Festive Yule log

Name: Festive Yule log
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: almond paste or chocolate holly leaves, to decorate; 115 g/4 oz/½ cup unsalted butter, softened; 15 ml/2 tbsp boiling water; almond paste or chocolate holly leaves, to decorate; 225 g/8 oz/2 cups natural icing (confectioners’) sugar, sifted, plus extra for dusting; 115 g/4 oz/generous ½ cup golden caster (superfine) sugar, plus extra for dusting; 4 eggs; 50 g/2 oz plain (semisweet) chocolate; 150 ml/¼ pint/⅔ cup double (heavy) cream; 30 ml/2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder; pinch of salt; butter, for greasing; 90 g/3½ oz/¾ cup self-raising (self-rising) flour

Preparation info

Serves
8

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Cakes

By Ann Nicol

Published 2014

About

The chocolate-covered Yule log has its origins in France. It makes a good alternative for those who don’t like the traditional rich fruit cake, or it can be served during the Christmas holidays as a dessert with a fresh fruit compote. Eat this fresh or freeze it, unfilled, for two months.

Ingredients

butter, for greasing
90 g/3½ oz/¾ cup self-raising (self-rising) flour

Europe
France
Dessert
Cake
Vegetarian

Method

Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F/Gas 7. Grease and line a 33 x 23cm/13 x 9in Swiss roll tin (jelly roll pan).
Sift the flour, cocoa and salt into a bowl.
Put the eggs and sugar into a large heatproof bowl and place this over a pan of hot water