Ferrero Rocher Cake Roll

Ferrero Rocher Cake Roll consists in a chocolate sponge cake, a creamy chocolate-hazelnut mascarpone filling hiding some whole Ferrero Rochers, and a crispy Rocher chocolate coating on top. Perfect for Christmas served as a bûche de Noël, or for any occasion of the year really.

This very festive cake roll is like a dream come true. If like me you’re obsessed with all things chocolate and cannot resist Ferrero Rochers, then you will for sure fall in love with this dessert!

I created the recipe with the idea that it could make a lovely Christmas dessert for all my French readers who serve bûche de Noël for this special occasion every year, but it also makes a decadent chocolate dessert to enjoy year-round. Be sure to read all my tips and tricks for success, and be ready for a sweet adventure!

The recipe ingredients

This Ferrero Rocher Cake Roll comes in 3 different parts: the chocolate sponge cake, the praliné-mascarpone filling, and the rocher chocolate coating. Find below the ingredients you will need for each of them:

• Chocolate sponge cake requires all-purpose flour (sifted), eggs, sugar and unsweetened cocoa.
• The filling uses Praliné Milk Baking Chocolate, heavy liquid cream, and mascarpone cheese, with a few whole Ferrero Rochers. No added sugar is needed, as the Praliné chocolate is already very sweet. Find possible substitutes below.
• The rocher chocolate coating is prepared with semi-sweet chocolate, heavy liquid cream and some pralin (toasted hazelnuts that are mixed into a coarse powder).

What is praliné milk baking chocolate and possible substitutes

Praliné Milk Baking Chocolate consists is a pure milk chocolate cocoa butter combined with freshly roasted hazelnuts for a unique and balanced taste, that will remind you of your favorite hazelnut chocolate spread.

If you live in France and/or are French, Praliné Milk Baking Chocolate is no secret for you, and you can find it in any grocery store in the baking chocolate section. If however you live in North America (USA, Canada) or even in other parts of the world, this type of baking chocolate can be very hard to find. You can either order it online using the link above, or replace with hazelnut chocolate spread (Nutella or similar). Alternatively, you can also use milk baking chocolate. You wouldn’t have the subtle hazelnut taste but the filling will still be delicious.

A delicate chocolate sponge cake

The chocolate sponge cake I use for this cake roll recipe is very delicate and fragile, due to the use of cocoa powder in the batter. While making it, remember to sift the flour and the cocoa powder together, and also make sure you stir very carefully and until just combined (over-mixing would result in a tough texture). Monitor the baking time closely so the sponge cake doesn’t overbake.

When baked through, roll it out on itself on the shorter side together with the baking paper, then wrap it into a damp towel to keep as much moisture as possible. It’s important to keep the baking paper when rolling it on itself or the sponge cake will stick to the damp towel, which you absolutely want to avoid. If the chocolate sponge cake cracks a little before or while assembling the cake roll, do not panic at all and just continue the process very carefully. The rocher chocolate coating will hide the imperfections later on.

The Ferrero Rocher chocolate coating

The Rocher coating is very popular in France. It consists in melted dark chocolate and so-called “pralin”, which consists in a coarse powder made out of toasted hazelnuts and mixed in the food processor. There should still be some crispy texture to it. The Rocher coating must remain liquid when poured over the cake roll to cover it in a thin layer all over. It will  If too think, add a few Tablespoons of hot water and mix again until you get a runny texture.

Variations around the recipe

If you want something that is not too chocolaty, or if you don’t feel confident with making the chocolate sponge cake (that again, is very delicate), use this plain sponge cake recipe that is a foolproof and absolutely delicious version. Also, you may want to sprinkle some finely chopped Ferrero Rochers over the praline filling rather than using them all. This will result in a lighter cake roll, with a crispy touch in each bite. Last but not least, don’t forget that if you can’t find your hands on Nestlé Dessert Praliné Milk Baking Chocolate you can use a few spoonfuls of Nutella, Nocciolata or other hazelnut chocolate spread of choice.

