Chocolate Roulade - a slice of heaven

Chocolate roulade is so easy to make!   Delicious and light, this recipe from my friend Charlotte has no flour, so suitable for gluten-intolerant chocolate lovers....  The only tricky bit is transferring from the baking parchment to the plate, which I usually achieve by folding the parchment under itself just below the roulade when you put the roulade on the dish, and then peeling it from beneath.  Ideally you need three hands!

Chocolate Roulade

Chocolate Roulade

5 eggs, separated

6oz/170g dark chocolate

6oz/170g caster sugar

To serve: ½ pint double cream                             

sieved cocoa                                                    

swiss roll sized tin lined with parchment

Preheat oven:  180 deg C.  Melt chocolate in microwave.  Cool slightly.   Whisk egg yolks and sugar with an electric whisk until thick and creamy (3-5mins).  Whisk whites until thick.   Beat yolks mix into chocolate gently.   Fold in 1/3 egg white using a metal spoon - this will break up the texture and make it easier to fold in the rest of the egg whites afterwards.    Pour into lined Swiss Roll tin and spread it evenly.  Bake 10 minutes until firm (not solid all the way through, just on top).

Cool, still in the tin, covered with a damp cloth.  Turn out onto paper covered with sieved cocoa.   Spread with whipped cream and roll up from the long side using the paper to help achieve the classic roll shape. 

Will produce characteristic cracking on the surface.   Dredge with sieved cocoa or icing sugar.   Transfer to a suitable plate.  

This is best eaten the same day.  Apparently it can be frozen, but I have never tried - it hasn't lasted long enough!     Good with strawberries and fresh fruit.