If you’re looking for an original, light Yule log for the festive season, this exotic guava Yule log might just be the one you need for Christmas Eve. It offers a delicious contrast between sweetness and freshness, ideal for ending a meal in style. This dessert is made up of a coconut crunchy layer, a coconut and lime dacquoise, an exotic fruit and guava confit and an exotic fruit and guava mousse.
What if we put guava in our desserts?
The star of this Yule log? Guava, often overlooked in classic desserts, pairs wonderfully with exotic fruits and the slight acidity of lime, while coconut brings a comforting sweetness. This dessert is particularly light and perfect for ending a festive meal on a fresh, indulgent note.
For your information, I used guava purée from Ponthier (I also used exotic fruit purée from the same brand).
What’s the story behind this Yule log?
I discovered this Yule log by tasting it at the home of a friend and talented pastry chef, Kim, from Entre mes saveurs, who makes cakes to order in the Val-d’Oise (in Soisy-sous-Montmorency). On tasting it, I was immediately won over by the balance of flavours and the lightness of this dessert.
So I decided to recreate this marvel at home, and today I’m sharing its recipe with you, with her agreement. If you too would like to bring an exotic touch to your end-of-year meals, the Seyni Yule log (that’s the name Kim gave it last year) is a perfect choice.
Where does your mould come from?
To make this Yule log, I used a silicone mould custom-made by Charline from Maquette Crème, who is passionate about pastry and design. I absolutely fell in love with this mould last year. It brings a professional touch to the presentation while making the assembly of the dessert easier. If you’d like to recreate this Yule log at home, I highly recommend taking a look at her creations, as they really add an extra dimension to your pastry creations!
If you’re using a more classic silicone mould, note that the mould I used has a capacity of around 1000 mL (it’s a Yule log for 6 people). You can do your little calculations if you happen to be using a slightly bigger mould.
What if you entered the competition I’m organising in collaboration with Valrhona?
You have until Friday 2 January to enter, which gives you time to get organised and enter with your Christmas or New Year’s dessert. Head over to Instagram and don’t forget to tag me @surprisesetgourmandises as well as Valrhona’s account @valrhona, and remember to add the hashtag #concoursSGvalrhona so I can find all the entries more easily.
The Valrhona team and I will choose the recipe that makes us most want to dig in, so don’t forget to take care over your photo (as we won’t be able to taste, we’ll favour aesthetics). No need to have a DSLR of course, but you can show your dessert off nicely 😉
Ingredients & method
7 components · Full recipe
Coconut praline (can be made in advance)
Ingredients
- 100 g (3.5 oz) shredded coconut
- 140 g (4.9 oz) whole almonds
- 120 g (4.2 oz) sugar
- a pinch of fleur de sel
- a very small amount of grape seed oil (if needed)
Method
1
Toast the almonds and shredded coconut in the oven for about 10 minutes at 150°C / 300°F.
2
Make a dry caramel by adding the sugar little by little to the saucepan, which allows it to melt properly. Hold the handle of the saucepan firmly and swirl the caramel in all directions without ever stirring it.
3
When the caramel is golden, remove from the heat and pour onto a sheet of baking paper. Leave to cool completely.
4
When completely cold, break the caramel slab and place in a food processor with the almonds and shredded coconut. Process until you get a smooth praline. Don’t forget the fleur de sel.
Exotic and guava compote (to make the day before)
Ingredients
- 170 g (6 oz) exotic fruit purée
- 65 g (2.3 oz) guava purée
- 23 g (0.8 oz) sugar
- 2.5 g (0.1 oz) pectin
Method
1
In a small saucepan, heat the exotic fruit purées until just boiling.
2
Add the pre-mixed sugar and pectin and maintain the boil for 1 minute.
Coconut and lime dacquoise
Ingredients
- 75 g (2.6 oz) icing sugar
- 75 g (2.6 oz) shredded coconut
- 15 g (0.5 oz) cornstarch
- 100 g (3.5 oz) egg whites
- 30 g (1.1 oz) sugar
- the zest of one lime
Method
1
Raise the oven temperature to 180°C / 350°F.
2
Beat the egg whites to stiff peaks, adding the sugar in 3 additions, until they reach a meringue consistency.
3
Sift together the icing sugar, cornstarch and coconut.
4
Fold the dry ingredients into the egg whites, mixing gently.
5
Transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with a 10 mm plain nozzle. Pipe a large 18 cm (7.1 in) square.
6
Dust the surface with icing sugar using a sieve.
7
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. The dacquoise should be dry to the touch and lightly golden.
Coconut and lime crispy layer
Ingredients
- 60 g (2.1 oz) Valrhona Ivoire 40% white chocolate
- 30 g (1.1 oz) coconut praline (recipe above)
- 30 g (1.1 oz) crêpes dentelle
- the zest of half a lime
Method
1
Melt the white chocolate in the microwave.
2
Add the coconut praline and mix well to incorporate it into the melted chocolate.
3
Add the crumbled crêpes dentelle and the lime zest and mix carefully with a spatula.
Exotic fruit and guava mousse
Ingredients
- 140 g (4.9 oz) exotic fruit purée
- 40 g (1.4 oz) guava purée
- 18 g (0.6 oz) sugar
- 3 g (0.1 oz) gelatine (= 1½ sheets)
- 180 g (6.3 oz) heavy cream
Method
1
Soak the gelatine in water.
2
In a saucepan, heat the fruit purées with the sugar. Off the heat, add the well-squeezed gelatine.
3
Whip the heavy cream but do not over-whip — it should be light and foamy.
Assembly
Ingredients
Method
1
Pour the exotic fruit and guava mousse into the silicone mould (up to 3/4 full). Push the mousse up along the sides for a neat finish and freeze for 5 minutes so the mousse sets slightly (and to prevent the insert from sinking).
2
Gently press the insert into the mousse and cover again with a thin layer of mousse.
3
Finish with the dacquoise and crispy layer together (dacquoise against the mousse). Press gently to push in the biscuit. Smooth the surface with a spatula.
Decoration
Ingredients
- 140 g (4.9 oz) Valrhona Ivoire 40% white chocolate
- 60 g (2.1 oz) cocoa butter
Method
1
Melt the white chocolate and cocoa butter in a bain-marie or microwave. Mix with a spatula.
2
Strain then pour the mixture into the reservoir of your spray gun (ideally use a smaller container inside the reservoir, such as a jam jar).
3
Remove the yule log from the freezer, carefully unmould it and place it on a wire rack. Don’t forget to protect your work surface.
4
Spray the velvet effect from a distance of 30-40 cm (15.7 in).
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