Deep and crisp and easy
Experts in all things sweet and delicious, Ravneet Gill, Claire Thomson and Bake-Off’s Kim-Joy share their favourite festive creations for the table – and the tree
With Christmas less than a fortnight away, many of us will be in the full swing of festive indulgence. Gingerbread houses adorned, mince pies gobbled warm from the oven, and the seal on the Quality Street tin well and truly broken – our waistbands may not thank us, but for now it’s about celebrating the moment with something sweet.
“I like trying to eat at least one mince pie a day for the whole of December,” says the Saturday Telegraph’s baking columnist Ravneet Gill, who made her mincemeat in late August and has been judiciously feeding it with brandy ever since. Her show-stopping bakes overleaf make the perfect alternative to a Christmas pudding. “My roulade ticks any chocolate-lover’s box, and it’s flourless, so is a good gluten-free option.”
Her golden bread and butter pudding will use up leftover panettone, too.
“December is always a frantic whirr of things to do,” says Telegraph Magazine columnist Claire Thomson, whose house is full of goodies to satisfy her three children, Grace, Ivy and Dot. “It’s always good to have a supply of treats to cater for teachers’ presents and whatnot.” Her gingerbread rocky road is the perfect example of something quick, fuss-free and crowd-pleasing – and there isn’t a teacher in the land that wouldn’t smile upon opening a box of her homemade walnut whips.
And when it comes to edible decorations, Kim-Joy’s adorable (and delicious) robin biscuits are perfect for hanging on the tree. “Christmas baking encompasses everything I love about baking – colour, character and lots of edible glitter!” she says.
At a time when we could all enjoy a little extra cheer, there’s fun to be had in the making, sharing and eating of these festive bakes. Merry Christmas!
Serves six to eight INGREDIENTS
For the chocolate sponge
5 eggs, separated
2g fine salt
170g caster sugar
50g cocoa powder, sifted
For the soaking syrup
40ml water
40g caster sugar
10ml brandy
For the chantilly cream
90g milk chocolate, plus
20g for spreading
260ml double cream Pinch of salt To assemble
100g boozy cherries, or use drained, tinned cherries or
cherry compote Cocoa powder, icing sugar or grated chocolate, for dusting
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 190C/170C fan/Gas 5. Line
a baking tray with a lip (mine is 25cm x 38cm, and 2.5cm deep) with parchment paper. In a clean bowl, whisk the
egg whites at a medium speed (either using a stand mixer or electric whisk). Add the salt and keep whisking. When the whites are frothy, gradually add half the sugar and keep whisking until soft
peaks form. In a separate bowl, whisk
the egg yolks with the remaining sugar until pale and thick. Fold a third of the cocoa powder into the egg yolk mixture, followed
by a third of the egg whites. Repeat twice more
until combined. When properly mixed through, spread evenly on to the prepared baking tray.
Bake for 18-21 minutes, until springy to touch and a skewer inserted comes
out clean. Allow to cool on the tray before placing a piece of parchment on top and flipping it out. Peel off the original paper (which will now be on top) and replace with a fresh piece. With a short edge facing you, roll up the sponge away from you, tightly and with both sheets enclosed in the roll, and leave to one side while you make your other
components. To make the soaking syrup, heat the water and
sugar together until dissolved, add the brandy
and set aside. Melt the 90g chocolate either in short bursts in the microwave or in a bowl set
over a pan of simmering water. Whip the cream for a
few minutes until just before it reaches soft peaks; add in the melted chocolate.
Mix gently until thick and spreadable. Add the
pinch of salt. To assemble, unroll the
sponge and remove the inside piece of parchment. Using a pastry brush, brush the warm syrup
over the sponge. Melt the remaining 20g of
chocolate and, using a pastry brush, spread this over the soaked sponge.
Spread the chocolate chantilly in an even layer over the sponge, leaving a ½cm border along all the edges. Line up the cherries along one of the shorter edges. Using the underneath paper for assistance, roll the sponge up from this short edge. Carefully place on a large sheet of cling film; wrap up like a sausage, twisting the ends. Place on a baking tray and chill in the
fridge for two hours. Unwrap the roulade and dust with cocoa powder, icing sugar or shaved chocolate.