Delicious combinations

Chocolate Roulade
with Crushed Hazlenuts

Wine suggestion: Tawny Port

Serves 4

Ingredients:

3 eggs
75 g caster sugar
50 g plain white flour
25 g cocoa powder
1 teaspoon icing sugar

For the filling
200 g whipping cream
100g crushed hazelnuts
2 teaspoons caster sugar (to taste)

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 220°C/ 425°F/ gas mark 7 and line a 23 × 30 cm swiss roll tin with baking paper.

Place a heatproof bowl over a pan of boiling water and put the eggs and sugar in the bowl. Using a hand-held whisk, beat for 12-13 minutes until the mixture is thick and mousse-like and the beaters leave a ribbon-like trail on the surface when lifted out. Remove the bowl from the pan and continue to whisk the mixture for a further 2 minutes.

Sift together the flour and cocoa powder and, using a large metal spoon, fold this into the egg mixture.

Pour the mixture into the prepared Swiss roll tin, spreading it gently to cover the whole surface. Bake the sponge for 7-10 minutes until it feels firm yet springy on top.

Turn the sponge out immediately onto a piece of baking paper. Carefully peel off the lining paper and, using a serrated knife, trim off the crisp edges of the sponge.

Roll the sponge up from the short end with the fresh baking paper inside and leave the roulade on a wire rack for 30 minutes to cool completely.

Meanwhile, to make the filling, whip the cream in a bowl and add sugar if necessary. Mix in the crushed hazelnuts and chill until required.

Carefully unroll the cooled sponge and remove the paper. Spread the surface with the cream filling.

Roll up the sponge again and sift the icing sugar over the roulade and place the cake on a serving plate. To serve, cut into slices with a long, thin serrated knife.