The Yuletide log is a specially selected wooden log which is burnt on a fire at Christmas. This recipe is for the chocolate manifestation of that tradition.

It’s thought that the tradition comes from the old Winter Solstice festivals in Scandinavia and Germany but it’s widespread throughout Europe now and is known by several names in different countries. In Ireland it’s ‘Bloc na Nollaig’ and in France it’s ‘Bûche de Noel’.

The tradition has mostly been replaced by the eating of a log-shaped cake so last Christmas I wanted to do something new and present our families with their very own Yuletide log.

I’ve based this recipe on a recipe from Delia Smith (Squidgy chocolate log). It doesn’t contain flour, which makes the log light and spongy; and the addition of chocolate mousse and cream really make it worth a try.

INGREDIENTS

Here’s what you’ll need:

CHOCOLATE LOG (SPONGE):

→ 150g caster sugar
→ 50g cocoa powder
→ 6 large eggs, separated

FILLING (MOUSSE):

→ 225g dark chocolate
→ 225ml double cream
→ 2 large eggs, separated

→ Icing sugar for dusting

YULETIDE LOG | 5 STEP RECIPE

STEP 1

First you make the chocolate mousse as it needs to chill in the fridge for about an hour. You add the pieces of chocolate to 100 ml of water. Melt the chocolate in a bowl sitting on a pot with hot water (au bain marie), remove from the hob and beat in the two egg yolks.

Let this mix cool. Whisk the two egg whites until stiff. Add this to the chocolate and egg yolk mix and fold until the egg whites disappear. Do this gently so as not to break the egg whites. Put the chocolate mousse in the fridge for at least one hour.

STEP 2

For the sponge you start by beating six egg yolks until light coloured and thickened. Then beat in the caster sugar and sieve the cocoa powder. In a clean bowl you whisk the six egg whites until they form soft peaks and add these to the mix. Gently fold in the egg whites to keep the mixture airy. Take your time to do this until you don’t see any streaks of egg white.

STEP 3

Grease and line a baking tin (20 x 30 cm) with some baking paper and gently pour the mix into the tin. Bake the chocolate sponge at 180°C for about 20-25 minutes until springy. Let the sponge cool in its tin.

STEP 4

Dust a piece of baking paper with some icing sugar and turn the sponge upside down onto the paper. Gently remove the baking paper from the bottom of the sponge and spread with the chilled chocolate mousse. Whip the cream and spread it on top of the chocolate mousse.

STEP 5

Gently roll up the sponge with the shortest end towards you. You can use the baking paper to start rolling it up away from you. Don’t worry if the sponge cracks a little bit, it looks more log-like that way! If you were generous with the cream you might lose some, but just roll the log a little bit further and the cream disappears under the log. Finally dust the chocolate log with icing sugar to make it look real Chrismassy.