Renny Darling's
 
A Regal "White Christmas" Feast
 

 

Holiday Hazelnut Roulage with Chocolate Chestnut Cream

This is a very glamorous and sophisticated dessert. Preparing the roulage (log-shape) is a little more work, but so festive around the holidays. This can be prepared as a torte in 2 thin layers which is a lot easier to prepare. Complete instructions follow. The taste, of course, is equally wonderful. Hazelnuts must be ground in a nut grater and the consistency should be that of course flour. Cake can be prepared and frosted a day earlier and stored, well-wrapped, in the refrigerator.

6 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 cups ground hazelnuts
1 teaspoon vanilla

6 egg whites
1/2 cup sugar

Advance preparation for Roulage:
Oil a 10x15-inch jelly roll pan, line it with waxed paper extending 4-inches at each end, and oil the waxed paper. Preheat oven to 350°. Dampen a clean dish towel, and squeeze out excess moisture

To Make Roulage:
In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat yolks with sugar until thick and lemon-colored, about 5 minutes. Combine the next 3 ingredients and beat in until blended.

With clean beaters and bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Gradually add the sugar, beating until whites are stiff, but not dry. Fold 1/4 of the whites into the nut mixture to lighten it. Fold in the remaining whites until blended.

Spread batter evenly into prepared pan and bake for about 25 minutes or until top is browned. Remove cake from oven and cover with slightly dampened towel. Allow cake to cool.

When ready to fill and frost, sprinkle cake with sifted powdered sugar. Turn out on 2 overlapping strips of wax paper and trim edges. Spread top with 2/3 of the Chocolate Chestnut Cream. Using the waxed paper to help you, roll cake up from the 15-inch side and ending seam-side down. Swirl top with remaining frosting and sprinkle faintly with chopped toasted hazelnuts and a sprinkling of sifted cocoa. Serves 12.

Chocolate Chestnut Cream:
1 1/2 cups cream
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup sweetened chestnut puree
1/3 cup finely grated chocolate

Beat together first 3 ingredients until cream is stiff. Beat in chestnut puree until blended. Beat in chocolate until blended.

Topping:
faint sprinkle of chopped toasted hazelnuts
faint sprinkle of sifted cocoa

 

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