Raspberry And Cream Chocolate Roulade

This chocolate roulade is a chocolate cake with absolutely no flour. This delicious chocolate roulade is a gluten free treat, and a favorite dessert in Ireland and the United Kingdom.

I know many may think a roulade is just too difficult to make. The thought of rolling a cake without letting it crumble into pieces is enough to make some cooks run a mile.

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Impressive Chocolate Dessert

Trust me! This cake is not as difficult as it looks.

And if it cracks? So, what! That just adds to its charm. At least that's what I tell myself every time my rolling technique fails me.

But luckily for this food photo shoot, I managed to create a pretty good chocolate roll. There are a few cracks on the surface, but when dusted with confectioner's sugar and cocoa powder, this chocolate log looks just fine.

And for anyone searching for a special cake to cook for mom as a Mother's Day treat, this chocolate roulade should seriously be considered.

For any mom's who avoid gluten in their diet, this recipe only uses eggs, sugar, chocolate and cocoa powder in the light sponge roll, making it a go-to gluten free cake recipe.

This cake has always been one of my mother's favorites, so I thought it would be the perfect recipe to share this Mother's Day weekend.

For years I only used four eggs and a ½ cup of sugar to make my roulades. I didn't add any cocoa powder to the batter, and the end result was more meringue like than spongy.

It was only when I read Mary Berry's chocolate roulade recipe that I started to add cocoa powder. I add a little less cocoa powder than she calls for in her recipe since I'm not a dark chocolate fan. I started using six eggs just like she recommends and my roulades seem to be a success every time. Thanks Mary Berry for all your great baking tips.

You can check out Mary Berry's recipe and instructions here. 

I don't always cool my roulade over night and, unlike Mary Berry, I still use the traditional cooling method of placing a damp towel over the cake. Here's how I make this lovely dessert.

Ingredients for Raspberry and Cream Chocolate Roulade

The ingredients are ever so simple. Not even a sprinkling of flour is needed. Some bakers don't use any cocoa powder in the cake, but I like the consistency of the sponge when just a tablespoon of cocoa powder is gently folded into the batter.

Here's a photo and a list of the ingredients.

Here's a list of the ingredients you'll need. Check the printable recipe at the end of this post for quantities in either US or Metric versions.

• eggs
• sugar
• dark chocolate chips
• cocoa powder
• confectioner's sugar or icing sugar
• whipping cream
• fresh raspberries

Directions for Raspberry and Cream Chocolate Roulade

Don't be intimidated by this recipe which is simpler than it appears. Here are my step-by-step photographic instructions so you will see how the ingredients transform at each stage of the preparation and baking process.

Prepare the Baking Pan

Before you get started creating the batter, prepare the baking tray. Once the batter is whipped it's important to work at speed to get it into the hot oven quickly. So having the baking tray ready to go is all important.

This recipe calls for a 13 inch by 9 inch baking tray (33 cm x 23 cm) or swiss roll tin. Cover the bottom of the tray with parchment paper.

I use a little butter to grease the pan first, then I place the parchment paper on the butter to hold it in place. I also rub a little butter onto the top surface of the parchment paper to make sure it lifts off the cooked cake very easily.

If you wish to make this cake completely butter free, then skip the grease on top of the parchment paper.

Pre-heat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit. 

Melt the chocolate

Next add the chocolate chips to a heat proof bowl over a water bath in a saucepan. Simmer over medium heat.

Don't let the base of the bowl touch the water. When the chocolate is melted, carefully lift the bowl out of the saucepan, protecting your hands from the hot steam with oven gloves or a dish towel. Put the chocolate to the side to allow it to cool, but not harden, while you whip the eggs.

I know I've made my usual dark chocolate substitution - my bowl shows melted milk chocolate, but you can use chocolate as dark as you wish. You see, I'm not a fan of dark chocolate and neither is anyone in my family. So if I had used dark chocolate for our roulade, then nobody would eat it. With milk chocolate my crew can't get enough of this cake.

Whip the eggs

Next you need to separate the eggs, putting the six yolks in one bowl, and the whites all together in another large bowl ready to whisk.

First beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until they form stiff peaks and are glossy. Don't beat them until they look dry.

Remember they are done when you can hold the bowl upside down and the eggs don't fall out.

Next add the sugar to the egg yolks and beat on high speed until they are a pale cream color and the beaters leave a trail or ribbon through the mixture.

There's no need to wash the metal beaters after using them to whip the egg whites. A little egg white is fine in the yolks, but a little yolk in the whites is not alright. That's why I always prepare the egg whites first, and eliminate the need to wash the beaters.

Mix the batter

Add the cooled, melted chocolate to the egg yolk batter and gently fold together with a spatula or a large metal spoon.

Add two large spoons of the whipped egg whites to the batter, and gently fold them in. The batter will start to feel looser as you blend it.

Fold in the remaining egg whites, gently all the way. You risk beating the air out of the batter if you don't fold with care.

Next sift one tablespoon of cocoa powder into the batter and gently fold it in.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking tray, and gently move the tray around to level out the cake batter.

Bake in the pre-heated oven for 20 minutes, until the top is firm to the touch.

How to roll the roulade

Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tray on a baking rack so the air can circulate below the tray. Cover the top with a damp, clean dish towel.

I spray a little water on the upper surface of the clean towel. This keeps the crust soft as the cake cools.

Don't be surprised if the cake contracts away from the sides of the tray and may even crack a little as it cools.

When the cake has cooled completely in the tray, it's time to get ready for rolling and filling your roulade.

If the edge of the cake is stuck to the side of the baking tray, use a knife to separate it from the edge.

Whip the cream and one tablespoon of confectioner's sugar until the cream holds its shape. 

Combine one tablespoon of cocoa powder and confectioner's sugar and sift it over the top of the cake in the baking tray.

Place a large piece of parchment paper on top of the cake.

Turn the roulade over and onto the parchment paper. It's lining paper for baking will now be on top.

Carefully peel the paper away. 

Make sure one of the narrow edges of the roulade is facing you. Spread the surface with the whipped cream, leaving the closest ½ inch free of cream. Dot the surface with fresh raspberries.

Use a knife to make an indentation just inside the edge.

I lost a little piece of my roulade along the edge, but after rolling this got hidden on the inside. Phew!

Start rolling by turning the cut edge in and away from you. Continue rolling the roulade by using the parchment paper and lifting it up and away from you.

A few cracks are sure to happen. You can see the big fault line beneath my baking paper as I rolled my roulade. I don't think I've ever rolled the perfect crack-free roulade.

Finish with the joining underneath. Take great care to lift the roulade onto a serving plate using a large spatula.

Decorate with more raspberries, confectioner's sugar and cocoa powder as you wish.

Slice and serve cold with whipped cream and raspberries.

Printable Recipe for Raspberry and Cream Chocolate Roulade

Here's the printable recipe. There's a tab underneath the ingredient list to switch between US and Metric measurements.

For all you chocolate lover's out there this is a wonderful treat - it's rich in cocoa but flour free.

Happy baking from my home to yours.

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