Photo by Frankie Frankeny

“Chocolate Soufflé Roulade” epitomizes the essence of the “Wine Lover’s Dessert Cookbook” presenting a delicious chocolate dessert and several dessert wine pairing choices. 

Chocolate Soufflé Roulade

From The Wine Lover’s Dessert Cookbook: Recipes and Pairings for the Perfect Glass of Wine by Mary Cech and Jennie Schacht, Chronicle Books.

This moist, chocolate cake wrapped around a fluffy cocoa cream filling is considerably easier to prepare than it appears. The tender cake rolls beautifully, while the cocoa stabilizes the filling, allowing the cake to be assembled ahead and refrigerated. We recommend a chocolate with 50 to 60 percent cocoa mass; higher percentage chocolates weigh down this airy cake.

Making the Match

We love this with all the chocolate-friendly wines: vintage port, zinfandel port, Banyuls, and the mourvèdre-based dulce monastrell. The ruby-hued Bodegas Olivares Dulce Monastrell (Jumilla, Spain) is like a vintage port but with lower alcohol, so it won’t overwhelm the cake’s light texture. The wine’s dried fruit, balsamic, and spice notes give the roulade an extra flavor boost.

Makes 8 servings

Roulade

• 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled to room temperature (see page 34)
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 7 large egg whites
• 1/4 cup cake flour, sifted

Cream Filling

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3 tablespoons granulated or superfine sugar
• Powdered sugar for finishing
• Strawberries, raspberries, or chocolate curls (see page 169) for garnishing

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and position a rack in the lower third of the oven. Line a 17-by-12-inch rimmed baking sheet or jelly-roll pan with parchment paper.

To prepare the cake: Whisk together the chocolate, egg yolks, salt, and 2 tablespoons warm water in a large bowl. Set aside. Stir the granulated sugar and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan over medium heat to dissolve the sugar. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

Whip the egg whites at high speed until they are very foamy and just beginning to form soft peaks. Slowly drizzle in the warm sugar syrup as you continue to whip until the whites form medium peaks that hold their shape but are not at all stiff or dry.

Use a spatula or handheld whisk to gently stir one-third of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture. Gently fold in the flour and then the remaining egg whites. Immediately spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake until the cake springs back when you press it lightly in the center, about 15 minutes. Do not be concerned if the cake puffs in places; it will settle as it cools. Transfer the pan to a rack and let the cake cool completely.

To prepare the filling: In a medium bowl, combine the cream, cocoa powder, and granulated or superfine sugar. Whip the filling to firm peaks, starting at slow speed and increasing to medium-high as it thickens.

Run a sharp knife around the edge of the cooled cake, then invert it onto a piece of parchment paper on a flat surface. Carefully peel the parchment paper from the bottom of the cake. Spread the filling evenly over the cake, making sure to go all the way to the edges.

With a short side of the cake facing you, tuck 1/2 inch of the cake’s edge tightly over the filling, then begin to roll, using the parchment to help form a tight roll. Pull away the parchment as you roll to prevent rolling it into the cake. Trim the ends of the roll, cutting at a slight angle. (The cake can be tightly wrapped and refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 2 weeks; leave wrapped while thawing in the refrigerator.)

Transfer the cake to a serving platter. Just before serving, sift powdered sugar over the top. Cut the cake into slices about 1 inch thick on a slight angle using a thin, sharp or serrated knife. Garnish with berries or chocolate curls.

About Wine Lover's Dessert Cookbook

The Wine Lover’s Dessert Cookbook: Recipes and Pairings for the Perfect Glass of Wine, Chronicle Books (October 2005) is co-authored by Jennie Schacht and award-winning pastry chef Mary Cech.  This gorgeous, photo-filled book is doubly decadent, with recipes for Ms. Cech’s enticing desserts combined with all the information you need to choose a compatible dessert wine. You’ll learn about types of dessert wines, how and where they are made, and what to expect from them. The recipes feature wine-friendly flavors of berries, citrus, stone fruits, tropical fruits, caramel, nuts, cream, and chocolate. Each recipe guides you in making a winning combination with tasting notes and suggested wine matches, as well as specific pairing ideas. Rules of thumb and pairing charts will further guide you in creating your own pairings.

Get "The Wine Lover's Dessert Cookbook: Recipes and Pairings for the Perfect Glass of Wine" at:

• Amazon.com

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