Hey bakers!
As promised, I'm gonna do a tutorial today for chocolate yule logs!
As promised, I'm gonna do a tutorial today for chocolate yule logs!
Chocolate Yule Log
Adapted from Nigella Lawson's "Feast"
Ingredients:
6 eggs, separated
150 g caster sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
50 g cocoa powder
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 180° C and line a Swiss roll tin (or a long rectangular cake tin) with baking parchment.
2. Whisk the egg whites, adding 50g sugar gradually, until stiff peaks.
Adapted from Nigella Lawson's "Feast"
Ingredients:
6 eggs, separated
150 g caster sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
50 g cocoa powder
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 180° C and line a Swiss roll tin (or a long rectangular cake tin) with baking parchment.
2. Whisk the egg whites, adding 50g sugar gradually, until stiff peaks.
3. Whisk the egg yolks in a stand mixer with 100g of the sugar, until thick and in ribbons.
4. Sift the cocoa powder into the yolk mixture and fold under.
5. Lighten the yolk mixture with a couple dollops of the whites, folding in gently, and then add the whites in thirds. Mix carefully and until just combined to avoid losing the air.
6. Pour the cake mixture into the lined tin and bake for 20 minutes.
7. Let the cake cool in the pan a little and then turn it out onto another piece of parchment paper.
6. Pour the cake mixture into the lined tin and bake for 20 minutes.
7. Let the cake cool in the pan a little and then turn it out onto another piece of parchment paper.
Chocolate Buttercream
Ingredients:
175g dark chocolate
220g icing sugar
225g soft butter
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Method:
1. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave. Set aside to cool.
2. Put the icing sugar into a food processor and blitz to remove lumps.
3. Add the butter and process until smooth. Add the cooled melted chocolate and vanilla and pulse until smooth.
Ingredients:
175g dark chocolate
220g icing sugar
225g soft butter
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Method:
1. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave. Set aside to cool.
2. Put the icing sugar into a food processor and blitz to remove lumps.
3. Add the butter and process until smooth. Add the cooled melted chocolate and vanilla and pulse until smooth.
Assembly
Trim the edges that are raised so you have a flat, even surface. Keep these scraps to form stumps later!
Put a thin layer of buttercream in the centre of the cake, and roll slowly on the narrower edge. Don't worry if there are cracks when you roll it because you can just fill them in with buttercream!
Cut one of the edges at an angle of your choice to make it look more realistically like a log.
Trim the edges that are raised so you have a flat, even surface. Keep these scraps to form stumps later!
Put a thin layer of buttercream in the centre of the cake, and roll slowly on the narrower edge. Don't worry if there are cracks when you roll it because you can just fill them in with buttercream!
Cut one of the edges at an angle of your choice to make it look more realistically like a log.
Now, take the scraps, and scrunch them up into a stump shape. Connect to the main log with buttercream. Don't worry if it seems wobbly, you can secure it later by putting buttercream around it.
My suggestion is to put one on the top and one on the bottom facing outwards, like pictured below, but play around with it!
My suggestion is to put one on the top and one on the bottom facing outwards, like pictured below, but play around with it!
Now comes the fun part. Cover the whole thing in buttercream and use a toothpick, or a fork or some utensil to create a wood grain on the log.
On the ends of the log, create a circular pattern to look like the rings of a tree.
On the ends of the log, create a circular pattern to look like the rings of a tree.
Dust icing sugar on the top to give the appearance of snow!
And voila!! I was so scared to make one of these but it's not too hard if you take it step by step!