Chocolate Meringue Roulade Nigella Food

CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY PAVLOVA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C Fan/gas mark 4/350ºF and line a baking tray with baking parchment. Beat the egg whites until satiny peaks form, and then beat in the sugar a spoonful at a time until the meringue is stiff and shiny. Sprinkle over the cocoa and vinegar, and the chopped chocolate. Then gently fold everything until the cocoa is thoroughly mixed in. Mound on to a baking sheet in a fat circle approximately 23cm / 9 inches in diameter, smoothing the sides and top. Place in the oven, then immediately turn the temperature down to 150°C/130°C Fan/gas mark 2/300ºF and cook for about one to one and a quarter hours. When it's ready it should look crisp around the edges and on the sides and be dry on top, but when you prod the centre you should feel the promise of squidginess beneath your fingers. Turn off the oven and open the door slightly, and let the chocolate meringue disc cool completely. When you're ready to serve, invert on to a big, flat-bottomed plate. Whisk the cream till thick but still soft and pile it on top of the meringue, then scatter over the raspberries. Coarsely grate the chocolate so that you get curls rather than rubble, as you don't want the raspberries' luscious colour and form to be obscured, and sprinkle haphazardly over the top, letting some fall, as it will, on the plate's rim.

CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY ROULADE

Steps:

• Have ready meringue and cake roll. In a small bowl stir together yogurt, vanilla, and 1 tablespoon sugar.
• In a large bowl with a whisk or an electric mixer beat cream and 2 teaspoons sugar until cream just holds stiff peaks. Crumble meringue into 1/2-inch pieces and gently fold into whipped cream. Reserve 1/2 cup raspberries and add remaining berries and yogurt mixture to whipped cream mixture. Gently fold mixture until just combined.
• Unroll cake roll on kitchen towel and brush inside with Chambord. Gently spoon whipped cream mixture lengthwise along center of cake and roll cake around filling so that long edges just come together. Place roulade, seam side down, on a platter and chill 1 hour to facilitate slicing.
• Just before serving, sprinkle roulade with remaining 2 teaspoons sugar. Cut roulade into slices (each a little less than 1 1/2 inches thick) serve with some reserved berries.
• To make chocolate-covered meringue:
• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• In a bowl with an electric mixer beat whites on high speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar and continue beating until whites hold soft peaks. Add sugar and beat until meringue holds stiff, glossy peaks.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil and on it spread meringue about 1/2 inch thick (shape does not matter). Bake meringue in middle of oven 45 minutes, or until crisp. Turn off oven and let meringue stand 1 hour. Remove meringue from oven and cool completely on baking sheet on a rack.
• Carefully peel parchment paper or foil and put meringue, flat side up, on a work surface. In a small heavy saucepan melt chocolate over low heat, stirring occasionally, and spread on meringue in a thin layer. Chill meringue until chocolate is set, about 10 minutes. (Meringue may be made 1 week ahead and kept in a sealed plastic bag in a cool place.)
• To make cocoa cake roll:
• Preheat oven to 425°F. and line a greased 17- by 10 1/2-inch jelly-roll pan with wax paper or parchment paper. Butter paper and dust with flour, shaking off excess flour.
• In a small saucepan bring water to a boil over moderate heat. Remove pan from heat and stir in cocoa powder and vanilla until smooth.
• In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat yolks and 1/3 cup sugar on high speed until pale and thick, about 5 minutes. Add cocoa mixture and beat until mixture is thick again, 3 to 5 minutes. Add flour and salt and beat 1 minute. (If using a standing electric mixer, transfer mixture to a large shallow bowl better suited to folding.)
• In a medium bowl with cleaned beaters beat whites on high speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar and continue beating until whites hold soft peaks. Add remaining 1/3 cup sugar and beat until meringue holds stiff, glossy peaks.
• Stir about one fourth whites into cocoa mixture to lighten and fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly. Spoon batter into a large pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain tip and, holding bag with tip about 1/2 inch from surface of pan, pipe lengthwise in side-by-side strips, filling pan. (Alternatively, batter may be gently spread into pan.) Bake cake 8 minutes, or until it springs back when touched lightly in center with finger. Cool cake in pan, covered with a damp kitchen towel, on a rack.
• Invert cake onto towel and gently peel off wax paper or parchment paper. Beginning with a long side, roll up cake in towel jelly-roll fashion.

CHOCOLATE ROULADE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Oil the base and sides of a 23 x 32cm baking tray and line with baking parchment. Beat the egg whites, lemon juice and a pinch of salt together using a stand mixer or electric whisk until very stiff. Add 1 tbsp of the sugar and beat to stiff peaks, then add the rest of the sugar, a spoonful at a time, until the mixture is thick and shiny. Sift over the cocoa and cornflour, then gently fold these in with a spatula until completely combined. Spread the mixture evenly into the prepared tin, then bake for 14-15 mins until just crisp to the touch. Leave to cool completely in the tin.
• Meanwhile, make the fillings. For the chocolate filling, tip the chocolate and cream into a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water and stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is shiny and smooth. Remove from the heat and leave to cool to room temperature. For the cream filling, whisk the cream and sugar together to stiff peaks using an electric whisk.
• Dust a large sheet of baking parchment with cocoa powder, then carefully flip the meringue onto it. Remove the tin and carefully peel away the parchment. With a short end facing you, score a line across the meringue, 2cm in from the edge. Spread over the chocolate filling followed by the cream, then drizzle with most of the caramel sauce. Sprinkle over the sea salt flakes and drag a palette or cutlery knife through the fillings to gently swirl them. Roll up the roulade into a tight log, starting at the scored end and using the parchment underneath to help you. Lift onto a platter or board. Will keep chilled for up to a day. Drizzle over the remaining caramel sauce, then finely grate over more chocolate to serve.