I’ve been making Mary Berry’s chocolate roulade for years and after seeing roulades being made on the Great British Bake Off wet my appetite once again.  I also saw a tin of mouthwatering morello cherries and immediately thought they would be a perfect addition to this rich but light, mouthwatering dessert. Even better it’s naturally gluten free, if you use suitable chocolate, and so can be enjoyed by all my family.

By the length of the method you would think this is difficult but it really isn’t and you can play around with the filling, fresh strawberries and raspberries work well as would any berries. Also ignore all the cracks in mine, I have a new oven which I am trying to get used to…didn’t ruin the taste fortunately.

Ingredients

• 265g Plain chocolate
• 6 eggs
• 175g caster sugar
• 300ml double cream
• Tin of cherry fruit filling
• Optional – Cherry Brandy or even sherry
• Icing sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 180•C/ Gas mark 4 .
2. Grease a swiss roll tin 23x33cm with oil and line with baking paper
3. Break 175g of the chocolate into pieces and melt in a bowl either over a pan of hot water or as I do in the microwave. Beware that if you aren’t careful the chocolate can burn in the microwave so I literally do it in 10/20 seconds bursts at a time. Stir the chocolate occasionally to melt. Then leave to cool
4. Separate the eggs. Then whisk the egg yolks with the caster sugar until light and creamy. Add the cooled chocolate and stir to mix well.
5. In another bowl whisk the egg whites until stiff and then fold gently into the chocolate mixture.
6. Pour the mixture into the tin and tilt to spread evenly then bake for 20 minutes until firm.
7. Remove from the oven and place a clean tea towel over the top. On top of this place a damp, well wrung out tea towel and leave to cool for eight hours.
8. Turn out the roulade sponge onto a piece of baking paper that has been sprinkled with icing sugar and remove the lining paper from the cake.
9. For the filling melt the remaining chocolate and leave to cool
10. Using a pastry brush, brush a couple of tablespoons of the cherry brandy allowing it to seep into the sponge
11. Spread the melted chocolate over the sponge
12. Whip the double cream and spread over the chocolate
13. Spread the cherry fruit filling over the cream and if you have any of the brandy left sprinkle it over the cherry mixture
14. Roll up the sponge from the long edge using the paper to help push it over.
15. Dust with icing sugar, which will also help hide any unwanted cracks, if there are any!
16. Eat and bask in Black Forest Gateaux type gloriousness.