Chocolate & Hazelnut Roulade

Preheat the oven to 180ºC (160°C fan, gas mark 4).  Line a 32 x 23 Swiss Roll tin with baking parchment. 

Make the sponge. Whisk the egg yolks and the icing sugar until pale and thickened, then sift in the cocoa powder and whisk again until smooth and combined.

Then in a clean bowl with clean beaters, whisk the egg whites until they have soft peaks. Add one third of the egg white to the chocolate mixture to loosen it, then fold in the remaining egg white taking care not to knock out the air. The mixture should become even in colour and still light and smooth.

Pour the mixture into your prepared tin and gently spread evenly.

Bake in your preheated oven for 20 minutes. It should be risen and springy to the touch. Leave for a few minutes to cool in the tin. Lay a sheet of baking parchment on the work surface and lightly dust with icing sugar, turn out the cake onto this and peel off the baking paper. Leave to cool completely.

Whip the cream with the brandy and icing sugar until it is stiff but not overbeaten and clumpy. In a separate bowl stir the chocolate hazelnut spread until it is less stiff and loosen further with 4 tbsp. of the whipped cream mixture.

Once the cake is cool, spread the Chocolate Hazelnut spread mixture all over the surface of the sponge right to the edge. Sprinkle over the nuts. Finally spread over the cream - you might not need it all - right to the edge.

Carefully roll up the roulade from the short edge using the paper to help you. The roulade will be soft and squidgy so be gentle. You can serve it straight away dusted with icing sugar or chill for up to 24 hours until you need it.