Sage Chocolate Mousse Roulade
Cranberry & Sage Chocolate Mousse Roulade
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Recipe byCatherine Fulvio
So sage might not be the first ingredient that you think of when making a chocolate dessert but this is a truly festive dessert for the entertaining season – chocolate, cranberries and sage blend deliciously together.
Ingredients
- For the filling:
- 2 medium sage leaves, finely chopped
- 100g dried cranberries
- 4 tbsp. sherry
- For the chocolate mousse:
- 200g dark chocolate drops
- 2 eggs, separated
- ½ orange, zest only
- For the roulade:
- 150g caster sugar
- 40g cocoa powder, sifted
- 150ml cream, whipped
- 6 eggs, separated
- 4 tbsp. ground almonds
- 2 tbsp. caster sugar, to sprinkle on the parchment for rolling
- Icing sugar, to dust
- Sage leaves, for decorating
Preparation
To make the filling, place the cranberries, sherry and sage into a bowl and soak overnight.
To make the mousse, place the chocolate into a bain marie (ceramic bowl over a saucepan of simmering water) and melt. Remove from the heat and add the egg yolks to the chocolate and quickly whisk together well. Stir in the orange zest.
Using an electric beater, whisk the whites until they form soft peaks and then carefully fold until the chocolate mixture. Place in the fridge for about 1½ hours.
To make the roulade, preheat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Line a 30cm x 20cm (swiss roll) tin with parchment.
Whisk the egg yolks and sugar in a mixer until pale and fluffy. Fold in the cocoa and ground almonds. Whisk the egg whites separately with an electric mixer until stiff. Fold the egg whites into the chocolate egg sugar mixture. Pour into the lined swiss roll tin and bake for about 18 to 20 minutes or until risen and spongy to feel.
Remove from the oven – don’t worry it will sink a fair amount. Place on a cooling rack, allow to cool for 10 minutes before covering with a damp tea towel until cool. Sprinkle a piece of parchment with caster sugar and turn the roulade out so that its lining is on top and carefully remove the parchment lining. Drain off the cranberries if there is any liquid from soaking. Have the whipped cream and chocolate mousse filling ready.
Make an incision 2.5cm in all along the short side of the roulade, allow the knife not to cut all the way through. Spread the chocolate mousse over, then the cream and finally add the cranberries, leaving a 2.5cm edge all the way around.
Then with the help of the parchment paper, use the short edge, gently lift, pushing the edge down so it begins to curl and roll up the roulade. Don’t worry if it cracks – it is meant to do this.
Transfer to a serving plate and chill for about 2 hours. It can be chilled up to 7 or 8 hours. To serve, dust with icing sugar and decorate with sage leaves and cranberries to recreate the look of holly!
Winter Tips to add Sage to your recipe
A few sage leaves can be thrown into pumpkin, squash, or lentil soups to great effect.
Make pesto using fresh sage, as an alternative to basil, and walnuts, instead of pine nuts, whizzed up in a food processor with parmesan and olive oil.
A few small sage leaves infused in a panna cotta makes an interesting twist on a dessert – serve with a fruit coulis.
If you have a lot of leftover sage, then infuse into some warm olive oil for a few hours to give a sage scented oil. Ideal for drizzling over roasted vegetables mixed with just cooked pasta.
Saltimbocca is a classic Italian dish; chicken or rabbit is cooked with thin slices of Parma ham and fresh sage and served with creamy polenta.
Fry whole sprigs in oil for 2 minutes as an unique garnish of texture and flavour.