Lighter Than Air Chocolate Roll Recipes

CHOCOLATE ROLL I

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Line one 15 1/2 x 10 1/2 inch jelly roll pan with parchment paper and grease and flour lightly.
• Separate the eggs. Beat the whites with the cream of tartar until stiff. Gradually beat in 1/2 cup of the sugar.
• Sift the remaining sugar, cocoa, and flour together. Beat the egg yolks until thick and fold the flour mixture into them. Stir in vanilla. (The egg yolk mixture will be very stiff). Carefully fold the egg yolk mixture into the beaten egg whites. Evenly spread the batter into the prepared pan.
• Bake at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) for 20 minutes. Let cake cool for 5 minutes. Turn cake onto a towel sprinkled with confectioner's sugar, peel off parchment paper and roll cake up with the towel. Let cake cool completely. Unroll cake and spread with the whipped cream. Roll again. Serve with Foamy Butter Sauce or Fudge Sauce. For variation, you can add 2 tablespoons of rum or your favorite liqueur to the whipped cream. Serves 8.

LIGHTER THAN AIR CHOCOLATE ROLL

Steps:

• Make cake layer: Preheat oven to 350°F Oil a 15- by 10- by 1-inch shallow baking pan and line bottom lengthwise with a large piece of wax or parchment paper, letting paper hang over ends by 2 inches.
• Melt chocolate with water in a small heavy saucepan over very low heat, stirring. Cool to lukewarm.
• Beat yolks, 1/3 cup sugar, and salt in a large bowl with an electric mixer until thick and pale, about 5 minutes in a standing mixer or about 8 minutes with a hand-held mixer. Fold in melted chocolate until blended. Beat whites with cleaned beaters until they just hold soft peaks. Gradually add remaining 1/3 cup sugar and beat until whites just hold stiff peaks. Fold one third of whites into melted-chocolate mixture to lighten, then fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly.
• Spread batter evenly in baking pan and bake in middle of oven until puffed and top is dry to the touch, 15 to 18 minutes. Transfer pan to a rack. Cover top with 2 layers of damp paper towels and let stand 5 minutes, then remove towels and cool completely. Loosen edges with a sharp knife.
• Sift cocoa powder over top of cake layer and overlap 2 layers of wax paper lengthwise over cake. Place a baking sheet over paper and invert cake onto it, gently peeling off wax paper lining. (Don't worry if cake layer breaks; it will hold together when rolled.).
• Make filling: Beat cream with confectioners sugar and Grand Marnier with cleaned beaters until it just holds stiff peaks. Fold in zest.
• Fill and roll cake: Spread filling evenly over cake. Put a long platter next to a long side of cake. Using wax paper as an aid, roll up cake jelly roll-style, beginning with a long side. Carefully transfer, seam side down, to platter, using wax paper to help slide cake. (Cake will crack but will still hold together.).
• Dust cake generously with cocoa powder and confectioners sugar.

CHOCOLATE ROLL II

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a 10x15 inch jelly roll pan with parchment paper. Stir together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
• In a large bowl, beat egg yolks until thick and pale yellow. Fold in flour mixture. In a large glass or metal mixing bowl, beat 4 egg whites until foamy. Gradually add white sugar, continuing to beat until stiff peaks form. beat in vanilla. Fold 1/3 of the whites into the batter, then quickly fold in remaining whites until no streaks remain. Pour batter into prepared pan.
• Bake in preheated oven for 12 to 14 minutes, or until cake springs back when lightly tapped. Turn cake out onto a towel dusted with confectioners' sugar, and roll up until cool.
• To Make Frosting: In a small saucepan, stir together brown sugar and water. Cook, stirring constantly, until sugar spins a thread when dropped from a spoon. In a large bowl, beat together remaining 2 egg whites until foamy. Slowly pour brown sugar liquid into egg whites while beating. Beat until frosting forms stiff peaks. Unroll cake and apply frosting in an even layer. Roll cake back up and refrigerate.

LIGHTER THAN AIR PANCAKES

Steps:

• Whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl.
• In another bowl, whisk the buttermilk, sour cream, egg yolks, and melted butter together.
• In a big bowl, whip the egg whites and cream of tartar with an electric mixer on med-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute.
• Increase speed to med-high and whip the whites to soft peaks, 1-3 minutes.
• Make a well in the center of the flour mixture, pour the buttermilk mixture into the well, and gently whisk together until just incorporated with a few lumps remaining (do not overmix).
• Carefully fold in the whipped whites using a rubber spatula until just combined with a few streaks.
• Heat a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat for 3-5 minutes; brush the pan bottom with a thin layer of the oil.
• Using 1/8 cup (2 tablespoons) of batter per pancake, add the batter to the skillet (4 pancakes will fit at a time) and cook until large bubbles begin to appear, about 2 minutes.
• Flip the pancakes and continue to cook until golden brown, about 1 1/2 minutes.
• Serve pancakes immediately, while repeating with the remaining batter, brushing the skillet with oil as needed.