Hohos
Also known as chocolate mini rolls; adapted from Prue Leith's recipe
Servings: 10
Ingredients
Chocolate Sponge
- 60 g cocoa powder
- 30 g unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 60 ml boiling water ¼ cup
- 6 large eggs separated, room temp
- 150 g sugar ¾ cup
Buttercream
- 150 g unsalted butter, softened
- 300 g powdered sugar plus more for dusting
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Chocolate Coating
- 200 g dark chocolate pieces
- 200 g milk chocolate pieces
- 50 g white chocolate piecs
Instructions
Chocolate Sponge
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a baking sheet, line it with parchment paper and grease the parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, combine cocoa, melted butter, vanilla and boiling water and mix into a paste.
- In a large mixing bowl or bowl of a stand mixer beat egg yolks and 100 g sugar until light and fluffy. Add chocolate paste and mix until combined.
- In a separate mixing bowl or bowl of a stand mixer start beating the egg whites at low-medium speed to soft peaks. Slowly pour in the remaining 50 g sugar while continuing to beat the egg whites. Increase speed to high and beat to stiff peaks.
- Whisk ⅓ of the meringue into the yolk mixture until well combined. Gently fold in the remaining meringue in two parts until you can no longer see chunks of meringue.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 14-16 minutes or until the top springs back slightly when you touch it.
- Place the pan on a cooling rack and cover with a damp tea towel. Cool completely.
Buttercream
- Beat the softened butter until creamed. Gradually add the powdered sugar then the vanilla extract and continue to beat until light and fluffy. I find it easier to put the buttercream in a piping bag and pipe on to the cake but you could also just spread it with a spatula.
Assemble the Cake
- Lay another sheet of parchment on the bottom of another baking sheet. Lightly dust with powder sugar using a sifter.
- Loosen the sides of the cake with a dull knife and flip the cake onto the dusted parchment paper. Remove the bottom (now top) piece of parchment.
- Pipe or spread the buttercream over the cake and use a spatula to smooth it evenly over the entire surface.
- With a long edge facing you roll up the cake, trim the rough edges then slice into ten 1 ½" pieces. Clean the knife between slices.
- Set the rolls seam side down (upright) on a greased (with baking spray) cooling rack which is set on a parchment lined baking sheet. Chill for 15 minutes. In the meantime prepare the chocolate coating.
Chocolate Coating
- Melt the dark and milk chocolate over a double boiler (or you can melt it in the microwave in 30 second bursts at 50% power). Cool to 90°F then pour into a piping bag.
- Pipe the melted chocolate over the tops of the rolls and let set until firm to the touch.
- Melt the white chocolate in the same way and pour into another piping bag. Pipe thin stripes on the tops of the rolls. Let set.
- The hohos will stay fresh for a few days at room temp in an airtight container.
