Buche de Noel

Description

This Christmas roll can be made two ways: with buttercream icing and festive decorations, or filled with cream and berries. (NB: The roll pictured above uses buttercream icing.)

Ingredients

vegetable oil, for greasing
150g/5½oz golden caster sugar
6 large free-range eggs, separated
250g/9oz high quality dark chocolate (minimum 60 per cent cocoa solids)
4 tbsp cold water
For the buttercream icing
250g/9oz unsalted butter, softened
450g/1lb golden icing sugar, plus extra for dusting
50g/1¾oz cocoa powder, sifted
2 tbsp milk
For the cream filling
400ml/14fl oz double cream, whipped until soft peaks form when the whisk is removed
250g/9oz fresh raspberries
dash whisky liqueur (optional)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7. Line a 23x33cm/9x13in Swiss roll tin with a sheet of greaseproof paper and brush the paper lightly with vegetable oil.
2. Whisk the caster sugar and egg yolks together in a bowl until pale and thick.
3. Bring a little water to the boil in a pan, then reduce the heat until the water is simmering. Suspend a heatproof bowl over the water. (Do not allow the base of the bowl to touch the water.) Add the chocolate and cold water to the bowl and stir until smooth and melted.
4. Remove the bowl from the heat and stir in the sugar and egg mixture.
5. Meanwhile, whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form when the whisk is removed (NB: do not overwhisk the egg whites).
6. Gently fold a spoonful of the whisked egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it, using a large metal spoon, then gently fold in the remaining egg whites. (NB: Do not overmix.)
7. Carefully pour the cake batter into the prepared Swiss roll tin and bake for 12-14 minutes (no longer), until the cake has risen and springs back when a finger is pressed gently into the centre.
8. Set the Swiss roll aside, in the tin, on a wire rack, to cool for at least two hours.
9. When the cake is completely cool, spread a sheet of greaseproof paper out on a large chopping board. With one bold movement, turn the whole cake out onto the greaseproof paper, then lift away the tin. Carefully peel off the greaseproof paper lining, then trim the edges of cake with a sharp knife.
10. For the buttercream icing, beat the butter in a large bowl until pale and fluffy, then sift in the icing sugar and cocoa powder. Add the milk and beat the mixture until smooth and well combined. Spread half of the buttercream icing filling all over the cake.
11. Starting at the longest side of the iced cake, roll up the cake as you would a Swiss roll, using the greaseproof paper as a guide. (Don't worry about the cracks.) Transfer the Swiss roll to a flat serving dish.
12. Carefully spread the remaining buttercream icing all over the rolled cake, to completely cover. Chill in the fridge until needed, then decorate with festive decorations and dust lightly with icing sugar.
12. Alternatively, for the cream filling, spread the inverted cake with all of the whipped cream, then scatter over the berries and drizzle over the coffee liqueur, if using. Carefully roll up the cake, as described above. Dust with icing sugar just before serving.