Swiss roll

by Ed Halmagyi

Ingredients

  • 75g plain flour
  • 35g dark cocoa powder
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • 5 eggs, separated
  • 100g caster sugar
  • 50g icing sugar
  • 100g almonds, toasted
  • 100g dark chocolate, chopped
  • 450ml thickened cream
  • 30ml rum

Instructions

1 Preheat oven to 180°C. Sift the flour, cocoa and baking powder together, the set aside. Place the egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer and whisk on high speed for 1 minutes, until light and frothy. Add the sugar and continue whisking until soft peaks forms.
2 Lightly whisk the yolks, then fold into the meringue. Add the flour mixture and stir together very gently. Spread in a rectangle on a lined oven tray and bake for 8-9 minutes until just firm to touch. Remove from the oven, dust with icing sugar, then place a sheet of non-stick paper on top. Roll up loosely, then wrap the roll in a tea towel and set aside to cool.
3 Combine the almonds and chocolate in a food process or and pulse to chop. Pour 150ml cream into a small saucepan and boil over a medium heat. Pour into the food processor with the motor running and puree until smooth. Fold in the rum. Set aside to cool.
4 Unwrap the sheet sponge and lay on a clean piece of non-stick baking paper. Spread with the chocolate sauce. Whip the remaining cream to stiff peaks and spread over, then roll up tightly from the short end, using the paper to help lift and roll. Chill briefly, then slice and serve.