Prep Time: 8 hours (includes cranberries) | Cook Time: 2 hours, 20 min (includes meringues) | Total Time: 10 hours | Yield: 10-12 slices
Ingredients
Sugared Cranberries and Rosemary
1 cup (100g) fresh cranberries (do not use frozen)
4-5 rosemary sprigs
3/4 cup (180ml) water
1 and 1/4 cups (250g) granulated sugar, divided
Cake
1 and 1/3 cups (157g) cake flour
2 tbsp (10g) unsweetened natural or dutch-process cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
6 large eggs, separated and at room temperature
1 cup (200g) granulated sugar, divided
2 tbsp (30ml) vegetable oil, canola oil, or melted coconut oil
1 and 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
For Rolling
3 tbsp (15g) unsweetened natural or dutch-process cocoa powder
Meringue Mushrooms
1 large egg white, at room temperature less than 1/8 tsp cream of tarter (about 1/16 tsp) pinch salt
2 tbsp (25g) granulated sugar
1/2 tsp unsweetened natural or dutch-process cocoa powder (optional for dusting)
Cocoa Hazelnut Whipped Cream
1 1/2 cups cold heavy cream
2 tbsp Frangelico liqueur
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 tbsp unsweetened natural or dutch-process cocoa powder
1/2 cup finely chopped hazelnuts, optional
Ganache Topping
6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
Instructions
- Make the sugared cranberries and rosemary: If you want to decorate the cake with sugared cranberries and rosemary, start them the night before because they need to sit for several hours. Place cranberries and rosemary in a large heatproof bowl. Set aside. In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, bring the water and 3/4 cup sugar to a simmer, whisking until the sugar is dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Pour the sugar syrup over the cranberries and rosemary and stir. Cover the bowl and set aside for 15 miutes. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cranberries and rosemary from the sugar syrup and place them on the prepared baking sheet. Allow to dry, uncovered, for 1 hour. Pour remaining 1/2 cup sugar into a large bowl. toss the cranberries and rosemary in teh sugar, coating them all the way around. Place them on a parchment paper or silicone baking mat-lined baking sheet and let htem dry, uncovered for at least 1 hour at room temperature or in the refrigerator. Cover tightly and stor in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 12×17″ baking pan with nonstick spray or grease with buter, so the parchment paper sticks. then line it with parchment paper so the cake seamlessly releases. Spray jor grease the parchment paper too. We want an extremely non-stick surface for this cake roll.
- Make the cake: Whisk the cake flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside until the next step. Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and 1/2 cup sugar on high speed for 4-5 mnutes or until stiff peaks form. Transfer to another bowl. Using the same mixing bowl you just had the egg whites in, (no need to clean it), add the egg yolks, remaining sugar, oil, and vanilla extract. Beat together on high speed for 3-4 minutes or until thickened and light in color.
- Add half of the whipped egg whites into the egg yolk mixture. Beat on low speed for 10 seconds. Repeat with remaining egg whites and beat on low for 10 seconds. Add half of the flour mixture and beat on low or fold in with a spatula until combined. Repeat with remaining flour mixture. Avoid over-mixing and deflating thos egg whites. Batter will be very light.
- Spread batter evenly into prepared pan. Gently bang the pan on the counter a couple times to pop any air bubbles. bake for 15-16 minutes or until the cake springs back when lightly poked with your finger. Cake will look a little bubbly when it’s done. That’s ok. Avoid over-baking because it will crack if over-baked. As the cake bakes, get started on the next step.
- Prepare to Roll: As the cak ebakes, place a piece of parchment paper (larger than the cake) or a thin kitchen / tea towel flat on the counter. (Note: I find a kitchen towel is better to help prevent cracking). Using a fine mesh sieve, dush parchment paper / towel with 3 tbsp of cocoa powder. Once the cake comes out of the oven, quickly run a knife around the edges. Immediately invert it onto the parchment / towel. Peel off parchment paper that was on the bottom of the cake as it baked. Starting with the narrow end, begin tightly rolling the hot cake up with the parchment / towel. Do this slowly and gently. The cake will be warm. Allow the cake to cool completely rolled up in the parchment / towel. Feel free to place it in the refrigerator to speed it up, about 3 hours and up to 1 day.
- During this time, make the meringue mushrooms: Preheat oven to 200°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. In a completely clean, residue-free large glass or metal mixing bowl, using a handheld mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg white, cream of tartar, and salt together on high speed until foamy, about 2 minutes — this is a small amount and the whisk on a stand mixer might not reach it, so whisk by hand until foamy if needed. With the mixer running on high speed, slowly add the sugar and beat until stiff glossy peaks form, about 2 more minutes. Snip off the end of a plastic bag or fit a round piping tip in a piping bag. I use and reccomend Wilton 2a piping tip or any tip with around a 1/2″ opening. Pipe quarter-sized circles (these will be the round mushroom tops) and 1″ tall cones (these will be the stems). You will have enough for 16 mushrooms. Using a moistened finger, (just a dab of water is fine), smooth down any peaks. if desired, lightly dust mushroom tops with cocoa powder using a fine sieve. bake for 2 hours. Do not open the oven as the meringues bake. Turn off the oven after 2 hours and let the meringues sit inside the cooling oven for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely. When they’re just about coo, melt the 1 oz. of chocolate in a double boiler or use the microwave. If using the microwave, melt in 15 second increments, sopping and stirring between until melted and smooth. Cool for 5-10 minutes. It is easier to adhere mushrooms if the chocolate is slightly cool. Once meringues have cooled, use a flat spatula to remove them from the baking sheets. Dot a bit of chocolate onto the center of the botto of a mushroom top. Adhere a stem to it. Place back on the baking sheet to set. If stems or tops still have a little peak, scrape off with a knife. Leaning them against the rim is helpful if they keep toppling over. Repeat with remaining tops and stems to form mushrooms. Let chocolate cool and harden, about 1 hour.
- Remove the cake roll from the refrigerator and allow to sit on teh counter for a few minutes to warm up as you prepare the whipped cream.
- Make the whipped cream: Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream , liqueur, confectioners’ sugar, and cocoa powder on medium to stiff peaks form, about 2-3 minutes.
- Gently and very slowly unroll the cake. Spread whipped cream evenly on top, leaving about a 1/2″ border around the cake. I like using a large or small offset spatula to spread. Sprinkle chopped hazelnuts on top. Gently roll the cake back up, without the parchment / towel this time. Roll it slowly. This part can be messy. Carefully place on a cutting board. If the exterior of the cake looks moist, dust with a little cocoa powder. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 days before shaping and topping with ganache.
- Make the ganache: Place chopped chocolate in a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan until it begins to simmer. (Don’t let it come to a rapid boil — that’s too hot.) Pour over chocolate, then let it sit for 2-3 minutes to gently soften the chocolate. Slowly stir until completely combined and chocolate has melted. Ganache will be thin, so it has to thicken before using. Refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour to thicken.
- Remove rolled cake from the refrigerator. Diagonally slice a 3-4″ section off one end. At this point, I usually place the cake on a serving platter. Place the angled side against a side of the roll, forming a branch. Slowly pour and spread thickened ganache all over the top and sides of cake. Feel free to leave the cut ends exposed or spread ganache over the ends — there should be plenty to use. Use a fork to make textured lines resembling tree bark. Feel free to wip the serving plate if ganache dripped all over.
- Decorate with meringue mushrooms, sugared cranberries and rosemary, and a dusting of confectioner’s sugar just before serving.
- Cover leftover cake and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
