With Christmas getting closer and celebrations getting more impressive each year, it is time to go back to basics and master the yule log.
This rich and decadent dessert is a fan-favourite and the perfect way to impress your friends and family at the Christmas dinner party.
Here’s how to bake your own at home and start the festivities early.
Christmas Yule Log
Ingredients
For the cake
- 3 eggs
- 85g caster sugar
- 85g plain flour
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- ½ tsp baking powder
For the filling & icing
- 50g butter (plus extra for the tin)
- 140g dark chocolate
- 1 tbsp golden syrup
- 284ml double cream
- 200g icing sugar
- Extra icing sugar and holly sprigs to decorate
Method
- Preheat the oven
Set your oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
- Prepare your tin
Butter and line your Swiss roll tin with baking parchment.
- Whisk eggs and sugar
Using an electric whisk, beat the eggs and caster sugar together for about eight minutes until thick and creamy.
- Mix dry ingredients
Mix the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder, then sift onto the beaten eggs.
- Pour into the tin and bake
Fold in very carefully, then pour into the tin. Tilt the tin from side to side so the mixture is spread evenly into the corners. Bake for 10 minutes.
- Leave to cool
Place a sheet of baking parchment on your worktop. Once the sponge is cooked, flip it out onto the parchment, remove the lining paper, then roll the cake up from its longest edge with the paper inside. Leave to cool.
- Make the icing
To make the icing, melt the butter and dark chocolate together in a bowl set over a pan of hot water. Remove from the heat and stir in the golden syrup and double cream. Beat in the icing sugar until smooth.
- Pour the icing on the cake
Whisk the remaining double cream until it holds its shape. Gently unroll the cake, spread the cream over the top, then carefully roll up again into a log.
- Make the log
To make the branch, cut a thick diagonal slice from one end of the log. Place the slice on the side with the diagonal cut against the cake to make a branch.
- Create the pattern and final decorations
Spread the icing over the log (don’t cover the ends), then drag a fork over the icing to create the bark-like texture. Sift icing over the top for that snowy effect and decorate with holly.