Published November 1, 2000.
We wanted a recipe for a showcase roulade, with a velvety texture and a not-too-sweet chocolate flavor. Our best roulade recipe used bittersweet or semisweet chocolate for maximum chocolate flavor, six eggs, and a combination of cocoa and flour for structural support. We found that unmolding the cake onto a kitchen towel rubbed with cocoa powder prevented sticking and that rolling the cake up while it was warm with the towel inside, cooling it briefly, and then unrolling it resulted in a cake that retained its rolled memory and was easily filled and rolled later on.
We suggest that you make the filling and ganache first, then make the cake while the ganache is setting up. Or, if you prefer, the cake can be baked, filled, and rolled--but not iced--then wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for up to 24 hours. The roulade is best served at room temperature. To finish the yule, add meringue mushrooms if you like, (see related recipe).
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