Chocolate Yule Log

Chocolate Yule Log

Ingredients

300 gms flour (I prefer Gold Medal flour)

10 gms baking powder

50 gms cocoa powder

200 gms eggs

410 gms castor sugar

20 ml water

60 gms egg whites

220 gms unsalted butter

25 gms cocoa powder

Ganache:

300 gms dark chocolate

200 ml cream

Garnishing

Icing sugar

Christmas sugar decorations

Directions

Preheat oven to 220 deg C. Line a 60cmx40 cm baking tray with parchment paper. To make the sponge, sieve flour, baking powder and half the cocoa powder. Set aside. Beat eggs and 300 gms of castor sugar in a bowl. Fold egg mixture into dry ingredients and mix until combined. Pour the batter on to the baking tray and spread the mixture with a palette knife. Bake for 7-10 minutes. Set aside to cool. For icing, boil remaining sugar (110 gms) and water over low heat until it bubbles. Let it cool slightly. Whip egg whites until soft peaks form. Add sugar syrup to egg whites and whip at high speed until the mixture cools. Add butter and the remaining cocoa powder and beat for 7 minutes until the icing is creamy. Spread half the icing on the cake. Start at the long side and roll the cake to form a Swiss roll. Spread the remaining icing on top. For the ganache, break dark chocolate in pieces and place in a bowl. Heat cooking cream in a sauce pan and pour the warm cream on to the chocolate. Whisk until chocolate is melted. When cool pour the ganache on top of the icing. When the ganache is cool and set, dust the roll with icing sugar. Use a toothpick to form designs on the roll that resembles the bark of a tree.