Chocolate Log Roll

a chocolate log roll on a small platter

Serves 2 Chocoholics for a few days

While a lot of people associate a log roll with Christmas festivities, Loraine and I make it because it helps to satisfy the cravings of us chocoholics! A soft and fluffy chocolate sponge cake with inner layers of chocolate whipped cream and all of it covered with a chocolate ganache, what more could anyone ask for.

I know that a lot of home bakers shy away from log rolls because they appear to be very complex and I can understand that, Loraine and I were the same way. Many years ago we attempted a log roll and it turned into a big disaster. The cake wouldn't roll up and broke into at least a dozen pieces.

We have had great success with this recipe, so if you are up for it, give it a try we believe you will be very satisfied with the finished product.

Ingredients Cake

Ingredients Ganache

Ingredients Whipped Cream

a chocolate log roll on a small platter

Directions Cake

  1. Heat oven to 450° F.
  2. Butter a 17" x 12" baking sheet baking sheet and line the bottom with parchment paper. Butter and flour the parchment paper. The cake you will be baking is quite thin, all the buttering and flour is to ensure it will release, in one piece, when baked.
  3. Add the flour, cornstarch, cocoa powder and salt to a sifter and sift into a bowl, set aside.
  4. Add the 7 tablespoons of sugar, 2 eggs, 3 egg whites to the bowl of your stand mixer. Whisk, for 5 minutes, on high speed to create a mixture that is a pale yellow, thick and fluffy.
  5. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and gently fold in half of the sifted flour mixture and then fold in the second half of the flour mixture.
  6. Using a hand mixer, on medium low speed, beat the egg whites together with the cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Switch to high speed and slowly add 1 tablespoon of sugar until stiff peaks have formed.
  7. Take 1/3 of the beaten egg whites and fold them into the batter. Then gently fold in the remainder of the egg whites.
  8. Gently pour the combined batter onto the buttered baking sheet and spread the batter evenly over the entire sheet.
  9. Bake on a middle rack for 6 to 8 minutes, it doesn't take very long, until set. Do not over bake the cake or it won't roll up! A toothpick placed in the center of the cake will be clean when removed.
  10. When the cake is removed from the oven lightly dust it with some icing sugar (this will help to prevent it from sticking during the rolling up process). Run a knife along the sides of the cake to ensure that they’re not stuck to the baking sheet.
  11. Now comes the trickiest part! Place a clean dish towel on the top of the cake and flip the baking sheet over so that the cake comes to rest on the top of the dish towel.
  12. Remove the baking pan from the cake (it's still very hot) and then carefully remove the parchment paper.
  13. Using the icing sugar again dust the top of the cake.
  14. While the cake is still warm, using the dish towel, roll the cake up with the dish towel. Place the rolled up cake and dish towel on a wire rack and allow it to cool to room temperature.

Directions Ganache

  1. While the cake is cooling you should make the ganache.
  2. Place the chocolate, cream and butter in the top of a double boiler and with the water simmering melt the chocolate and butter continually mixing.
  3. Once the chocolate and the butter is melted and completely blended set aside for a couple of hours to allow the ganache to thicken.

Directions Whipped Cream

  1. In the bowl for your stand mixer gently whisk together the cream, cocoa powder, sugar and vanilla. Once combined change to high speed and beat until stiff peaks are formed.

Making the Log Roll

  1. Unroll the cooled cake and spread the top with an even layer of the whipped cream. Without using the dish towel, roll the cake back into a log.
  2. Cut a 1 1/2 inch piece from one of the ends of the cake. Then cut that piece diagonally so that you have two triangles. Using some ganache as glue, place the triangles onto the opposite sides of the log to make it look as if the log has two cut off branches.
  3. Use the ganache to cover the sides and top of the log.
  4. You can store the cake in the refrigerator, covered, for 4 days. (It never lasts that long in our house).

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Bon Appétit