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Chocolate Swiss Roll

17/11/2023

The chocolate Swiss roll is a delicious dessert that’s also visually appealing. Here is the recipe with an Italian twist.

Ingredients

  • 3 eggs
  • 100 g of sugar
  • 75 g of flour
  • 25 g of cocoa powder
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 1 teaspoon of baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract (or vanillin)
  • 250 g of mascarpone
  • 150 g of dark chocolate
  • 100 g of powdered sugar (plus a little more for dusting)
  • Cocoa powder for decoration

Preparation

  1. Start by preheating the oven to 180 °C and line a rectangular baking pan with parchment paper.
  2. Separate the yolks from the whites. Beat the whites with a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form and set aside.
  3. In a bowl, beat the yolks with sugar until light and frothy. Add the vanilla extract.
  4. Fold in sifted flour, cocoa, and baking powder, mixing gently from top to bottom to avoid deflating the mixture. Finally, incorporate the beaten egg whites, mixing with the same care.
  5. Pour the mixture into the pan, level it with a spatula, and bake for about 10-12 minutes.
  6. While the batter is in the oven, melt the dark chocolate in a double boiler or microwave and let it cool slightly.
  7. Take the roll base out of the oven and turn it onto a damp kitchen towel and sprinkle it with a little powdered sugar. Roll up the base with the parchment paper, using the towel, and allow it to cool completely.
  8. Prepare the filling by mixing the mascarpone with the powdered sugar and then add the melted, now lukewarm, chocolate.
  9. Carefully unroll the cooled sponge cake, remove the parchment paper, and spread the mascarpone and chocolate filling.
  10. Roll the sponge cake up again, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least one hour.
  11. Before serving, dust the roll with cocoa powder and, if you like, decorate it with chocolate curls or powdered sugar.

Curiosity

The chocolate Swiss roll can be considered a simplified version of the classic Christmas log or “bûche de Noël”, typical of the French tradition but widespread in Italy during the Christmas holiday season as well. This variant can be enriched with the addition of liqueur to the filling for a more intense flavor.

Chocolate Swiss Roll