Roast pheasant, chocolate roulade and this sublime soup… a new book features spectacular dishes from a decade of MasterChef champions
This cherry and hazelnut chocolate roulade is completely packed with flavour from hazelnut liquer and maraschino cherries
This flavour-packed take on a Swiss roll uses maraschino and Frangelico liqueurs to add a note of sophistication.
Serves 6
3 eggs85g (3oz) caster sugar85g (3oz) plain flour3tbsp cocoa powder½tsp baking powder3tbsp hazelnut liqueur such as Frangelico3tbsp maraschino cherries
For the hazelnut brittle
110g (4oz) caster sugar20g (¾oz) lightly toasted hazelnuts, chopped
For the icing
200ml (7fl oz) double cream140g (5oz) dark chocolate, chopped5-6tsp maraschino liqueur, or syrup from the cherries
First, make the brittle. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Heat the sugar with 55ml water in a heavy-based pan over a medium heat, without stirring, for about 10 minutes, until golden.
Add the nuts and pour onto the baking sheet. Allow to cool and harden, then break into pieces.
Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4 and line a Swiss roll tin with parchment. In a bowl, whisk the eggs with the sugar and 1tbsp water for 5 minutes, until pale and light, and the whisk leaves a trail in the mixture.
Sift the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder over the eggs, and fold in. Pour into the tin, and bake for 12 minutes, until the top is springy. Remove from the oven.
While still warm, brush the sponge with the hazelnut liqueur until it is all absorbed, then turn it out onto a new piece of greaseproof paper.
Peel off the paper from the base of the sponge and discard. Roll up the sponge, leaving the new paper inside, then set aside to cool.
Make the icing. Pour the cream into a small pan, bring to the boil, then remove from the heat.
Add the chocolate and the maraschino liqueur or cherry syrup and leave to melt, stirring occasionally. Allow to cool and thicken.
Unroll the sponge, discarding the paper. Spread a third of the icing over the sponge, scatter with half the cherries, then roll up again.
Place on a board, seam-side down. Spread the remaining icing over the top, sides and ends of the cake.
Smooth with a warm palette knife, then place the remaining cherries and some brittle on the top. Move to a serving board and scatter the remaining brittle around to serve.
Extracted from MasterChef: The Classics With a Twist, published by DK on 4 October, £25. Recipe and images © Shine TV Limited, 2018. Offer price £20 until 20/10/18. Order at mailshop.co.uk/books or call 0844 571 0640, p&p free on orders over £15.