Yield: 10 Servings

Ingredients:

Chocolate jelly roll:

• 5 whole eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 3 Tablespoons cocoa powder
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Caramel cream:

• 4 ounces whipping cream
• 4 ounces sour cream
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ cup powdered sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 4 ounces caramel sauce

Simple syrup:
• 1 cup water
• 2 cups granulated sugar

Chocolate glaze:
• 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 2 ounces vegetable oil

Method:
For chocolate jelly roll:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Line two 15½ by 10½-inch jelly roll pans (1/2 sheet pans) with parchment paper; grease and lightly flour parchment.

Separate the eggs. Beat the whites with the cream of tartar until slightly stiff. Gradually beat in 1/2 cup of the powdered sugar.

Sift the remaining powdered sugar, cocoa, and flour together. Beat the egg yolks until thick and fold the flour mixture into them. Stir in vanilla. (The egg yolk mixture will be very stiff). Carefully fold the egg yolk mixture into the beaten egg whites. Evenly divide the batter into the two prepared jelly roll pans.

Bake in the oven for 6 minutes. Let cakes cool for 5 minutes. Turn the cakes onto parchment paper sprinkled with powdered sugar. Peel off parchment paper lining and wrap cakes in plastic until ready to use.

For caramel cream:
In a bowl combine all ingredients but the caramel sauce. Whisk mixture to a medium peak. Gently fold in caramel sauce.

For simple syrup:
Put one cup of water in a small saucepan. Add sugar and heat to a boil while stirring. Reduce heat and continue to stir until the sugar dissolves. Cool to room temperature. Transfer syrup to a clean container. Yields about a cup and a half of syrup.

For chocolate glaze:
Melt chocolate in the microwave; add the vegetable oil and stir. You may need to use a hand mixer to fully incorporate or just use a firm whisk.

To assemble:
Remove parchment from each cake. Place a clean ½ sheet of parchment on each cake and carefully flip the cakes over and brush with simple syrup. (Test for dryness - you may need more or less) Sprinkle sugar over cake. Place another clean ½ sheet of parchment and re-flip the cake over.

Evenly divide the caramel cream between the two sheets and spread evenly.

With the long length of the cake facing you, gently roll the cake onto the caramel cream, using the parchment to handle the cake. When you’ve rolled the cake to the end, take a ruler and press up to the seam holding the parchment paper under the cake to make the cake into a tight cylinder. Repeat with the other cake. Wrap rolled cakes in plastic and place in the freezer.

Remove the cake rolls from the freezer, trim the ends and cut each roll into 3-inch logs - about five per roll.

Have the Chocolate Glaze ready in a bowl or pan and set a sheet tray lined with parchment next to the glaze. Place a ho-ho into the chocolate glaze and roll over until the entire ho-ho is covered in chocolate. Using a fork carefully lift out the ho-ho and place onto parchment-lined pan. Repeat with the remaining cakes.

When all of the ho-ho cakes have been dipped into chocolate place into the fridge to set. When the chocolate on the ho-ho cakes have set, remove from parchment and individually wrap in foil or place onto a serving platter.


Liqueur Pairing:
A nutty liqueur like Frangelico