Make the most of chocolate this Easter, from homemade gifts to crowdpleasing puddings and teatime treats
Chocolate swiss roll
■ Serves 6 ■ Prep 30 mins plus cooling
■ Cook 10 mins
60g self-raising flour
3 tbsp cocoa powder
3 eggs
75g golden caster sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
FOR THE FILLING
200ml double cream
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
50g icing sugar, sifted, plus extra for dusting
1 Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Line a 22 x 32cm swiss roll tin (if it’s 20 x
30cm, that’s still fine) with baking parchment. Sift the flour and cocoa powder together into a bowl and set aside.
2 Crack the eggs into another bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer and tip in the sugar. Use an electric whisk or the whisk attachment to beat the eggs and sugar together for 5 mins until pale and thick. Use a spoon to gently fold in the flour mixture until completely incorporated.
3 Scrape the mixture into the tin and spread to the corners. Bake for 9-10 mins or until springy to the touch. While the cake is baking, get another piece of parchment a little larger than the tin and sprinkle over some caster sugar. When the sponge is cooked, invert it onto the sugar-coated paper. Lift off the tin and peel away the top layer of parchment. Score a line 2cm from one of the shorter edges, then use the parchment to help you roll the sponge into a spiral, with the parchment running through it. Leave to cool completely.
4 While the cake is cooling, make the filling by whisking all the ingredients together until the cream stiffens. Unroll the sponge and spread over the filling, leaving the scored edge clear. Starting from the scored edge, use the parchment to help you roll the sponge around the filling. Lift onto a serving plate and dust with icing sugar. Serve in slices or chill for up to 24 hrs.
PER SERVING 332 kcals, fat 21g, saturates 12g, carbs 29g, sugars 21g, fibre 1g, protein 6g, salt 0.2g
TRY THESE SCRUMMY TWISTS
BOOZY CHOCOLATE SWISS ROLL
■ Add a little liqueur to the cream before you whip it for a more grown-up dessert – Baileys, amaretto or orange liqueur all work well with chocolate.
CHOCOLATE & CARAMEL SWISS ROLL
■ Spread caramel sauce or dulce de leche over the sponge before adding the cream.
CHOCOLATE & RASPBERRY SWISS ROLL
■ Toss quartered raspberries with icing sugar, leave to macerate for 20 mins, then spoon over slices for a fruity twist.
Fruit & nut chocolate chequers
Children will enjoy making these as they are very simple.
■ Makes 16 ■ Prep 30 mins plus setting
■ No cook
FOR THE WHITE CHOCOLATES
150g white chocolate
1 tbsp dried raspberry flakes
8 toasted almonds, halved
8 pecan halves
8 pinches of cocoa, for dusting
FOR THE DARK CHOCOLATES
150
