Black Forest Roulade and Lavazza Coffee

Black Forest Roulade

First of all, today’s post happens to be my 201st! Wow, I have actually stuck with something I started (I have a slight problem with commitment 😉 ) Not to say, that I haven’t thought about abandoning it all many times, but I really enjoy doing this now so I’ve stuck to it, I wish I could say the same about me learning German. That is not going well at all.

Black Forest Roulade

Secondly, this is a post that you don’t see very often here on my site; a sponsored post. I am incredibly picky about the products I use, advertise and recommend, but when Lavazza contacted me I couldn’t refuse. You see, after I graduated from the instant coffee of my youth and began to taste the nuances of different and really good coffee, my first experience was with Lavazza.

Lavazza Coffee

I loved, and still love, cappuccinos and I would patronise every cafe in London trying to find the perfect one. When I moved to the US, the hunt continued. Every time I had a good one, I noticed it was Lavazza. After that, any time I saw the Lavazza coffee sign, I knew I was in for a great cup of coffee. So, it was a no brainer to agree to this post and it’s truly a nostalgia post for me.

Lavazza Coffee

Lavazza has come out with a new line of coffees for your coffee machines at home and even though I haven’t broken into all the samples they sent me, the ones I’ve tried are fantastic. Those of you not familiar with Lavazza coffee, they are an Italian company started by Luigi Lavazza in 1895 in Turin, Italy. You can learn more about their company and their line of coffees on their web page.

Black Forest Roulade

Lavazza asked me to post what I thought was the ideal dessert as an accompaniment to coffee. For me, my first choice with coffee is always a chocolate dessert. Chocolate and coffee are the perfect partners. I also prefer that my chocolate dessert be a cake, a not so sweet, European style cake.

Black Forest Roulade and Lavazza Coffee-1

So, racking my brains, I decided to combine my favourite Black Forest Gateau and my desire to make a Yule Log this Christmas, into a Black Forest Roulade. Not quite the traditional Yule Log and definitely no meringue mushrooms in sight, but the roulade was still pretty tasty.

Black Forest Roulade

Yes, my roulade is not as rotund as it should be and it was my fault. In an attempt to supply cup measures and metric measures, I may have over filled my pan and so, when it came time to roll, my cake was a bit thick and didn’t roulade as well as I liked. Use the proper size pan!! In this case, a 10″ x 15″ (25 x 38 cm) jelly roll pan. Also, if you need a step by step on the hot sponge method, follow the tutorial on my Lemon Mascarpone Roulade.

