I have made a yule log every year since I was little and am a big fan of the traditional chocolate and cream version. However, I love the modern addition of salted caramel here.
SERVES 10-12
FOR THE SPONGE
4 large eggs
140g golden caster sugar
60g self-raising flour
50g cocoa powder
FOR THE GANACHE
125ml double cream
125g dark chocolate (70 per cent cocoa solids), broken into chunks
FOR THE SALTED CARAMEL CREAM FILLING
½ x 397g tin of caramel sauce
½ tsp sea salt flakes
300ml double cream
TO DECORATE
icing sugar
holly sprigs
chocolate shavings
YOU WILL NEED
a swiss roll tin
- Preheat the oven to 200C/ 400F/gas 6. Line the swiss roll tin with baking parchment. Start by making the sponge. Whisk the eggs and sugar together in a bowl until light and fluffy. Sift the flour and cocoa powder into the eggs and mix until smooth and combined. Pour into the lined swiss roll tin and bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes until there is no wobble and the top of the sponge has a nice, light crust.
- Turn the sponge out on to a sheet of baking parchment as soon as you remove it from the oven and carefully peel the parchment off the base of the sponge. Score a shallow line across the short edge of the sponge, 2cm from the bottom, taking care not to cut all the way through. Roll up the cake tightly, starting from the scored bottom. Leave to cool completely in this position.
- While the sponge is cooling, make the ganache. Heat the cream in a saucepan over a medium heat until it starts to bubble at the edges. Take the pan off the heat and add the chocolate, stirring until it has melted. Leave to cool completely.
- For the filling, put the caramel in a large bowl and add the salt. Mix well. Pour in the cream and whisk until the mixture holds soft peaks.
- Carefully unroll the sponge, then spread the caramel cream over it evenly. Roll the sponge up again as tightly as possible without squishing the cream out and leave to rest with the crease at the bottom.
- Cut a thick diagonal slice off one end of the log, spread a little ganache over the cut side of the small piece and attach it to the side of the large roll to make a smaller branch. Alternatively, leave it as a simple straight log shape if you prefer.
- Spread the ganache over the roll with a palette knife, then make lines in the ganache with a fork or palette knife to resemble bark. Finish with a sprinkle of icing sugar and a few sprigs of holly. You can scatter chocolate shavings at the base of the log too, to resemble bark.