Ingredients:
4 eggs
250g chocolate (at least 70% cocoa solids)
200g caster sugar
10g butter
1 lemon
100g raspberries
100ml whipping cream or crème fraîche (or 50g butter + 75g caster sugar)
Method:
Prepare a shallow baking tray by greasing with butter before overlaying with a piece of greaseproof paper. Make sure that at least 2–3cm overhang the tray to ease in tipping-out later.
In a bain-marie (double boiler) melt the chocolate. Meanwhile separate the four eggs. Add the yolks to a bowl and mix 100g of the sugar into it, setting this aside. As the chocolate melts whisk the egg whites and as they stiffen add-in the remaining sugar a little at a time. Whisk the mixture until the egg whites are stiff, and stand in peaks on withdrawing the whisk.
When the chocolate has molten, add in four dessert spoonfuls of hot (but not boiling) water and mix thoroughly. Add this to the egg yolks and mix thoroughly. Gently fold in the beaten egg-whites with a spatula and quickly transfer to the prepared baking tray.
Cook in the oven at 160°C (320°F/Gas Mark 3) for 20 minutes until well risen and a firm crust has formed over the top. While cooking grease a second piece of greaseproof paper with butter and soak a tea-towel in water until damp.
When cooked, cover the egg mixture with the pre-prepared greaseproof paper (buttered side down) and then the damp tea towel. Let it cool thoroughly for 3–4 hours before continuing.
Remove the tea towel and carefully peel off the upper sheet of greaseproof paper. Dust with icing sugar and cover with a fresh piece of greaseproof paper. Tip the roulade over onto a flat surface and gently remove from the tin. Carefully ease away the greaseproof paper, revealing the upper surface.
In terms of filling several variants can be used for the cream. Whipped cream, crème fraîche, or a mix of caster sugar and butter. However in each case add the grated zest of half a lemon and the juice of a whole lemon as the tartness of the citrus fruit acts as a good counterpoint to the chocolate. Cover the cream with a layer of raspberries. Then, taking hold of one end of the lower sheet of greaseproof paper use it to roll-up the roulade into a Swiss-roll shape.
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