An easy Chocolate Yule Log for Christmas celebrations.
Ingredients
Chocolate cake roll
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 100 grams (1/2 cup) caster sugar or granulated sugar
- 70 grams (1/2 cup) plain flour or all purpose flour
- 20 grams (1/4 cup) natural cocoa powder or Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- 20 ml (1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon) vegetable oil or grapeseed oil
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 20 grams (1/4 cup) natural cocoa powder or Dutch-processed cocoa powder, sifted, for dusting only
Cream filling
- 300 ml (1 and 1/4 cups) thickened cream or heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon icing sugar or powdered sugar
Chocolate orange ganache
- 180 ml (3/4 cup) thickened or heavy cream
- Zest of 1 orange, finely grated
- 150 grams dark chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate (50-70% cocoa), finely chopped
- 15 grams (1 tablespoon) unsalted butter, softened
To serve
- Icing sugar or powdered sugar, sifted
- Fresh cherries
Instructions
- Chocolate cake roll
Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F) standard / 160 C (320 F) fan-forced. Grease and line a 9 by 13 inch baking pan or swiss roll pan with baking or parchment paper. - Place eggs in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment or in a large mixing bowl. Beat eggs for 1-2 minutes using an electric mixer on medium speed. Once eggs start to become thick and foamy, add the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, while continuing to mix.
- Turn the mixer up to medium-high speed and continue to beat until eggs become pale and fluffy, and triple in volume – this is called ribbon stage. It will take around 5-7 minutes.
- You’ll know your eggs have reached ribbon stage when you can use the whisk to draw a figure 8 on top of the batter. If the complete number 8 is still there when you have finished drawing, your eggs are ready.
- Sift together the flour and cocoa powder. When the eggs are ready, add half the flour and cocoa and start to gently fold with a spatula. Add remaining flour and cocoa and continue to gently fold the mixture until there are no more pockets of flour or cocoa powder. Use a light hand, so you don’t lose the air in your eggs.
- Drizzle the oil and vanilla down the side of the bowl. Gently fold until combined.
- Transfer cake batter to your prepared pan and gently smooth out to form one even layer. Bake for approximately 11 minutes or until cake is no longer sticky to the touch.
- Prepare a clean, dry tea towel by generously sifting over half of the cocoa powder reserved for dusting. Take the cake out of the oven and let it sit for 2 minutes just to firm up ever so slightly. Then, in one swift movement, tip the cake out onto the prepared tea towel, then very gently remove the baking paper.
- Sift over the remaining cocoa powder on top of the cake. Then gently roll up the cake, from the short side, keeping the tea towel wrapped around the cake.
- Place the cake on a cooling rack, seam side down, and leave to cool completely before filling – around 1-2 hours.
- Whipped cream
In a large mixing bowl, add cream and whisk on medium speed until soft peaks form. Stir in vanilla and sugar. - Very gently, unroll your cake, keeping the end slightly curled. Spread whipped cream over the cake, going right to the edges. Then, gently re-roll the cake back up. Cover with plastic wrap and place in fridge.
- Chocolate orange ganache
Pour cream into a medium saucepan. Place on a low heat. Add orange zest and stir while cream is warming and being infused with orange flavour. - Once the cream is warm (but not boiling), add chopped chocolate. Continue to stir while chocolate melts and becomes smooth. Add butter and stir until melted. Ganache should be smooth and glossy.
- Remove chocolate ganache from heat and transfer to a heatproof bowl. Let it cool for 15 minutes and then place it in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
- Once the ganache is thick enough to spread, cover cake using a small spatula – don’t cover the exposed edges. Drag a fork through the ganache to create the tree stump pattern.
- Loosely cover cake with plastic wrap and store in the fridge. To serve, dust with icing sugar and decorate with fresh cherries.
Notes
Cocoa powder: You can use 100% natural unsweetened cocoa powder for this recipe or Dutch-processed cocoa powder – both work really well. Dutch-processed cocoa powder will give you a slightly darker-coloured sponge. You can use either for dusting as well.
Oil: You can use vegetable oil or any flavourless oil. I like to use grapeseed oil.
Thickened cream: Use thickened cream or heavy cream. Cream can have different names in different countries but look for a high-fat cream (at least 35% fat) that says it is suitable for whipping.
Storage: Keep Chocolate Yule Log loosely covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container in the fridge. Chocolate Yule Log will keep well for up to three days.
Make-ahead instructions: You can make Chocolate Yule Log one day in advance. Or you can make the Chocolate Cake Roll (filled and rolled) a day in advance, and decorate with the ganache on the day of serving.
The chocolate ganache can also be made in advance. Keep it covered in the fridge. To use, simply bring it back to room temperature. Hurry it along by heating it in the microwave for 10-15 seconds until smooth and fudgy again.
