Here is a delicious Yule log recipe that should delight your guests on Christmas Eve. It’s truly an excellent recipe that was a massive hit! This pear, Dulcey and pecan Yule log is made up of a soft pecan sponge, a pecan crunchy layer, a pear compote, a pecan praline and a Dulcey chocolate mousse.
To make this pear, Dulcey and pecan Yule log, I used the Scrapcooking 3D Instant mould. I completely fell in love with the design of this mould. I also used the Scrapcooking insert mould, very handy for a neat assembly, as well as the pear purée (and yes, it’s not only equipment you’ll find on this site). You can even find some nice little decorations there, like these white chocolate coated cereal pearls and these golden sugar pearls.
What is Dulcey chocolate?
It’s a blond chocolate from Valrhona with an absolutely delicious biscuity taste. Don’t ask me whether the Dulcey can be replaced (everything can be replaced, obviously) but the pear, pecan and Dulcey combination is really interesting, it would be a shame to miss out.
That being said, if you really don’t want to buy Dulcey chocolate, I recommend using a white couverture chocolate such as Valrhona Ivoire chocolate (it will be much better and above all much less sweet than a supermarket chocolate) along with a beautiful vanilla pod. It will also go very well with the pear and pecan.
How do I organise myself to get my Yule log right?
Like any entremets, this Yule log can be made in advance. It keeps in the freezer for about 3 weeks (I generally advise against going beyond that as I’ve noticed small changes in taste and texture).To make things easier, you can even spread the work over several days. Here is an example of a schedule:
- D-2: prepare the pear compote (freezer) –> so you can even do it several days ahead; prepare the pecan praline (which keeps at room temperature for months so no worries there, you can even do it now)
- D-1: prepare the soft pecan sponge (but it could be done the day before and kept in cling film, or made a little further ahead and kept in the freezer), the pecan crunchy layer and the Dulcey chocolate mousse, assemble the log
- D-day: velvet spray on the log and decoration
Ingredients & method
7 components · Full recipe
Pear compote (make the day before)
Ingredients
- 250 g (8.8 oz) pear purée
- 5 g (0.2 oz) lemon juice
- 4 g (0.1 oz) NH nappage pectin
- 10 g (0.4 oz) sugar
- ½ vanilla pod
- 100 g (3.5 oz) pear brunoise (1 pear)
Method
1
Dice the pear into a brunoise (small cubes).
2
Heat the pear purée and the seeds from half a vanilla pod to 40°C / 104°F.
3
Add the sugar and pectin mixture and whisk well (it is important to mix the sugar and pectin together thoroughly to avoid lumps). Bring to the boil and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
4
Off the heat, add the pear brunoise and lemon juice.
5
Pour into the insert mould and freeze overnight.
Pecan praline (makes about 200 g (7.1 oz), can be made ahead)
Ingredients
- 150 g (5.3 oz) pecans
- 100 g (3.5 oz) sugar
- 25 g (0.9 oz) water
- 1 pinch of fleur de sel
Method
1
Toast the pecans in the oven for about 10–15 minutes at 150°C / 300°F.
2
In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, bring the water and sugar to the boil. At 116°C / 241°F, remove from the heat, pour the nuts into the sugar syrup and stir until the sugar coats all the nuts. The mixture will turn whitish — this is normal.
3
Return to a medium heat and stir until the sugar melts again and caramelises (this may take a little time). Do not stop stirring to prevent the nuts from burning. At the end of cooking, the nuts should be shiny and have taken on a beautiful auburn colour. Spread onto baking paper and leave to cool.
4
Once completely cold, break up the sheet of caramelised nuts and place in a food processor with the fleur de sel.
5
Blend in short bursts (to prevent the paste from overheating) until you achieve a praline consistency. The longer you blend, the more liquid it will become. You can choose between a rustic praline with some texture or a very smooth praline.
Soft pecan sponge
Ingredients
- 50 g (1.8 oz) ground pecans
- 30 g (1.1 oz) light brown sugar
- 50 g (1.8 oz) egg
- 11 g (0.4 oz) icing sugar
- 11 g (0.4 oz) whipping cream
- 47 g (1.7 oz) butter
- 25 g (0.9 oz) plain flour
- 2.8 g (0.1 oz) baking powder
- 50 g (1.8 oz) egg white
- 8.3 g (0.3 oz) light brown sugar
Method
1
Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F.
