Vanilla Chiffon Roll with Chocolate Walnut Mousse Filling

By kathryns

Can make the mousse filling one day ahead. Can refrigerate the finished (undecorated) roll, well-wrapped in 'frig one day ahead.

Ingredients

• Chocolate Walnut Mousse (recipe follows):
• CAKE
• 1 c sugar
• 1 c all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 4 lg eggs -- separated
• 1/2 c vegetable oil
• 1/2 c water
• 2 tbl vanilla
• 2 lg egg whites
• 1/2 c sugar
• 1 2/3 c walnuts -- lightly toasted
• 2 tbl walnut oil (or safflower oil)
• 5 ozs bittersweet chocolate -- melted
• 3 lg egg yolks
• 1/3 c sugar
• 1/4 c water
• 1 1/2 c heavy cream
• Topping:
• unsweetened cocoa powder
• powdered sugar
• caramelized walnuts

Details

Servings 12
Preparation time 120mins
Cooking time 360mins

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350. Spray half sheetpan, line with parchment and lightly spray parchment.

Sift together 1 cup of sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside

In a large bowl, whisk together yolks, oil, water and vanilla until blended. Add dry ingredients gradually to the yolk mixture, whisking all the while.

Beat 6 egg whites in mixer with a whisk on low speed. When they are foamy and form very soft peaks, increase mixer speed to medium-high and gradually add the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar. Beat until whites are thick, shiny and hold peaks.

Fold 1/3 of the whites into the yolk mixture to lighten, then turn the yolk mixture into the whites and fold gently but thoroughly.

Scrape and pour batter into pan and spread evenly with an "OFFSET SPATULA".

Bake 10-12 minutes or until the egdes just start to pull away from sides of the pan. Transfer to a rack and cool completely.

Prepare the mousse.

Finishing the cake: Sprinkle the cake with a little confectioner's sugar and cover the cake with parchment.

Place an inverted half sheetpan over the cake and turn the cake over, inverted pan and all.

Peel off the paper the cake baked on, turn the paper over and reposition it over the cake. Invert the baking pan, press it against the cake and invert again so that the cake is right side up and resting on the inverted half sheetpan.

With the cake on top of the pan, trim the edges with a knife.

Keeping the long side in front of you, spread the mousse evenly over the cake, leaving a bare 1 inch along the side closest to you.

Starting with the side closest to you, roll the cake up into an even roll, using the paper to help move it along. When you come to the end (it will have rolled about 1 1/2 times) the edges of the paper should meet. Grab the edges of the paper and scoot the cake to the center of the pan. Tuck the paper ends under the cake and chill on the pan for at least 2 hours. Wrapped well the cake can be left in the refrigerator overnight.

To serve, cut strips 5 , 1" strips of parchnment and lay them across the cake at evenly spaced intervals. Dust the cake with cocoa powder and a hint of powdered sugar. Place one caramelized walnut on each of the undusted areas.

Using two spatulas, lift the cake on to a serving platter.
Chocolate Walnut Mousse

1 2/3 c walnuts -- lightly toasted
2 tbl walnut oil (or safflower oil)
5 ozs bittersweet chocolate -- melted
3 lg egg yolks
1/3 c sugar
1/4 c water
1 1/2 c heavy cream

Put walnuts and walnut oil in a food processor and puls/process until a paste forms. Add melted chocolate and process until thoroughly mixed. Set aside.

Put yolks in a mixer bowl and whisk lightly by hand

In a saucepan that can be used as a double boiler in conjunction with the bowl holding the yolks, bring an inch of water to a simmer.

In another small saucepan bring sugar and water to a boil. Remove from heat and very gradually add syrup to egg yolks, whisking the yolks steadily and without stop.

Fit the bowl on top of the simmering water and whisk until the mixture is foamy and hot to the touch.

Remove bowl from heat and fit on to mixer. With whisk attachment, beat on high until mixture is pale, holds soft ribbon and is cool to the touch. (Cooling can achieve by removing mixer bowl and putting a larger bowl of ice on the mixer stand and returning the mixer bowl on top of ice bowl to continue mixing. ) Fold in reserved walnut/chocolate paste.

Whip cream to soft peaks. Fold into walnut mixture. Refrigerate until needed. Can be made a day ahead.