Easter nest log - this recipe is too good to keep just for Christmas!
3 key things - whisk until you get a really thick batter, sieve and GENTLY fold in flour and cocoa powder and, don’t roll it straight out of the oven, leave it to cool for 15 minutes or more first.
NB. I made the little nest on top by melting 100g chocolate and mixing in shredded wheat into it.
Grab
4 large eggs
100 g (4 oz) caster sugar
65 g (2½ oz) self-raising flour
40 g (1½ oz) cocoa powder
For the filling
60g Butter, softened but not melted
250g Icing Sugar
2 Tbsp Cocoa Powder
1 tbsp instant coffee
1/2 tsp Salt
2 Tbsp Hot Water
How to?
1. Pre-heat the oven to 170oC. Grease a 13 × 9” swiss roll tin and line with baking parchment.
2. Whisk the eggs & sugar until the mixture is light and frothy (like milkshake). Sift the flour & cocoa into the mixture, carefully folding them in at the same time. Turn the mixture into the prepared tin and gently spreads evenly into the corners.
3. Bake in the pre-heated oven for about 10 minutes or until the sponge begins to shrink from the edges of the tin. While the cake is cooking, place a piece of baking parchment a little bigger than the size of the tin on to a work surface and sprinkle it with cocoa powder.
4. Invert the cake on to the coated parchment. Peel off the parchment. Make a score mark 1inch from one shorter edge, being careful not to cut right through. Roll up the cake firmly from the cut end, with the parchment inside, and leave to cool.
5. For the filling Boil some water. In a medium sized mixing bowl add the butter, icing sugar, cocoa powder, and salt.
6. Pour the hot water into a cup and mix with the coffee powder. Pour over the dry ingredients and use a whisk to combine until whipped and smooth. Add more water if needed for a thinner consistency
6. Carefully unroll the cooled cake. Remove the parchment, spread with buttercream and re-roll
7. Cut a quarter of the cake off from the end on the diagonal. Transfer the large piece of cake to a serving plate and angle the cut end in to the middle of the large cake to make a branch.
8. Use a palette knife to spread on the icing and create rough bark texture with a fork.
Comments