Lighter-Than-Air Chocolate Roll

Gourmet | January 2001

Inspired by Dionne Lucas’s recipe for roulade léontine, this easy flourless chocolate cake will delight your guests with its airy texture and intense chocolate flavor. Here we filled it with Grand Marnier whipped cream (see Cooks’ notes, below, for other flavor ideas). We tried several brands of chocolate and found that Lindt and Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolates produced the best flavor and texture for this particular cake.  This cake depends on separated eggs for its lightness and airy texture.

Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 1 1/4 hr
Yield: Makes 12 servings

For cake layer
6 oz fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), chopped
3 tablespoons water (did not use this)
6 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon Dutch-process unsweetened cocoa powder

For filling
1 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons confectioners sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier
1 teaspoon finely grated fresh orange zest
Garnish: unsweetened cocoa powder and confectioners sugar

Make cake layer:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Oil a 15- by 10- by 1-inch shallow baking pan and line bottom lengthwise | with a large piece of wax or parchment paper, letting paper hang over ends by 2 inches.

Melt chocolate with water in a small heavy saucepan over very low heat, stirring. Cool to lukewarm. (The first time I did this, the chocolate went all crumbly. I left it out the next time when I had to use a chocolate Inukshuk that was a student gift to make up the quantity in chocolate. It was not Lindt but it worked!)

Beat yolks, 1/3 cup sugar, and salt in a large bowl with an electric mixer until thick and pale, about 5 minutes in a standing mixer or about 8 minutes with a hand-held mixer. (In the actual recipe, they do not mention the cocoa. I added it in to the beaten yolk mixture). Fold in melted chocolate until blended. Beat whites with cleaned beaters until they just hold soft peaks. Gradually add remaining 1/3 cup sugar and beat until whites just hold stiff peaks. Fold one third of whites into melted-chocolate mixture to lighten, then fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly.

Spread batter evenly in baking pan and bake in middle of oven until puffed and top is dry to the touch, 15 to 18 minutes.

Transfer pan to a rack. Cover top with 2 layers of damp paper towels and let stand 5 minutes, then remove towels and cool completely. Loosen edges with a sharp knife.  Sift cocoa powder over top of cake layer (I did not) and overlap 2 layers of wax paper lengthwise over cake. Place a baking sheet over paper and invert cake onto it, gently peeling off wax paper lining. (Don’t worry if cake layer breaks; it will hold together when rolled.) (At this point, I rolled and wrapped the cake in a clean teatowel and left it a few hours.  If you are going to do this, make sure the cake is fairly warm to avoid cracks and breakages).

Make filling: Beat cream with confectioners sugar and Grand Marnier with cleaned beaters until it just holds stiff peaks. Fold in zest.

Fill and roll cake: (I spread a very thin layer of marmalade on the cake before I filled with cream – thought it would go well with the Grand Marnier – it did!).  Spread filling evenly over cake. Put a long platter next to a long side of cake. Using wax paper as an aid, roll up cake jelly roll–style, beginning with a long side. Carefully transfer, seam side down, to platter, using wax paper to help slide cake. (Cake will crack but will still hold together.) Dust cake generously with cocoa powder and confectioners sugar (again I did not because I started to have an idea of how to make this baby look pretty!)

Cooks’ notes:
·Cake may be rolled 1 day ahead and chilled in a cake keeper or loosely covered with plastic wrap.
·You can substitute the following for Grand Marnier and orange zest: 2 tablespoons Cognac and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla; 2 tablespoons cocoa and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla; or 2 teaspoons instant-espresso powder or instant-coffee granules dissolved in 2 teaspoons water plus 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.
·This batter can also be baked in an unoiled 91/2-inch springform pan. Bake until cake is set but still moist in center, 35 to 40 minutes (cake will rise and then sink as it cools). Top with Grand Marnier whipped cream.

Chocolate Glaze

Ingredients:

1/2 pound bittersweet chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
Raspberries, for garnish

Method:

Put the chocolate in a bowl. In a saucepan, stir the cream, milk and sugar over moderate heat just until the sugar is dissolved. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate; let stand until the chocolate is melted, 3 minutes. Whisk until smooth, then whisk in the butter and let cool slightly.

Transfer the cake to a rack. Pour half of the chocolate glaze all over the top and sides and spread it evenly with an offset spatula. Spread the remaining glaze all over the cake and refrigerate until set, at least 2 hours.

Simple Candied Orange Peel Bon Appétit | December 2008 by Damon Lee Fowler
It takes a day or two for the peel to dry, so plan ahead.

Yield: Makes about 2 cups

Ingredients
2 large oranges, 1/4 inch of top and bottom cut off
4 cups sugar, divided
3 cups water

Method

Cut peel on each orange into 4 vertical segments. Remove each segment (including white pith) in 1 piece. Cut into 1/4-inch-wide strips. Cook in large pot of boiling water 15 minutes; drain, rinse, and drain again.

Bring 3 cups sugar and 3 cups water to boil in medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add peel. Return to boil. Reduce heat; simmer until peel is very soft, about 45 minutes. Drain.

Toss peel and 1 cup sugar on rimmed baking sheet, separating strips. Lift peel from sugar; transfer to sheet of foil. Let stand until coating is dry, 1 to 2 days. DO AHEAD: Wrap and freeze up to 2 months.