Koyama Roll

Chef Koyama Susumu first made this gateau chocolate on the popular TV Tokyo program "TV Champion." It won top honors in the Overall Brilliance and Taste categories of the show's grand championship in which professional pâtissiers vie to create the best confection. Chef Koyama's recipe was a perfect expression of the time-honored dictum, "Simple is best." After whipping together a dollop of honey and egg yolks, he placed the carefully aired dough into the oven. Thoroughly baked at a low temperature, the biscuit rouleau was defined by its moist, tender, and fluffy texture. The nostalgic sweetness, recalling a sponge cake, wafted through the air with the faint aroma of eggs, and to complete the delicacy, Koyama rolled the biscuit in a mixture of fresh cream, créme mousseline, and subtly sweet chestnut compote. Viola! the Koyama Roll was born. More than just a roll cake, Koyama has said he wanted to create a "famous confection that would live on in Japan's memory." And the result is truly unforgettable. Today, Koyama and his staff produce a limited number of 1,400 cakes each day and by evening, every one of the best-selling delicacies is gone.