Chocolate Brownie Roulade...

This is just incredible.... Think of the most delicious fudgy brownie you've ever eaten, now smother it in vanilla cream with fresh berries... This Chocolate Brownie Roulade is BETTER than that!!!

That's an ambitious claim I know... BUT I'm really confident about this one. This isn't a "it's nice...for a healthified cake".... it's just plain delicious, no ifs, buts or maybes.... It's amazing!

Ok so obviously it's not 100% refined sugar free like most of my recipes because of the addition of dark chocolate... but hey, dark chocolate is good for you and like I'm always saying, these treat recipes are just that... they're a treat!! Rest assured this cake is 1000 times better for you than a store bought alternative since it's packed with only the best natural ingredients...

For the roulade: 

• 150g dark chocolate (minimum 81% cocoa solids)
• 6 eggs, separated
• 3 tbsp Irish honey
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 60g ground almonds
• 2 tsp GF baking powder

Preheat oven to 160d (fan). Line a Swiss Roll tin with baking parchment. 

Start by melting the chocolate over a low heat. Set aside to cool slightly.

Meanwhile, whisk egg yolks with vanilla & honey until doubled in volume.

Fold in cocoa, ground almonds, baking powder and dark chocolate gently.

Whisk egg whites until they form stiff, opaque peaks.

Fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture gradually. Adding it in 3 parts makes it much easier to combine without knocking out all the air.

Pour the mixture into prepared tin and bake for 18 minutes (it took exactly 18 minutes in my oven, but since oven temps vary significantly, keep an eye on the cake to prevent burning).

You'll know it's baked when it's firm to touch and risen. Set aside to cool on baking parchment.

For the filling: 

• 250ml cream (you can sub half cream cheese & Greek yoghurt if you prefer, or coconut cream if you're dairy free)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 100g mixed summer berries

Whisk the cream until it forms soft peaks. 

Fold in vanilla & berries. 

To assemble: 

Once the cake is cooled, cover generously with the filling.

To roll, use the parchment paper to lift the cake (from the long side) and allow it to roll naturally. Just keep lifting the cake and letting it fall away from the parchment and it will form a natural roulade shape.

Don't worry if it cracks a little... You can cover it with a generous drizzle of melted chocolate or a light dusting of cocoa powder & some fresh berries.

Looks awesome right?!

Strawberry Swiss Roll...

For someone who has almost zero tolerance or patience, I'm unbelievably patient when it comes to baking and cooking. I'll spend hours baking & decorating cakes without even noticing the time pass. It's my thing...baking focusses my mind, makes me happy and helps me to relax. 

As much as I love spending 4 hours making a cake, I'm not sure all of you do! That's why I try to keep most of my recipes quick and simple so that anyone can make them. Most importantly really, I try to make sure that all the ingredients are readily available in your local supermarket.... adding specialist ingredients to recipes usually requires trips to specialist shops, and often a lot of extra expense. 

This Strawberry Swiss Roll is quick and easy to bake, and as always is a million times better for your health than the traditional version...

There's no need to be worried about rolling the cake, it's actually really easy. If it cracks a little, don't worry about it, it will still taste awesome.... or just cover any cracks with fresh strawberries or homemade chocolate sauce! 

For the Swiss Roll: 

• 6 eggs, separated
• 3 tbsp Irish honey
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 100g ground almonds
• 2 tsp GF baking powder

Preheat fan oven to 160d. Line a Swiss Roll tin with non stick baking parchment. 

Separate the eggs. 

Add the honey and vanilla to the egg yolks. Whisk until doubled in volume and pale in colour. 

In a clean, 100% grease free bowl, whisk the egg whites until holding stiff peaks & opaque. 

Fold the ground almonds and baking powder into the egg yolk mixture. 

Lastly, using a large spoon fold in the egg whites (1/4 at a time), until well mixed in. 

Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 20 minutes until well risen and the cake springs back to a light touch. 

Now... listen... you need a large sheet or parchment paper on a heatproof counter top. Turn the cake out onto the parchment. Don't mess around and try to do it slowly or carefully... just do it!!! Turn it over quickly and it'll be perfect.... do it slowly and it'll 100% break. 

You need to remove the parchment that's stuck to the cake from the tin. Don't try and pull it off like a plaster... it's a delicate sponge cake, you'll break it! Start at one of the corners and peel the parchment in pieces. Tear small pieces at a time. Be patient! Pulling it all off at once will end badly. 

Done that? Good job! Now... you're going to lift the edge of the parchment (closest to you, at the narrow end of the cake, and you're going to firmly roll the cake while it's still hot. Again... this is no time to mess around with being gentle... just do it! It won't break if you're firm with it.... 

Once rolled, set aside to cool. 

While the cake is cooling, make your jam...It's really easy to make & you won't miss the bags of sugar that are in store bought jams... 

For the jam: 

• 250g bag of frozen strawberries 
• 1 tbsp honey

Simmer the strawberries and honey over a low heat until defrosted & thickened like jam (Similar to the raspberry jam here)

Once the cake is cooled, unroll it gently. 

Spread an even layer of your cooled strawberry jam over the cake. 

Simply re-roll the cake. It's really easy this time as the cake has cooled and will remember its shape! 

It's a pretty impressive looking & really delicious cake but best of all... it's so simple to bake! Hope you enjoy it :)