2
In a bowl, mix together the ground pecans (previously toasted for 10 minutes at 300°F/150°C / 300°F), brown sugar, egg, icing sugar and cream.
3
Melt the butter in a saucepan until it turns a hazelnut colour, stirring constantly. The butter is ready when it has a delicious nutty aroma and stops “singing”. Add it, still warm, to the other ingredients while continuing to mix.
4
Add the sifted flour and baking powder.
5
Whisk the 50 g (1.8 oz) of egg whites to stiff peaks, stiffening them with the 8.3 g (0.3 oz) of brown sugar, then fold them gently into the first mixture using a rubber spatula.
6
Pour the batter into a lightly greased 18 cm (7.1 in) × 18 cm (7.1 in) frame placed on baking paper. The sponge will rise during baking, so you don’t need to use all the batter.
7
Bake for about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave the sponge to cool on a wire rack (leave the frame on).
8
Once the sponge is completely cold, cut a rectangle to the size of your yule log mould (from a square sponge, you can cut 2 strips).
Pecan crunch
Ingredients
- 45 g (1.6 oz) feuilletine (crêpes dentelles)
- 40 g (1.4 oz) Dulcey chocolate
- 50 g (1.8 oz) pecan praline
Method
1
Melt the Dulcey chocolate in the microwave.
2
In a bowl, combine the pecan praline and feuilletine, then add the melted chocolate. Mix gently with a spatula.
3
Spread the crunch over the soft pecan sponge using a small offset spatula and refrigerate. A thin layer is enough.
Dulcey chocolate mousse
Ingredients
- 250 g (8.8 oz) Dulcey blond chocolate
- 130 g (4.6 oz) whole milk
- 270 g (9.5 oz) whipping cream
- 6 g (0.2 oz) gelatine (3 sheets)
- 36 g (1.3 oz) water (to rehydrate the gelatine)
Method
1
Rehydrate the gelatine in the water.
2
In a bowl, break the Dulcey chocolate into pieces and melt gently in the microwave.
3
Bring the milk to the boil then, off the heat, add the rehydrated gelatine.
4
Pour the milk over the melted Dulcey chocolate in three additions, stirring with a spatula to create an emulsion.
5
Whip the cream to a soft chantilly — do not over-whip; it should be light and foamy.
6
Once the chocolate has cooled to 20°C / 68°F, gently fold in the whipped cream and set aside.
7
Set aside until assembly.
Assembly
Ingredients
- None
Method
1
Pour three-quarters of the Dulcey mousse and push it up the sides of the mould for a clean assembly.
2
If the mousse is a little too runny and to prevent the insert from sinking to the bottom of the mould, you can place the mould in the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes (keep an eye on it), just long enough for the mousse to firm up slightly.
3
Remove the insert from the freezer and gently press it into the mousse, right in the centre, then pipe pecan praline over it.
4
Cover with another layer of mousse (leaving about 1 cm (0.4 in)).
5
Finish with the sponge and crunch base (sponge facing outward). Press gently to embed it and smooth the surface with a spatula.
6
Cover with cling film and freeze overnight.
Decoration
Ingredients
- 60 g (2.1 oz) Dulcey chocolate
- 40 g (1.4 oz) cocoa butter
- Scrapcooking decorations
Method
1
Article written in collaboration with Scrapcooking.
2
Melt the Dulcey chocolate and cocoa butter in a bain-marie or in the microwave. Mix with a spatula.
3
Strain then pour the mixture into the reservoir of your velvet spray gun (it is ideal to use a container smaller than the reservoir, such as a jam jar, placed inside the larger reservoir).
4
Remove the yule log from the freezer, unmould carefully and place on a wire rack. Do not forget to protect your work surface well.
5
Spray the velvet effect from a distance of 30–40 cm (15.7 in).
6
Place on a yule log stand and decorate with a few sugar pearls. Leave to defrost for 6–7 hours in the refrigerator. Article written in collaboration with Scrapcooking.
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