Chocolate and citrus marmalade roll cake

This Easter, treat yourself to a dessert featuring the classic combination of chocolate and citrus. A roll cake filled with chocolate ganache and citrus marmalade.

Ingredients for the sponge cake : 

  • 4 eggs 
  • 100g of flour
  • 80g of sugar
  • Optional : 20g unsweetened cocoa powder

Chocolate ganache : 

  • 250g of chocolate melted in bain-marie
  • optional : the juice of 2 citruses : lemon, lime, orange..
  • 55g softened butter

And a jar of marmalade of your choice.

To prepare the ganache : 

  1. Melt the chocolate in a bain-marie
  2. Gradually pour in the citrus juice
  3. Stir the softened butter into the still-warm chocolate
  4. Cover with cling film, pressing it directly onto the surface, and chill for 1 hour

To prepare the sponge cake 

  1. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar until the mixture turns pale. Add the sifted flour and cocoa powder, then mix until you have a smooth batter.
  2. Whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form and gently fold them into the batter.
  3. Using a spatula, spread the batter evenly over a baking tray lined with baking paper. Remove any air bubbles from the batter by tapping the baking tray lightly on the work surface, so that the batter bakes evenly.
  4. Bake at 180°C for 12 to 15 minutes until the sponge is lightly golden. Do not overcook the sponge as it will become hard.
  5. As soon as it comes out of the oven, turn the sponge cake out, with the baking paper side facing upwards, onto a clean, slightly damp tea towel laid out on the worktop. Carefully remove the baking paper by hand to avoid tearing off pieces of the sponge.
  6. Then roll the sponge up lengthways using the tea towel, pressing firmly so that the still-warm sponge takes its shape. Leave for a few minutes.

Assembly :

  1. Once cooled, carefully unroll the sponge, spread a layer of ganache and a layer of jam, then roll it up again without the tea towel.
  2. Just before filling, you can very lightly brush the sponge with limoncello using a pastry brush.
  3. Wrap the roll tightly in cling film, pressing it firmly like a ballotine so that it retains its shape.
  4. Chill for an hour before serving.

You can serve the slices of roll topped with a coulis made from the marmalade slightly diluted in hot water.

Alternatively, prepare a glaze by mixing icing sugar with a dash of lemon juice; the glaze should not be too runny and should coat the cake well.

Enjoy!