Black Forest Roulade

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Black Forest Roulade

Serving size: 8

Calories: 490

Fat: 29g

An updated Yule Log with chocolate cake and black cherries.
Ingredients
CAKE
  • ½ cup/100g sugar
  • ¾ cup/100g flour
  • ⅓ cup/35g cocoa powder
  • 4 eggs, organic
  • 2 tablespoons water, warm
  • 425g/1 cup chopped, pitted cherries, frozen or canned
  • ¾ cup/175mL heavy cream
Frosting
  • 5oz/145g good quality, semi sweet chocolate chips (Callebaut)
  • 1 cup/235mL heavy cream
  • pinch salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
Decorating
  • a few whole cherries
  • a bar of dark chocolate to shave or chop in shards
Instructions
Whipped Ganache Frosting
  1. Melt the semi sweet chocolate chips and heavy cream together over a double boiler or in the microwave at 30 second intervals. Usually takes about 90 seconds to melt and smooth completely but each microwave is different so watch yours and adjust accordingly.
  2. The frosting will need to cool down completely before whipping so make this ahead of time.
  3. Once the cream and chocolate are melted together, add the salt and vanilla and let cool at room temperature for about 15 minutes and then place in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight.
  4. Once chilled, take out and whip with a hand mixer or standing mixer until soft, whipped and lightened in colour.
Cake
  1. Preheat oven to 400℉/200.
  2. Grease and line a jelly roll pan approximately 10" x 15" with parchment paper and grease the paper as well.
  3. Using a double boiler and a hand mixer, beat the eggs with the sugar until thick and foamy in heatproof bowl over the simmering water.
  4. Gently, fold in the flour, cocoa powder and warm water
  5. Pour into the prepared baking pan and level the top by tilting pan.
  6. Try not to touch the surface.
  7. Place in the centre of the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes, until the cake is firm and springy to the touch.
  8. While the cake is baking, take a clean tea towel and lay on the table or counter, and sprinkle liberally with powdered sugar.
  9. As soon as the cake is done, tip the cake carefully onto the tea towel and gently lift off the pan and peel off the parchment paper.
  10. Using a serrated knife, trim the hard edges of the cake.
  11. Slowly, roll up the cake from the short size and let cool completely.
  12. While the cake is cooling, make the filling.
  13. Whip the heavy cream until stiff.
  14. When the cake has cooled completely, unroll gently.
  15. Spread the whipped cream inside the cake and scatter the chopped black cherries.
  16. Slowly roll back up into a roulade.
  17. If the cake cracks, mould back together with cream.
  18. The frosting will hide any cracking defects.
  19. Since my cake was a bit thick, mine did crack but you can't tell from the photos!
  20. Spread the whipped ganache frosting all over the top and sides.
  21. If the cake pulls up while frosting, use a wet spatula to smear on.
  22. Decorate with shaved chocolate, a few whole cherries and a dusting of powdered sugar.
  23. Enjoy with a cup of coffee.
Notes
This is a true hot method sponge and requires proper beating of the eggs to ensure that enough air is whipped in to raise the cake. The volume of the eggs will increase significantly and that's what we want. Do not skimp on the whipping of the eggs. Fold the flour and cocoa powder in gently but make sure it is incorporated well. This cake comes together really well and quite quickly as long as you watch the steps and technique, oh and use the proper pan, unlike me!
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Black Forest Roulade and French Press Lavazza Coffee-1

I would like to thank Lavazza for sending me these delicious coffee samples and for allowing me to create a dessert to go with their amazing coffee.

I hope you are all off to a great start to the week!

  1. Pingback: Going nuts: Nut Roast redux | Five Euro Food

  3. Damn, nice!! I wish someone would send me coffee!! 😀

    I was reading this in bed the other night on my phone! I’m very pleased you did because I’ve decided to make it for our Christmas dessert this year! Thanks for the inspiration. The thing I’m most scared of is the whipped ganache… I’ve been having terrible luck with ganache recently but I’m sure I can cobble something together, lol!

    I’ll let you know how it turns out! 🙂 Happy holidays Nazneen!
    Charles recently posted..Anisgrisar (Anise Pigs)My Profile

  6. Hi Nazneen,
    This is simply stunning! I can only imagine how delicious this must be with all the fine ingredients you have in there. I need to get those Callebaut chips.
    Asmita recently posted..Merry ChristmasMy Profile

    • Thank you, John! I don’t how inspired it is but I wanted to make a Yule Log and a Black Forest, seemed logical to combine them. Thanks for your comment!

    • Thank you Lail. Coffee and chocolate go very well together and it’s definitely my favourite combination.

  12. Congratulations, Nazneen. 201 posts is no small achievement and definitely something to be proud of — as is this roulade. Oh my goodness! A black forest roulade is simply an inspired idea and creation. It looks every bit as scrumptious as it sounds. You’ve certainly picked a stellar way to mark your reaching the 200th post milestone. 🙂
    ChgoJohn recently posted..Egg-Filled RavioliMy Profile

    • Thank you very much John! It’s funny because I wasn’t really thinking of my 201 post or creating anything special for it, in fact I didn’t even notice it until I happened to glance at the “all posts” header on WordPress and so started off my post with that! But it worked out I guess 😉

  14. I’m not a coffee person, I’m a tea girl, but i know that Lavazza is good stuff :). The cake however, yeah, I’m totally a cake girl. Hand it ovaaaaah! I can’t wait to get chocolate shavings all over your kitchen floor LOL.
    *kisses* H

    • I am a caffeine girl. Love tea and coffee. I am a dessert girl too, not picky either as long as its sweet. And you’ll be cleaning up the chocolate mess 🙂

    • Thanks Monica! Lavazza is great and I am lucky they asked me to participate. I was quite partial to the shards myself 🙂

