake into a fairly tight long roll. Have ready for serving the cake a long wooden board or flat platter (no lip). Position the waxed paper onto the board so that the last roll/flip deposits the roll onto the board.
DON'T BE AFRAID!
-Cut off each end of cake so that it looks even. (You get to eat this.)
-Dust top of cake with cocoa and enjoy!
This cake is so easy to make. It's sometimes a temptation to want to embellish it with the addition of flavoring to the whipped cream, etc., but it is so light and wonderful as it is that I resist doing so.
It needs to be kept in the fridge, so clear some space! I always wrap mine with plastic wrap, and it can also be made a day ahead. In fact, I think that it tastes even better the second day!
ENJOY.
If I can ever find that picture, I'll post it...
__________________
"It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities"
(Dumbledore to Harry Potter)
Printed and filed in my dessert book. Thanks so much, Moore. You say it's easy so I'll not be daunted by the instructions, lol. I'll try it for Mike's birthday, October 3. :)
The cake WILL crack a bit during the rolling process, but don't worry about that. You can cover it up with cocoa powder!
Also, what A-D does is to find small flowers, and stick them all over the cake.
This brings me to the fact that I'm not totally nuts! Well, at least, not in this particular regard. I knew that A-D had taken a picture of the flower-decorated roulage that she'd made for crazy Pam and Paul a couple of months ago. That's what I wanted to post here so you'd have an example.
I've been looking and looking for it, with no success. Well, A-D called a few minutes ago, and so I asked her to resend it. She explained that she'd taken the picture with her cell phone, and had shown it to me when she was here in July, and has since deleted it. Argh! If I'd know that three days ago, I would have asked her to take another one when she had the girls over.
In any case, I think that sticking some small flowers in it looks very pretty, although I've never done it myself....
__________________
"It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities"
(Dumbledore to Harry Potter)
