Yule Log

We had a few 'firsts' this Christmas: I made my first ever gingerbread house from scratch (with the help of the whole family for the decoration); I made my first and second yule logs (one for us and one for granny's family); Y drove the longest distance ever on Christmas day (from London to Northampton; then to Nottingham; then to Grimsby; then back to Nottingham; then from one side of Nottingham to the other side of Nottingham; then all the way back to London); we had the traditional Christmas dinner in a Chinese buffet house... In short, it's been a very busy, food-filled Christmas with family and friends. But it's been a very good one too.

Ok. Back to the yule logs. Compared to the gingerbread house, it was a breeze to make the two yule logs. The only problem with the yule logs was, in order to create the wood-like texture, I applied a fair amount of chocolate icing to the Swiss roll, which made the whole cake a little too sweet. That is, despite my effort in swapping the chocolate-icing filling to chestnut puree and whipped cream. Well, a lesson learnt, I suppose.



Serves 6-8

Ingredients


For the chestnut puree

1. 500g cooked chestnut
2. 300ml water
3. 80g sugar
4. 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the Swiss Roll

1. 6 large eggs, separated
2. 120g + 60g caster sugar, plus extra for dusting
3. 50g cocoa powder
4. 1 tsp vanilla extract
5. 150ml whipped cream

For the chocolate icing

1. 130g dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa solids)
2. 170g unsalted buttter
3. 2 tsp milk
4. 1 tsp vanilla extract
5. 190g icing sugar

Method

1. Make the chestnut puree by boiling chestnut, sugar and water in a pan. Bring to the boil; reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the vanilla extract. Take out the chestnuts but reserving the liquid. Whizz the chestnuts in a food processor to the desired consistency by adding the liquid gradually. You may not need all the liquid. Leave to cool completely.
2. Make the Swiss Roll by preheating the oven to 180c. Grease and line a Swiss Roll tin with baking parchment. In a bowl, use an electric mixer to mix egg yolks with 120g sugar on high speed until thick and pale. This takes about 4-5 minutes. Then add in the cocoa and vanilla extract and mix lightly until just combined. In another bowl, beat the egg whites to soft peaks and add 60g sugar in 3 additions until it forms stiff peaks. Fold the whites into the yolks lightly until just combined. Pour the mixture into the tin and bake for 13-15 minutes. Turn out the cake onto a parchment paper dusted with sugar and remove the parchment paper that is attaching to the cake. Trim the edges. Let it cool a little. Meanwhile, get ready the whipped cream. Spread thinly the chestnut puree on the cake and follow by whipped cream. Carefully roll up the cake tightly.
3. Make the chocolate icing by melting chocolate in a bowl over simmering water. Let cool slightly. In another bowl, beat butter, milk vanilla and icing sugar until smooth and then add in the melted chocolate. Beat until smooth.
4. Ice the Swiss Roll with the chocolate icing. Use a cake spatula to create wood markings and a toothpick/skewer to create tree rings on each end. Decorate with sugar canes and holly leaves made with fondant icing.