Description
A festive Classic Chocolate Yule Log with airy cocoa sponge, cocoa hazelnut whipped cream, and silky ganache. It looks like a woodland log and tastes like cozy hot cocoa.
Ingredients
Sugared Cranberries and Rosemary
1 cup fresh cranberries
4–5 rosemary sprigs
3/4 cup water
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar, divided
Cake
1 1/3 cups cake flour
2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
6 large eggs, separated, room temp
1 cup granulated sugar, divided
2 Tbsp oil
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
For Rolling
3 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
Meringue Mushrooms, optional
1 large egg white
Less than 1/8 tsp cream of tartar
Pinch of salt
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
1/2 tsp cocoa powder, optional
1 oz semi sweet chocolate, finely chopped
Cocoa Hazelnut Whipped Cream
1 1/2 cups cold heavy cream
2 Tbsp Frangelico or coffee or vanilla
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 Tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 cup finely chopped hazelnuts, optional
Ganache Topping
6 oz semi sweet chocolate, finely chopped
3/4 cup heavy cream
Instructions
1. Make sugared syrup by heating water with 1/2 cup sugar. Add cranberries and rosemary. Let sit 10 minutes. Drain and roll in remaining sugar. Dry on a rack.
2. Heat oven to 350°F. Line a 12×17 inch jelly roll pan with parchment. Sift flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt.
3. Whip egg whites with 1/2 cup sugar to glossy medium stiff peaks.
4. In another bowl, beat yolks with 1/2 cup sugar, oil, and vanilla until pale and thick.
5. Fold dry mix into yolk bowl. Then fold in whites gently in two additions.
6. Spread batter evenly in the pan. Bake 10 to 12 minutes until springy.
7. Dust a towel or parchment with cocoa. Invert hot cake onto it. Peel off paper. Roll up with the towel. Cool completely.
8. Whip cream, confectioners’ sugar, cocoa, and liqueur to stiff peaks. Fold in hazelnuts if using.
9. Unroll cake. Spread cream evenly. Re roll. Trim one end on a slant and attach as a branch. Chill 30 to 60 minutes.
10. Heat cream to steaming. Pour over chopped chocolate. Stir until smooth. Cool to a spreadable state.
11. Cover cake with ganache. Create bark texture with a fork. Add sugared cranberries and rosemary. Dust with confectioners’ sugar. Serve chilled.
Notes
Use room temperature eggs for more volume.
Roll the cake while hot to prevent cracks.
Dust the towel or parchment with cocoa to prevent sticking.
Swap Frangelico with amaretto, Kahlua, Baileys, Grand Marnier, coffee, or vanilla.
Use pure baking chocolate for ganache. If using white chocolate, reduce the cream slightly.
Keep the log refrigerated and slice cold for neat rounds.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Category: Easy & Decadent Christmas Desserts
- Method: Baked, Rolled
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 36 g
- Sodium: 160 mg
- Fat: 26 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 42 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 135 mg