Ingredients
For the cake:
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, plus more for dusting
Powdered sugar (for dusting)
¼ cup plain flour
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
6 large eggs, room temperature, separated
½ tsp salt
2/3 cup plus 2 tbsp granulated sugar
Sweetened whipped cream or chestnut mousse
2 tablespoons cognac, dark rum, or brandy
For the chocolate buttercream:
1/3 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla essence
1-2 tablespoons hot water
Method
- Preheat oven to 190°C. Coat an 18×13″ rimmed baking sheet with non-stick spray. Line with parchment paper and lightly coat parchment.
- Place a large kitchen towel (it should be larger than baking sheet) on a flat surface. Whisk equal parts cocoa and powdered sugar in a small bowl and dust towel with cocoa mixture with a fine-mesh sieve.
- Sift flour and ¼ cup cocoa powder into a small bowl. Heat chocolate, oil, and vanilla in a medium microwave-safe bowl in 15-second intervals, stirring occasionally, until melted. Let cool slightly.
- Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat egg whites and salt in a large bowl until foamy. With motor running, gradually add ⅓ cup granulated sugar and beat until stiff, glossy peaks form.
- Using clean beaters, beat egg yolks and ⅓ cup granulated sugar in another large bowl until pale and thick, about 4 minutes. Beat in chocolate mixture until no streaks remain, then use a large spatula to fold in meringue, leaving some streaks.
- Fold in dry ingredients just to combine—be careful not to overmix.
- Scrape batter into prepared baking sheet; smooth top (you want to have an even layer). Bake until top of cake is dry and springs back when gently pressed and edges are starting to pull away from sides of baking sheet, 10−12 minutes; let cool slightly.
- Run a knife along the edge of baking sheet to loosen and invert cake onto prepared towel. Peel away parchment and roll cake into a log inside towel. Transfer, seam side down, to a wire rack and let sit until just barely warm, about 20 minutes.
- Shake remaining 2 tbsp granulated sugar and 2 tbsp hot water in a jar until sugar is dissolved, about 1 minute. Stir in cognac. Unroll cake and brush top with syrup.
- Spread whipped cream or chestnut mousse over top of cake, leaving a 1″ border. Roll up cake and place, seam side down, on a platter. Chill until mousse is set, at least 3 hours.
- For the buttercream, beat cocoa and butter on low speed until thoroughly mixed. Beat in the powdered sugar until mixed, then beat in the vanilla and enough of the hot water until the frosting is smooth and spreadable.
- Using a serrated knife, trim half an inch of cake from both ends, at a 45° angle. Dab 1 tbsp buttercream on angled sides of each 2 inch piece of roll and stick to cake to form branches, positioning one on top and one on the side. Using a spatula or butter knife, spread chocolate buttercream over entire outside of roll, leaving cut ends exposed to reveal spiral. Use spatula to create textured lines in buttercream to look like tree bark.
- Dust with powdered sugar and decorate with meringue mushrooms just before serving.
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