This elegant chocolate pancake roll combines thin cocoa crêpes with a creamy filling, tender prunes, and a rich chocolate ganache. The roll is chilled until firm, then covered with chocolate and finished with chopped nuts. It is a beautiful make-ahead dessert—the layers become even more flavorful and easier to slice after several hours in the refrigerator.

   Grandma’s yeast fritters (дрожжевые оладьи) come from traditional Russian home cooking and are common throughout Eastern Europe. They were especially popular in village households, where yeast doughs were everyday food and ingredients like flour, milk (or water), and oil were always on hand. These fritters were often made on weekends or for holidays, served warm with sour cream, honey, jam, or sugar.