Black Forest Roulade – Christmas Log

This is a luxurious alternative to the traditional Christmas Chocolate Log.  A light spongey base gets rolled up and filled with liquor soaked black cherries, syrup and cream.  Don’t worry about any cracks that may appear as you roll up your sponge, these are merely gulleys where the  cherries, cream and syrup will snuggle and ooze.
For extra depth marinate the cherries in their syrup and 100ml of liquor overnight.

You will need:
6 large eggs
75g caster sugar
75g light muscovado sugar
175g plain chocolate (70% cocoa)
1 tin pitted black cherries in syrup
100ml creme de cassis or kirsch
125g caster sugar (for syrup)
300ml tub whipping cream
Icing sugar & chocolate shavings to dust
Method:
Marinate the cherries in their syrup and the liquor overnight.
Pre-heat the oven to 180C / Gas Mark 4
Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
Break up and melt the chocolate in a bowl in the microwave ( 1.5 to 2 minutes)
Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites.
Beat the egg yolks and sugars together until thick and pale.
Separately use an electric whisk to beat the egg whites until thick and can stand in peaks.
Stir the melted chocolate into the egg yolk and sugar mix.
Use a metal spoon to fold the egg whites into the egg yolk and chocolate mix.  Stir gently to combine, do not overbeat.
Pour the mixture onto the baking tray and bake for 15 minutes.
Remove from oven and cover with a clean sheet of parchment paper and a damp teatowel.  Leave to cool for 2 mins.
Take off the tea towel but leave the parchment and use a knife to loosen the edges around the tray.
Turn the tray over onto a board, remove the tray and peel away the parchment paper on the base.
Replace with a clean sheet of parchment paper and roll up the cake with the parchment paper inside.
Leave to cool completely, covered with the damp teatowel.
Make the syrup by straining off all the syrup and liquor from the cherries and into a saucepan with 125g of caster sugar.
Stir and bring to the boil until bubbling and thickening for a few minutes.
Remove from heat and cool.
Whip the cream.
Fill the log by unrolling it and removing the parchment paper then drizzle the syrup, scatter the cherries and smooth over the cream. 
Gently roll up again and dust with icing sugar and grate chocolate.
Enjoy.

This is a dessert that I am doing for a charity demonstration this Thursday.  I’ll be posting the mains and some photos from the night on Friday. Til next time, Sheila.