Recipe - Chocolate-Cream Yule Log

Good evening!
I had the most wonderful Christmas ever! But before posting about that, I thought I would post a few recipes. This one might be a few days late, but it can really be made at any time of the year. I make this every year (some years work better than others, for example I used the wrong baking tray this year, woops!). It is very easy to follow and as long as you can split eggs you're good to go!

Chocolate-Cream Yule Log

8 to 10 servings

• 6 eggs, separated
• 2/3 cup sugar, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour or 1/4 cup all-purple flour with 1/4 cup ground almonds
  
• 250 ml whipping cream
• red berry jam
• chocolate frosting (about 2 cups) or melted chocolate (about half a bar)
  
• sliced blanched almonds, optional

In large mixing bowl, beat egg whites with at high speed until foamy. Add 1/3 cup of the sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating constantly until sugar is dissolved (rub just a bit of meringue between thumb and forefinger to feel if sugar has dissolved) and whites are glossy and stand in soft peaks.

In small mixing bowl, beat egg yolks at high speed until thick and lemon-colored, about 3 to 5 minutes. Gradually beat in remaining 1/3 cup of the sugar until blended. Beat in vanilla, almond extract and salt. In small bowl, stir together ground almonds and flour. Sprinkle over whites. Add beaten yolk mixture. Gently, but thoroughly, fold yolk mixture and almond mixture into whites. Pour into prepared pan (rectangular, the one I use is about 12"x8" I think, I know it's rectangular with a very low edge). Gently spread evenly.

Bake in preheated 400° F oven until top springs back when lightly touched with finger, about 10 to 12 minutes. Dust clean tea towel with confectioner’s sugar. With spatula, loosen cake from sides of pan and invert onto prepared towel. Carefully pull waxed paper off bottom of cake. Trim all edges with serrated knife.

Spoon jam evenly over inside surface of hot cake. Starting from short edge, roll up cake, rolling towel with cake. Place wrapped roll seam-side down on wire rack until cool, about 30 minutes.

Carefully unroll cake. Spread with whipped cream. Reroll. Place seam-side down on serving platter. Spread with chocolate, using small spatula to create tree-bark effect. Garnish with sliced almonds if desired.

Note: If prepared in advance, baked and cooled cake may be frozen without filling. Wrap well with aluminum foil or plastic wrap. To thaw, let wrapped cake stand at room temperature about 1 hour.

Are you curious about what this will look like in the end? Here are some I made over the years:

My first Yule Log ever. I used white and milk chocolate and almonds to create the tree.

This one I made for a party, hence the foil... A simpler design also and only milk chocolate

This year's log. It is too narrow is width and too thick as the tray as I used was too narrow. I found the correct tray hidden deep in the cupboard somewhere today after the cake was done. Woops... A very simple design as this had to be done on the 21st right after a busy day at work.

The inside, normally this is much more twirly, but again due to the wrong tray used.

Ready to eat :)

The bf loved it! As did I really :) I hope you will try this also, whether for Yule or any other occassion. Enjoy!