Chocolate Yule Log
I usually wait until the last minute to add the ‘snow’ and ‘berry’ decorations.
PREP TIME
30
MINUTES
COOKING TIME
12
MINUTES
Ingredients
5 eggs
120g caster sugar
125g self-raising flour
To decorate
25g caster sugar
3 tbsp water
175g icing sugar
1 rounded tbsp cocoa powder
100g chocolate, broken into small pieces
220ml cream, whipped to stiff peaks
80g jam, I use raspberry
Method
Preheat your oven to 180ºC/gas mark 4 and line a Swiss roll tin with parchment.
Beat the eggs and sugar until they are thick and very pale.
Sieve the flour into the bowl a third at a time.
Gently fold the flour mixture into the eggs and sugar and continue with the next two-thirds of the flour until it is all combined.
Scoop the mixture into the prepared tin.
Bake in the centre of your oven for 12 minutes, until the sponge has risen and springs back when gently pressed.
Allow the sponge to cool in the tin until it is cool enough to handle.
Sieve some caster sugar onto a clean dry tea towel and place it sugar side down onto the top of the sponge. Turn the sponge out onto the tea towel.
Cut four nicks in the long side of the sponge with a sharp knife. Roll the sponge up into a Swiss roll shape with the towel.
To make the icing, heat the caster sugar, water and cocoa powder until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and stir in the icing sugar. Set aside to firm up slightly.
When the sponge has cooled, unroll the tea towel and trim the edges to neaten it up.
Melt the chocolate and allow to cool slightly. Add a tablespoon of whipped cream to the melted chocolate and stir it in.
Fold the chocolate mixture into the whipped cream.
Spread the chocolate cream and jam onto the sponge leaving space all around the edge so it has room to spread when you roll it. Roll up your sponge.
Spread your icing onto the log and decorate before serving.
