Swiss Roll Christmas Cottages: Easy Festive Cake Roll

Swiss Roll Christmas Cottages

Adapted from the Mocha Yule Log from Nigella Christmas

For Cake

• 6 eggs, separated making sure that there is no yolk in the whites

• 100g (3.5oz) + 50g (1.7oz) caster sugar

• 50g/1.7oz cocoa

• 2 tablespoons of icing sugar to help roll the cake

For icing

• 175g/6oz Dark Chocolate

• 250g/8.8oz Icing Sugar

• 225g Butter/8oz, softened

To decorate

• Plus 120g/4oz best jam of your choice (I used a blackbery and durif jam)

• 8 chocolate bars or blocks of chocolates (I used 2x Lindt 100g chocolate bars)

• Desiccated coconut to decorate

• Small fruit jellies to decorate

You will also need a Swiss roll tin 24x36cms (9.6"x14.4")

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Step 1 - Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan forced (350F/325F fan forced). Line a swiss roll tin with baking parchment with a little overhang (it rises a little in the oven but sinks down when cooling). I find it helps to stick the parchment to the baking tin, especially a non stick one, if you spray it with a non stick cooking spray. In a clean, large bowl whisk the egg whites until starting to hold a peak and then whisk in the 50g of caster sugar by the spoonful until soft, firm peaks form (but not dry).

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Step 2 - I know you're supposed to use another bowl but I never bother. I just put the whipped egg whites in a bowl and scrape it clean and use the same bowl (although do be aware lovelies that you can't whip the egg yolks and sugar first and then whip the egg whites, the egg whites require a spotlessly clean bowl). Whip egg yolks and 100g of the caster sugar until pale and mousse-like.

Step 3 - Sift cocoa over the egg yolk mixture and fold to combine.

Step 4 - Add 2 tablespoons of the fluffy egg white mixture to the yolk and sugar mixture. Fold gently to combine. Then add the rest of the egg whites in 2 or 3 even lots.

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Step 5 - Pour into swiss roll tin and smooth over the top and bake at 180c for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes and then start to gently pry back paper on the sides.

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Step 6 - Have another sheet of parchment paper sprinkled with some icing sugar ready. Turn cake onto this gently (don’t worry, if there are any rips or tears, the icing will cover these) and gently roll this up. Cover with a clean teatowel and cool.

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For icing

Step 7 - Melt chocolate in a double boiler or in a microwave (I do it on 30% or 50% power in 60 second bursts). Put icing sugar in food processor to get rid of any lumps or sieve in a bowl. If using a food processor beat with butter, coffee powder and then cooled chocolate. If doing it by hand, whisk with butter in with the sieved icing sugar, coffee powder and then add chocolate and beat by hand using a large whisk.

To assemble

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Step 8 - I find the icing easiest to work with when it isn't very soft. As I write this, it is Summer so it gets soft very quickly so I put this in the fridge to firm up a little. Then carefully unrolling the Swiss roll spread it with the icing and the jam. Roll back up and refrigerate until very firm. The icing will set well until very firm in the fridge.

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Step 9 - Cut into slices-i made mine about an inch thick-depending on the size of your Swiss Roll tin, you will get between 6-7 slices. Spread some chocolate icing on top and affix some chocolate bars on top as the roof. Decorate by sticking fruit jellies as windows,  chopped up chocolate bars as doors and chimneys.

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