Chocolate Reindeer Swiss Roll

Give a chocolate swiss roll a festive make over and turn it into a Chocolate Reindeer Swiss Roll, perfect for serving during the Christmas holidays.

Now I appreciate that when you think of Christmas and chocolate Swiss rolls, you tend to think of a chocolate Yule log. Many a time when I was a young girl, I would turn a humble shop bought Swiss roll into an edible tile log, something which my brother and I enjoyed eating. However, instead of this, why not make a Swiss roll into a Chocolate Reindeer , complete with edible antlers and facial features.

I have only made a Swiss roll once or twice, as I always fear that they are too tricky to make owing to the fact that you have to roll up the sponge. Therefore, I have always bought ones in the past, especially from Marks and Spencers as theirs are always considered a tea time treat in my family, and bring back fond memories of tea times at my Grandparents when I was a child.  

Nonetheless, the other weekend my eldest was fancying some mini chocolate rolls that are sold in packs in the supermarket, and instead of buying some I decided to have a go at making a large version instead. Then as it was baking in the oven, I suddenly thought about making the finished Swiss roll look like a reindeer, to give it a festive edge (and, to be honest, to provide me with a festive blog post *ahem*). 

Now I appreciate that my Swiss roll does not contain a perfect ‘roll’ and I am sure that Mary Berry, Paul Hollywood and even Prue Leith would say so if this was a GBBO bake. Nevertheless, what it lacks in roll it certainly makes up for in lightness of sponge, chocolatey-ness and creamy chocolate buttercream filling. Seriously, this was melt in the mouth and everyone enjoyed eating it for dessert. 

I possibly should have made the chocolate antlers a little larger, but you could if you were to make this yourself. You could also cover the entire Swiss roll in melted chocolate to mimic the shop bought chocolate min I rolls, a comment my eldest did point out to me when he saw this cake.  Either way, this was a less messy approach to making a Chocolate Reindeer Swiss Roll and I did not think it missed out not being covered in mleted chocolate personally.

Anyway, if you fancy having a go yourself and seeing if your Swiss roll has a better shaped roll than mine then please find out how to make it below, and let me know how you got on. x

Grab the Recipe here:

Chocolate Reindeer Swiss Roll

 

Print

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

15 mins

 

Author: Jenny Paulin

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• *For the sponge*
• 6 large eggs, separated
• 100g caster sugar
• 50g good quality cocoa powder, plus extra to dust
• 50g good quality dark chocolate, melted, to decorate
• *For the filling*
• 200g butter
• 100g icing sugar
• 125g milk chocolate, melted
• *Decorations*
• red smartie or skittle x1
• edible eyes x 2
• white chocolate buttons x 2

Instructions

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/fan160°C
2. Line a 30cm x 20cm swiss roll tin with baking paper.
3. Take a small piece of baking paper, and draw 2 antler shapes - as big or small as you like really. In a piping bag add a dollop of the melted chocolate and fill in the antlers and then pop them in the fridge to set.
4. Place your egg yolks and sugar in a large bowl and whisk until the mixture is thick and pale. I used my stand alone food mixer. Once the mixture eaves a ribbon from the whisk when it is lifted up, you need to sift in the 50g cocoa.
5. Using a metal spoon carefully and as lightly as you can, fold in the cocoa powder.
6. In another clean bowl, whisk the egg whites with an electric hand mixer until it forms soft peaks. In other words, it should just peak and flop over when you lift up the whisk.
7. Now fold the egg whites into the yolk mixture with a metal spoon, about a heaped tablespoonful at a time . Be mindful not to knock out the air.
8. Pour the mixture into your prepared tin and bake for approx 15-20 minutes until the sponge is risen and springy to the touch.
9. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin.
10. After about 15 minutes, turn the sponge out onto a sheet of baking paper dusted generously with cocoa powder.
11. Now make your filling:
12. Beat the butter for a good 5 minuets until it has softened
13. Carefully add the icing sugar and beat until smooth
14. Now add the remaining melted chocolate and beat once more.
15. *assembling your bake*
16. Peel off the attached baking paper from the sponge.
17. Spread your chocolate buttercream over the sponge, but leave a gap about 1 inch around the sides.
18. Now roll up your sponge
19. Place the rolled sponge onto a serving plate and stick your 2 antlers into the side near the top and then stick your eye and nose on using any leftover melted chocolate/jam/chocolate spread.
20. Enjoy
21. This is best eaten on the day it is made, but is fine the next day too.

3.5.3251

Talking of Reindeer Themed bakes , this one might be worth a look too x 

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