Grandma Martha's Chocolate Roll

Copyright 2011 LtDan'sKitchen blogs

'Tis almost the season of Thanksgiving and Christmas and it is time to come up with dessert recipes that go well with the season. This chocolate roll fits the bill in the sense that it is a simple chocolate roll and yet, the flavor is fairly intense without it being too much. In fact, the cake is light as a feather and you might be tempted to ask for seconds or even thirds. The filling can also be changed depending on the type of alcohol you are partial too. I love Kahlua but a dark rum will also work well with this dessert.

The recipe is adapted from the Thanksgiving issue of Food and Wine circa 2000. Despite the age of the recipe, this dessert is definitely timeless and surprisingly, gluten free as well. The cake is made with melted chocolate, beaten egg yolks and sugar, and beaten egg whites which give the batter its volume, hence, the resulting light texture. The roll is named after the chefs' (Eric and Bruce Bromberg of New York's Blue Ribbon restaurants) grandmother as part of their Thanksgiving menu. They also offer a pumpkin meringue pie which is the only pumpkin recipe I ever use, but that is another story. 

Grandma Martha's Chocolate Roll - Adapted*

Copyright 2011 LtDan'sKitchen blogs

6 oz semisweet chocolate
3 tbsp freshly brewed strong coffee
3/4 cup sugar
6 large eggs
1  tsp vanilla extract
1 cup cold heavy cream
2 tbsp dark rum

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. 
    In a metal bowl over 
    simmering water, 
    melt the chocolate 
    with the coffee. Set 
    aside.

2. Separate the egg white from the egg yolks. Beat the egg whites in a 
    metal bowl until stiff peaks form. Transfer beaten egg whites to a 
    secondary bowl. 

3. In the same bowl used to beat the egg whites, beat the egg yolks with 
    the sugar until pale and doubled in size. At low speed, add the melted 
    chocolate until just incorporated. Add the vanilla and mix. 

4. Take a third of the egg whites and fold into the chocolate mixture. Add 
    the rest of the egg whites and fold until mixed.  

5. Bake in a greased and lined 10x15 jelly roll pan for 15 minutes. Cover with 
    a kitchen towel and allow to cool to room temperature. Cool for another 
    30 minutes in the fridge.

6. Loosen the cake and dust with a layer of cocoa powder before inverting  
    the cake onto another sheet of wax or parchment paper supported by 
    another jelly roll pan.

7. Prepare the filling by whipping the cream to stiff peaks. Add the rum and 
    mix until incorporated. 

8. Evenly spread the filling onto the cake and from the short end, roll the 
    cake using the wax or parchment paper as a guide. Clip both ends of the 
    wax or parchment paper with the seam facing down to secure the cake. 
    Chill until ready to serve. 

* Food and Wine, November 2000, p234