Chocolate Pudding and Cream Roll Cake

Level: Intermediate
Servings: 8-10
Nutritional Information Per Serving (1 of 10 servings): Calories 624, Total Fat 38 g, Saturated Fat 21 g, Carbohydrates 68 g, Dietary Fiber 4 g, Sugar 51 g, Protein 10 g, Cholesterol 207 mg, Sodium 231 mg
Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes (including cooling and chilling)
Active Time: 50 minutes

This dessert captures the magic of those nostalgic little cakes from childhood, with their glossy chocolate coatings and gravity-defying creamy fillings. Recreate that joy with tastier, simpler ingredientswhip the cream fresh for unbeatable flavor. Don't fear "ganache"; it's just our creamy chocolate coating (store-bought frosting works in a pinch). Irresistibly delicious fresh or made ahead, though it rarely lasts!

Ingredients

Sheet Cake:

Unsalted butter or nonstick cooking spray for greasing the pan
5 large egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup whole milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Ganache Coating:

1 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Chocolate Pudding:

1 large egg plus 2 large egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 1/4 cups whole milk
3 1/2 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed
1 1/2 teaspoons dark rum
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

To Finish:

2 cups unsweetened whipped cream
1/2 cup candied almonds (optional)

Cook Mode: Keep screen awake. Special equipment: A half-sheet (18-by-13-inch) baking pan

Instructions

For the cake: Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and line a half-sheet (18-by-13-inch) pan with parchment paper.
Using whisk attachment on electric mixer, beat egg yolks and sugar until light, fluffy, and lemon-colored, about 10-12 minutes. Warm milk and butter gently in saucepan over medium heat.
Sift cake flour and baking powder into batter. Add salt. Warm milk mixture slightly; with mixer running, pour in all at once. Transfer to prepared pan.
Bake in center of oven until springs back when pressed, 18-22 minutes. Cool 10 minutes; lift from pan, cover with clean towel to keep moist.
Ganache coating: Heat cream in saucepan. Place chopped chocolate, corn syrup, cinnamon in bowl over pot as double boiler to melt. Cool slightly, whisk with heated cream until smooth. Set aside.
Pudding: In saucepan, whisk egg, yolks, sugar, cornstarch, cocoa, salt. Stir in milk. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until bubbles and thickens, 6-8 minutes.
Remove from heat; stir in chocolate, butter, rum, vanilla. Transfer to bowl; cover with plastic wrap pressed on surface. Chill completely.
Assemble: Spread pudding over cake, leaving 1-inch border. Dollop and spread whipped cream over pudding. Roll up using towel. Refrigerate on rack over sheet tray 1 hour. Remove towel; pour ganache over. Chill 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
Slice into 1/2- to 3/4-inch rounds; garnish with candied almonds.