More cake rolls & yule log recipes:

• Lemon Meringue Roulade
• Chocolate and Orange Cake Roll
• Tiramisu Gingerbread House Cake
• Tropical Fruit Cake Roll
• Chocolate and Chestnut Yule Log

Chocolate lovers will also fall for…

• Chocolate Charlotte Cake
• Perfect Chocolate Pancakes
• Best Homemade Hot Chocolate

Ferrero Rocher Cake Roll

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• Author: Delphine Fortin
• Prep Time: 1 hour
• Chilling Time: 2 hours
• Cook Time: 15 mins
• Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes
• Yield: 10 servings 1x
• Category: Desserts

Ferrero Rocher Cake Roll consists in a chocolate sponge cake, a creamy chocolate-hazelnut filling, and a crispy Rocher chocolate coating.

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Ingredients

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For the chocolate sponge cake:

• ¾ cup (90g) all-purpose flour, sifted
• 4 large eggs
• ⅔ cup (120g) sugar
• 4 Tablespoons (30g) unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted

For the chocolate-hazelnut filling:

• 3.5 ounces (100g) Praliné Milk Baking Chocolate, cut into pieces*
• ¾ cup + 1 Tablespoon (20 cl) heavy whipping cream, very cold
• 8.8 ounces (250g) mascarpone cheese, very cold

Rocher-chocolate coating:

• 7 ounces (200g) semi-sweet chocolate**
• ¾ cup + 1 Tablespoon (20 cl) heavy liquid cream
• 3.5 ounces (100g) pralin***
• 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil, neutral in taste (canola, sunflower…)

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Instructions

Chocolate sponge cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 320°F (160°C), and line a large 10×12-inch (25×30 cm) baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, beat eggs and sugar until pale and fluffy, and doubled in size. Sift unsweetened cocoa and flour over the batter and stir carefully with a rubber spatula until just combined.
3. Pour onto the prepared baking sheet in an even layer, and bake for about 15 minutes, or until the sponge cake is baked through but remains supple.
4. Roll it out on itself together with the parchment paper, then wrap in a damp towel and place in the refrigerator while you’re making the filling.

For the chocolate-hazelnut filling:

1. Place the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk in the freezer for about 10 minutes.
2. Melt the milk chocolate in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds, until completely melted. Let cool for about 5 minutes in the freezer.
3. Remove the stand mixer bowl and the whisk from the freezer, and use them to whisk together the very cold mascarpone cheese and heavy liquid cream, until creamy and doubled in size, about 5 minutes. Add the cold milk chocolate, and stir until combined.

For the coating and assembling the cake roll:

1. Heat heavy liquid cream in a small saucepan placed over medium heat, and bring to a gentle simmer. Add the chocolate, pralin, vegetable oil, and stir well. Set aside and let cool slightly.
2. Unroll the chocolate sponge cake, and spread the chocolate-hazelnut mascarpone filling all over, reserving a few spoonfuls for decoration. Add a row of Ferrero Rochers on the border of the shorter side, and roll the sponge cake over itself, very tightly.
3. Transfer to a cooling rack, and pour the rocher-chocolate coating all over. Carefully transfer to a serving plate.
4. Add the extra mascarpone filling onto a piping bag, and pipe over the cake roll for decoration, adding a few whole or half Ferrero Rochers as you go.
5. Place in the refrigerator for minimum 2 hours before serving. Slice, and enjoy!

Notes

* Praliné Milk Baking Chocolate is a pure milk chocolate cocoa butter combined with freshly roasted hazelnuts. You can find it in every grocery store in France, order it online here, or simply replace with a few spoonfuls of hazelnut-chocolate spread.

** I prefer semi-sweet chocolate for this rocher coating, or you can do half dark chocolate – half milk chocolate.

*** You can make your own pralin recipe, by simply toasting whole hazelnuts for 15 minutes in a preheated oven at 350°F (180°C), and then mix them in a food processor until very finely chopped.

Cakes, Chocolate Desserts, Christmas, Winter

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