Christmas (flourless and dairy free!) Chocolate log

This mesmerising delight tastes every bit as delightful as it looks and I can’t recommend it highly enough. There are some dishes that almost make you cry with delight (or is that just me?!) and this is definitely one of them!

Even better, for all of us Gluten Free converts and even the Grain free advocates, this is a wonderful treat for the Christmas table. I made it as a birthday cake for my daughter and it would also make an awesome desert to impress and delight family and friends throughout the year!

So… what’s the secret? Well, firstly the cake mixture has just three ingredients, eggs, cocoa and sugar…no flour! The luxurious and mouth-watering inside is traditional chocolate mousse which makes the whole cake a slice of chocolate heaven. Oh…and in case it isn’t a tad obvious, I really REALLY love this cake!

Ingredients for cake:

6 organic eggs separated

5oz caster sugar

2oz cocoa

Ingredients for chocolate mousse:

6 organic eggs separated

12oz organic 70% cocoa solids cooking chocolate

A wee splash of brandy!

Pre-heat oven to 180F/350C/Gas 4

Grease and line with parchment a swiss roll tin or baking sheet 12 x 8 x 1 inch

Method:

1.       We’ll start with the richest mousse on the planet! Firstly, separate 6 eggs into separate bowls.

2.       Boil the kettle and half fill a pan with hot water. Then place your broken chocolate pieces in a bowl and melt slowly.

3.       Meanwhile whizz up your egg whites until stiff and you can make fluffy peaks.

4.       Remove your melted choccy from the heat and beat in the egg yolks and a splash of brandy (optional!)

5.       Fold your egg whites into the mixture and place in the fridge to set.

6.       Now for the cake mix… again separate 6 eggs. (you may be clucking after this recipe!)

7.       Whizz up the whites until soft peaks.

8.       Whizz up yolks until just thicken and then add sugar and thicken a bit more.

9.       Sift the cocoa into your yolk/sugar mix and whisk together.

10.   Fold in your fluffy egg whites with a metal spoon.

11.   Pour cake mix into prepared tin and bake for 20-25 mins and cool on a rack

12.   When cool, take your mousse from the fridge and using a palate knife smooth over the cake until covered. You will find you won’t need all of the mousse and can keep some back for a sneaky treat after your guests have gone!

13.   Then (and this really does add a little bit of heaven along with some extra antioxidants!) dot some raspberries all over your cake. Yummy!

14.   Now for the scary…I mean exciting bit! Carefully lift your cake onto a piece of parchment which has been liberally dusted with icing sugar. I placed a tea towel under my parchment to stop it from slipping. Make a gentle mark with your knife about 1 inch in at the end you are going to roll from. (You don’t have to mark the cake but it seems to help) Then without fear, lift your parchment and tea towel and roll cake into your chocolate log. Because you have already dusted your parchment with icing sugar, it will look lovely and Christmassy!

15.   Transfer to a lovely Christmas plate.

16.   Stand back and admire before demolishing!