I was telling you in my previous post that rolled Yule logs had found favour with me again. After the mango, passion fruit and Dulcey rolled Yule log and then the chocolate and hazelnut praline rolled Yule log.
Here’s a new, super indulgent Yule log recipe: a chocolate, caramel and vanilla rolled Yule log. Warm, comforting flavours that generally win everyone over at dessert time!
How do you make a rolled Yule log?
What’s nice about this kind of Yule log, apart from being more accessible than an entremets Yule log, is that it can be adapted to your liking. The principle is the same every time: make a Viennese sponge (plain or cocoa), spread on a fruit confit or a praline (or something else) and add a whipped ganache on top. Roll it up and you’re done!
To make this chocolate, caramel and vanilla Yule log, you’ll therefore need to make a Viennese sponge. It’s an ultra soft sponge that’s very easy to roll, even after cooling. It’s the one I now use every time; goodbye to the génoise sponge that has to be rolled in a tea towel so it takes the shape of the log. I always soak it with a little flavoured syrup (though I’ve forgotten before and the sponge stays soft). Then, spread on the Caramelia milk chocolate whipped ganache, add a little caramel for indulgence and you’re done!
What is Caramelia chocolate?
It’s a milk chocolate from Valrhona with a delicious salted butter caramel taste. I really recommend trying this chocolate if you don’t know it. That said, if you really don’t want to buy Caramelia chocolate, I recommend using a milk couverture chocolate such as Valrhona’s Jivara chocolate (it will be much better and, above all, less sweet).
Ingredients & Method
6 components · Full recipe
Salted Butter Caramel (can be made ahead)
Ingredients
- 95 g (3.4 oz) sugar
- 50 g (1.8 oz) + 100 g (3.5 oz) glucose
- 50 g (1.8 oz) milk
- 1 organic Madagascar vanilla pod from Norohy
- 200 g (7.1 oz) full-fat double cream
- 2 g (0.1 oz) fleur de sel
- 70 g (2.5 oz) butter
Method
1
In a small saucepan, heat the cream, milk, 50 g (1.8 oz) of glucose, the vanilla and the fleur de sel.
2
In a separate saucepan, cook the sugar and 100 g (3.5 oz) of glucose to 185°C / 365°F.
3
Deglaze with the hot cream off the heat. Watch out for splatters:
4
Return to the heat and cook to 105°C / 221°F, stirring constantly with a spatula. Pass through a sieve if needed.
5
Leave the caramel to cool slightly and when it reaches 70°C / 158°F, add the butter cut into small pieces. Blend with a hand blender and place in an airtight jar.
Whipped Caramelia Milk Chocolate Ganache (make the day before)
Ingredients
- 160 g (5.6 oz) Caramelia 36% milk chocolate by Valrhona
- 108 g (3.8 oz) full-fat double cream
- 25 g (0.9 oz) glucose
- 1.5 g (0.1 oz) gelatine
- 185 g (6.5 oz) full-fat double cream (2)
Method
1
Rehydrate the gelatine in the water.
2
Break the milk chocolate into pieces in a bowl (you can melt it slightly in a bain-marie or microwave).
3
Heat the 108 g (3.8 oz) of cream with the glucose in a saucepan and bring to the boil.
4
Off the heat, add the rehydrated gelatine and mix.
5
Pour one-third of the cream over the milk chocolate and mix with a spatula to create an emulsion. Then add a second third, then a third, to obtain a smooth, homogeneous mixture.
6
Add the 185 g (6.5 oz) of very cold cream and mix again. Blend for a few seconds with a hand blender to combine everything well.
7
Cover with cling film in contact and refrigerate overnight.
Soaking Syrup
Ingredients
- 30 g (1.1 oz) water
- 30 g (1.1 oz) caster sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Syrup
1
In a small saucepan, heat the water and caster sugar. Bring to the boil.
2
Add the vanilla extract then set aside.
Cocoa Viennese Biscuit
Ingredients
- 45 g (1.6 oz) egg yolks (2 to 3 yolks)
- 75 g (2.6 oz) eggs
- 50 g (1.8 oz) sugar (1)
- 90 g (3.2 oz) egg whites
- 25 g (0.9 oz) sugar (2)
- 25 g (0.9 oz) T55 flour
- 25 g (0.9 oz) unsweetened cocoa powder
Method
1
Preheat the oven to 170°C / 340°F.
2
In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk the whole eggs, the yolks and the 50 g (1.8 oz) of sugar. The mixture will increase in volume and become slightly foamy.
3
Separately, whip the egg whites and add the 25 g (0.9 oz) of sugar in 3 batches.
4
Fold half the whipped whites into the first egg-based mixture using a spatula.
5
Then add the remaining whites and the sifted flour/cocoa mixture and fold in again gently.
6
Spread the batter onto a baking tray lined with baking parchment to form a 30 × 40 cm (15.7 in) rectangle.
7
Bake for approximately 12 minutes (note: it is more difficult to monitor the baking of a cocoa biscuit).
8
Leave the biscuit to cool then peel off and trim the dry edges.
9
Turn the biscuit onto a large sheet of baking parchment then, using a pastry brush, soak the biscuit with the previously made syrup.
Assembly
Ingredients
- None
Assembly
1
Whip the milk chocolate ganache with a mixer — it should not be too stiff.
2
Spread the whipped ganache evenly over the biscuit, leaving a 2 cm (0.8 in) gap without cream on one of the two sides.
3
Place the caramel in a piping bag without a nozzle (cut to make a 1 cm (0.4 in) opening) and pipe a thick line of caramel on the narrower side of the biscuit, near the edge (you will start rolling the yule log from this side to enclose the caramel).
4
Roll the yule log gently from the narrower side of the biscuit. Don’t hesitate to use the baking parchment to help roll it. Once the yule log is fully rolled, tighten it well using the baking parchment sheet and a baking tray. I recommend watching this video which clearly shows the technique. Place in the freezer for 15 minutes to allow the whipped ganache to firm up, then trim both ends (cut a small slice to get a clean cut).
5
Meanwhile, make the vanilla Chantilly.
Vanilla Chantilly
Ingredients
- 150 g (5.3 oz) full-fat double cream
- 30 g (1.1 oz) mascarpone
- 1 tbsp icing sugar
- half a vanilla pod
Method
1
Pipe the Chantilly over the yule log then add a little caramel and dust with a little vanilla powder.
2
Set aside in the fridge until ready to serve.
3
Place the bowl and electric whisk beaters in the freezer for at least 15 minutes.
4
Pour the cream and mascarpone into the bowl and start whisking at medium speed, then as the cream begins to firm up slightly, increase the speed.
5
Add the icing sugar and vanilla when the cream is almost whipped.
6
Place in a piping bag fitted with a Saint-Honoré nozzle (if you don’t have this nozzle, simply cut your piping bag in this way):
Gallery
