Chocolate roulade with cherries

[Ishbel]

150g Belgian Plain chocolate, broken into squares
4 large eggs, separated
100g caster sugar
50g self-raising flour, sifted
465g jar or tin of cherries in Kirsch (or plain if you don't like alcohol)
284ml pot whipping cream



Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4. Grease and line a Swiss roll tin, measuring approx 32.5cm x 23cm with baking parchment.

Make a small diagonal snip in each of the corners to give a snug fit.
Melt 100g of the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water.
Place the egg yolks and sugar in a large bowl. Whisk until pale and creamy. Stir in the chocolate and siftedflour. Using a clean whisk, beat the egg whites in a clean, dry bowl, until stiff peaks form. Using a metal spoon, carefully and gradually fold the whites into the chocolate mixture, until well combined. Tip into the prepared tin and shake to level it. Place in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until the sponge is slightly risen and just firm to the touch.

Place a sheet of baking parchment on your work surface and carefully invert the cake onto the paper. Remove the paper from the base of the roulade and discard. Roll up in the fresh paper from the short end and cool completely until ready to fill and serve.

Drain the cherries in a sieve over a bowl.(you can add a little arrowroot to the juice to thicken it and serve it as a sauce, if you like) Whip the cream until it just starts to thicken, then carefully fold in the cherries. Unroll the roulade, discard the paper and spread the cherry-cream carefully over the surface, leaving a 2cm gap all the way around the edge. Re-roll the roulade (don't worry if it cracks a little).
To decorate, melt the remaining chocolate , then drizzle over the roulade. Lightly dust with icing sugar and serve immediately. Serve either alone or with a little of the cherry/kirsch sauce (there won't be a great deal of sauce from this size of jar!)

[Alix]

OMG...how did I miss this. Copying....Thanks Ishbel, I'm drooling already.

[mudbug]

What do you mean, if I don't like alcohol??!! Silly Ishbel!

This looks delicous.

[Ishbel]

It is truly scrumptious I'm going to make it on Easter Sunday - we've got people coming for afternoon tea. It'll be just the thing

[Alix]

Hey...I don't have a Swiss tin thingy. What should I use instead?

[Ishbel]

Swiss roll trays are shallow and rectangular - used to make sponge cakes for Swiss rolls (ie resultant cake looks like a pinwheel with the filling visible at both ends!

Wonder what they are called in North America? I use my swiss roll tays as a baking tray for scones, rock cakes etc - sort of like a normal baking tray.

[mudbug]

I think they are the same thing as what we would call a sheet pan or half sheet pan, Ishbel.

[Ishbel]

Thanks for the info, Mudbug.

[Alix]

OK, I got it now. Thanks you two.