This year, I’ve lost count of the number of rolled Yule logs I’ve made! I, who might have found them a bit kitsch, can tell you that I’ve changed my mind on the subject. After making the mango, passion fruit and Dulcey rolled Yule log, I wanted to make more. In fact, for the Christmas meal with my colleagues, I brought 3 rolled Yule logs: chestnut blackcurrant, chocolate hazelnut praline (this very one) and vanilla mango passion fruit.
How do you make a rolled Yule log?
What’s nice about this kind of Yule log, besides being more accessible than an entremets-style log, is that it can be adapted to your liking. The principle is the same every time: you make a Viennese sponge (plain or cocoa), you spread a fruit confit or a praline (or something else) and you add a whipped ganache on top. You roll it up and that’s it!
To make this chocolate and hazelnut praline rolled Yule log, you’ll therefore need to make a Viennese sponge. It’s an ultra-soft sponge and very easy to roll, even after cooling. It’s the one I now use every time — goodbye génoise 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 (but I’ve already forgotten before, and the sponge stays soft). Then, you spread a thin layer of hazelnut praline (homemade, of course), which brings a good dose of indulgence. Then you spread the milk chocolate whipped ganache. And that’s it!
For even more indulgence (and to get that little yummy look when cutting), I added a small hazelnut praline insert.
Ingredients & Method
5 components · Full recipe
Hazelnut praline (can be made ahead)
Ingredients
- 180 g (6.3 oz) Pariani hazelnuts
- 90 g (3.2 oz) sugar
- 1 pinch of fleur de sel
Method
1
Toast the hazelnuts in the oven for about 15 min at 150°C / 300°F. When lukewarm or cool, rub them between your hands to remove the skins (a few remaining is fine).
2
Spread the hazelnuts on a sheet of baking paper and set aside.
3
Make a dry caramel by gradually adding the sugar to the pan — this helps it melt evenly. Hold the handle firmly and swirl the caramel in all directions without ever stirring it.
4
Once fully cooled, break the nut brittle and place in a food processor with the fleur de sel. Blend until smooth, then store in an airtight jar.
5
Make a dry caramel by gradually adding the sugar to the pan, which helps it melt evenly. Hold the handle firmly and swirl the caramel in all directions without stirring. When the caramel is golden, remove from the heat and pour over the hazelnuts. Leave to cool completely.
Whipped milk chocolate ganache (to make the day before)
Ingredients
- 128 g (4.5 oz) Valrhona Jivara 40% milk chocolate
- 100 g (3.5 oz) whipping cream
- 1.7 g (0.1 oz) gelatine
- 220 g (7.8 oz) whipping cream (2)
Method
1
Hydrate the gelatine in cold 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 100 g (3.5 oz) of cream in a saucepan and bring to the boil.
4
Off the heat, add the hydrated gelatine and stir to combine.
5
Pour one third of the cream over the milk chocolate and mix with a spatula to create an emulsion. Add the second third, then the final third, until you have a smooth, homogeneous mixture.
6
Add the 220 g (7.8 oz) of cold cream and mix again. Blend for a few seconds with a hand blender to fully homogenise.
Soaking syrup
Ingredients
- 50 g (1.8 oz) water
- 25 g (0.9 oz) caster sugar
- 17 g (0.6 oz) hazelnut paste
Method
1
In a small saucepan, heat the water and caster sugar. Bring to the boil.
2
Pour the syrup over the hazelnut paste. Blend with a hand blender to combine.
Cocoa Viennese sponge
Ingredients
- 45 g (1.6 oz) egg yolks (2 to 3 yolks)
- 75 g (2.6 oz) whole 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 stand mixer bowl, whisk the whole eggs, egg yolks and 50 g (1.8 oz) of sugar until the mixture increases in volume and becomes slightly foamy.
3
At the same time, whip the egg whites, adding the 25 g (0.9 oz) of sugar in 3 additions.
4
Fold half the whipped egg whites into the egg mixture using a spatula.
5
Add the remaining egg whites and the sifted flour and cocoa mixture, then fold in gently once more.
6
Spread the batter on a baking sheet lined with baking paper to form a 30 × 40 cm (15.7 in) rectangle.
7
Bake for about 12 minutes (bear in mind that a cocoa sponge is harder to monitor for doneness).
8
Leave the sponge to cool, then peel it away from the paper and trim the dry edges.
Assembly
Ingredients
- None
Method
1
Pipe the ganache over the log, then add a little praline, a few hazelnut halves and hazelnut skins.
2
Refrigerate until ready to serve.
3
Whip the milk chocolate ganache until firm enough to pipe but not so firm that it splits.
4
Transfer the hazelnut praline to a piping bag without a nozzle, pipe it onto the sponge, then spread in a thin layer using an offset spatula.
5
Spread the whipped ganache evenly over the sponge, leaving a 2 cm (0.8 in) gap along one of the two sides. Reserve some for decoration (transfer the remainder to a piping bag fitted with a small Saint-Honoré nozzle). Keep the piping bag at room temperature.
6
Pipe a thick line of hazelnut praline along the short side of the sponge, near the edge (you will start rolling from this side to encase the praline).
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