Now you may be thinking….another Swiss roll? However this Black Forest Swiss Roll Recipe is just to die for. Yes I may be a little Swiss roll happy this time of year but it really just is the perfect dessert and so much easier to make than a cake. I will absolutely die on this hill.
The tartness from the cherries mixed with the sweetness from the fresh whipped cream is just incredible. Coated in a beautifully silky chocolate ganache, this Black Forest Swiss Roll Recipe is definitely a winner.
JUST LOOK AT HER
Let’s discuss some tips for the three main components of this Black Forest Swiss roll: sponge, whipped cream filling and ganache.
SPONGE: Black Forest Swiss Roll Recipe
- This only takes 12 minutes to bake so please do not overbake it
- Do not over mix, this will lead to a tight sponge later on
- Don’t worry if when baked you don’t have much of a rise, this is a relatively thin sponge so don’t expect it to puff up like a cake!
WHIPPED CREAM
- Finely chop your cherries and add to your whipped cream just before you get to the stage of whipped peaks, once you stir them in your whipped cream should be the perfect consistency
- If you do over whip your cream, you’ll have to start again so pay very close attention to it!
- Icing sugar is a key ingredient in the whipped cream, because it stabilises it and will help it to hold its shape inside the Swiss roll
GANACHE
Now in my opinion a ganache is super forgiving to make however it can go wrong, like it did for me, in this recipe so I’m here to tell you how to prevent your ganache from splitting- and if it does, then how to save it!
How to prevent your ganache from splitting:
- Chop your chocolate as evenly and small as you possibly can, this is so that it all melts at the same time, overheating your chocolate causes the aft to separate form it and is how it splits.
- Use 20-30 second intervals in the microwave stirring between each one
- Use a glass, microwave safe bowl as you’ll get a much smoother ganache
- Make sure you butter is at room temperature before adding it into the ganache
If your ganache does split, this is how to save it:
SO at this stage you’re probably panicking, don’t worry so was I haha but it really is such a quick fix!
- Pour your split ganache into a saucepan and place on the lowest heat
- Whisk in 2 tablespoons of warm milk very slowly with a hand whisk, keep going and your ganache should start to recombine, this may take up to 4 minutes but don’t give up hope!
- Gently warm the milk in the microwave for about 20 seconds max
- If this doesn’t work although I find 9 times out fo 10 it does, add some more chocolate whilst on the heat and whisk until fully melted on a low heat.
- Once your ganache has been saved, place in the fridge to cool!
- Once cool, using an electric whisk whip your ganache until it becomes thicker and spreading consistency
Check out my Chocolate and Raspberry Cheesecake recipe for what chocolate I like to use in my ganache!
Here is a peak at the intersection
Now time for my recipe…..
Black Forest Swiss roll
Ingredients
Sponge
- 5 medium eggs
- 90 g sugar
- 50 g sifted plain flour
- 30 g sifted cocoa powder
- ½ tsp baking powder
Whipped cream filling
- 300 ml double cream
- ½ tbsp icing sugar
- 350 g whole cherries
Ganache
- 100 g milk chocolate
- 100 g dark chocolate
- 100 g unsalted butter
- 100 ml double cream
Optional for decoration
- 50 ml double cream whipped, to pipe on the end as decoration
- 7 whole cherries
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180° and line a baking tray with parchment paper (mine was 40cm×32cm)
- Whip your eggs and sugar on a high speed (using a stand mixer or hand whisk) for 6-8 minutes and until semi stiff
- On a low speed whisk in your sifted plain flour, cocoa powder and baking powder (it's probably better to fold in the dry ingredients but I was lazy, don't be me)
- Pour your cake batter into your baking tray and place in the oven to bake for 8 minutes exactlv!
- Whilst your sponge is baking, dip its and finely chop your cherries!
- Remove your sponge from the tray immediately and using another sheet of parchment placed on top of your sponge, flip the sponge. Peel off the parchment paper and using a new sheet of parchment, roll up your sponge with the parchment in the roll. Look at my video for my Swiss roll, if you have trouble visualising how this is done!
- Allow your cake to cool completely, in the meantime make your ganache (before the filling as the ganache also needs time to cool) by melting the butter, chocolate and double cream in the microwave. Heat for 30 seconds, stir and repeat (I used about 2 cycles of this)
- Place your ganache in the fridge to cool. Whilst the ganache is cooling, make your filling by whisking together your double cream and icing sugar (pls don't overwhip!) until soft peaks form and stir in your chopped cherries
- Once your ganache is cool, whip it for 3-4 mins using an electric whisk until lighter in colour and fluffy!
- By now the cake should have cooled, if it hasn't wait until completely cool before you unroll it.Unroll the cake and spread vour cream over the sponge, using the parchment it was in roll up the cake very carefully and keep it as tight as you can
- Ice with your ganache using a offset spatula or just the back of a spoon!
- To decorate I dusted my Black Forest Swiss roll with icing sugar, piped on whipped cream in a line and placed a cherry in the centre of each whipped cream peak.
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