  16. Girl you are so right on track with the pairing. THe cake and coffee, beautiful. I’ve never tried their coffees, now cannot wait.
    So glad you stuck to blogging..:), happy 201, that’s serious accomplishment, glad to know you.
    Hey, hope you are feeling better. Sucks to be in pain. Take care of yourself, we sometimes forget ourselves with all the chaos and routine. Hugs to you my dear.
    Ash-foodfashionparty recently posted..INDO THAI – SPICY CHICKEN CURRY with VEGETEBLESMy Profile

    • Thank you Asha, its been a great ride and I have made wonderful friends. I am so glad to know you too. I am better but still stiff, I’ll be fine. Hope you are better xx

  18. Congrats Nazneen! And as a reader and follower, I’m glad you stuck with it as well. Some of my favourite ideas have come from you this year. Here’s to a great 2013 and looking forward to more in 2014, just in case I don’t manage to comment again before the year ends. Now, bring me some of that gorgeous black forest roulade lovely 😉
    shuhan recently posted..Ho Ho Ho Homemade Sriracha, fermented hot stuffMy Profile

    • Shuhan my dear friend, thank you!! You are a sweet heart and I appreciate your support!! I hope you’ll visit me soon xx

  20. Congratulations on your 201st post and I wish you many many more to come!!! Continue to blog because your posts are awesome!!! Very creative recipes, interesting stories and beautiful pictures! Really impressive. I know exactly what you mean about commiting to something. I just started blogging and felt like quiting many times already:) I am a big fan of coffee and chocolate as well so I will make sure to try your recipe as well as the Lavazza coffee soon.
    kat recently posted..GIVEAWAY!!!My Profile

    • Thank You Kat! Blogging is not easy, it takes a lot of time and serious commitment. I neglected mine for many months when I first started but then something made me want to really go at it again. I’m glad I stuck with it.

  21. 201!!! Congrats! It makes me wonder how many I have done – you know, I have NO idea!!

    While I am not a coffee drinker, I do serve Lavazza at home, and use it in cooking a lot. And your roulade looks perfect. No need for the mushrooms at all!
    David recently posted..The Big QuestionMy Profile

    • Thanks David!! I am surprised I have done that many! I wasn’t very good at keeping up with my blog at the beginning. If you have WordPress, it should tell you on your ALL POSTS page. Thats how I knew :).

    • Thank you, Thank you Shashi!! An achievement, frankly, I am surprised I made 😉 I do hope you try the coffee, it really is quite good.

  23. At least your’e trying to learn German, I made not one single effort to learn any of the language before I took my trip there. I felt like such a slackard. I’m glad you’re writing about this coffee, I’ve never heard of it and it sounds like such a quality product. Especially coming from a coffee fan like yourself. And Nazneen, your dessert looks so elegant and beautiful. And yes, perfect for coffee. Congrats on #201.
    Lea Ann (Cooking On The Ranch) recently posted..Sweet and Sour, Grape Jelly MeatballsMy Profile

    • Thank you so much Lea Ann! I’ve always loved languages and wish I could devote more time to learning as many as I can. I did French for almost 9 years and am so rusty its quite unforgivable. I always wanted to learn German and Italian but in school I decided to concentrate on Latin and Ancient Greek, so here I am, doing German by myself! Thanks for your lovely comment Lea Ann 🙂

  25. Gorgeous black forest roulade! Great to know that you are learning German. We must converse in Deutsch now:-) I’ve learnt it too. My knowledge of coffee is limited…actually I love it more in desserts than by itself unlike the culture in Australia. Maybe, I will pick up a thing or two from you. Congratulations on your wonderful milestone. I am still counting down to 100…I hope to reach at least that when I complete a year in Feb. Over and above everything, I need a piece of that roulade…that looks divine! DIVINE!
    Sugar et al recently posted..Marshmallow Sandwich Cookies with Home made MarshmallowsMy Profile

    • Thanks Sonali! Oh, my German is going very slowly! I was on track and now with kids and cooking and blogging, I’ve let it slide and can’t remember anything. We can try conversing but I’ll only get as far as danke and nein!

  26. I have to agree with the Lavazza statement, their coffees are so smooth and delicious. As for the tiramisu come Black Forest gateau, looks to due for. If you hadn’t mentioned it being a tad oblong, I would never have noticed!
    David Crichton recently posted..Venison and Chestnut PieMy Profile