Yule Log

Cooking time: 2 hrs

SERVES: 8

Ingredients

sponge:
-4 large eggs.
-100g caster sugar.
-65g self raising flour.
-40g coco powder.

The Ganache:
-300ml double cream
-300g dark milk chocolate.

The cream:
-300g double cream.
-50g icing sugar.
-1 Scraped vanilla pod.

Method

Sponge:
-Preheat the oven to 195C. line a baking sheet with non-stick paper or baking parchment, pushing it into the corners.
-in a large bowl whisk the eggs and sugar using until the mixture is pale in colour, light and frothy. Sift the flour and cocoa powder into the bowl and carefully cut and fold together, using a spatula, until all the cocoa and flour are incorporated into the egg mixture.
-Pour the mixture into the lined tin and spread evenly out into the corners. Bake in the middle of the preheated oven for 8–10 minutes.
-Place a piece of baking parchment bigger than the Swiss roll tin on the work surface. Carefully invert the cake onto the paper and remove the bottom lining piece of paper.
-Starting with the edge, begin to tightly roll up the sponge using the paper. Roll with the paper inside and secure with cling film until cool.

Ganache:
-Heat the cream in a pan, just so as you can keep your finger in it. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate, stirring until it is melted. Cool to room temperature, then put into the fridge to firm up (this icing needs to be very thick for spreading).

To Finish:
-Whip the cream, sugar & vanilla until soft peaks.
-Uncurl the cold Swiss roll and remove the paper. Spread the whipped cream on top, and re-roll tightly. Cut a quarter of the cake off from the end on the diagonal. Transfer the large piece of cake to a serving plate and angle the cut end in to the middle of the large cake to make a branch.
-Spread the chocolate along the cake, covering the cake completely and scratch with a fork so it looks like the bark of a tree. Cover each end with icing or, if you wish to see the cream, leave un-iced.
-Dust with icing sugar and garnish how you wish.