This is a fun and unique dessert that works perfectly for either Passover or Easter!

What You’ll Need:

Cake:

6 ounces dark chocolate

6 large eggs, separated

1/2 cup sugar

1 Tablespoon fresh orange zest, finely grated (optional)

1/2 teaspoon salt

Mascarpone Filling:

8 ounce container mascarpone, at room temperature

6 ounces light cream cheese, soften to room temperature

4 -6 Tablespoons whipping cream

4 tablespoons powder sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla paste

1-2 Tablespoons Grand Marnier (optional)

What to Do:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Butter a jelly-roll baking pan and line with wax paper or parchment paper, then butter and flour paper.

In a double boiler, melt chocolate – stirring until smooth – then remove double boiler pan from heat. If you do not have a double boiler, a metal bowl set over a barely simmering water will work as well.

In a medium sized bowl, beat yolks, sugar, zest and salt with an electric mixer until thick. Mixture should be slightly pale and will form ribbons when beaters are lifted. Beat in melted chocolate until well blended.

In another bowl, beat egg whites (with clean beaters) until they form and hold soft peaks. Stir one fourth whites into chocolate mixture to lighten. Fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly.

Pour batter into pan, spreading evenly with a spatula. Place pan in the middle of oven and bake for about 10 minutes, or until cake is springy to the touch. Cool cake in pan, cover with a dampened kitchen towel.

In a medium sized mixing bowl, beat mascarpone, cream, powder sugar and vanilla, or Grand Marnier, until smooth and creamy.

Put a large sheet of parchment paper on work surface and lightly dust with cocoa powder. Invert cake onto parchment and gently peel off paper. Spoon mascarpone cream mixture evenly onto cake. Start with the short side and roll up roulade jelly-roll fashion.

Transfer to a platter, seam side down, then lightly dust roulade with cocoa powder. Slice and serve.