Easy chocolate Yule-Log cake
An easy-to-make chocolate and vanilla yule log, featuring a light chocolate mousse, a vanilla tonka bean custard, and a beautifully shiny mirror glaze.
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EQUIPEMENTS
- log-cake molds
INGREDIENTS
For a log that is 11-inch long, 4-inch wide, and 3-inch high ( 29x10x8 cm) .
Soft chocolate sponge
- 2 eggs
- 60 g granulated sugar
- 40 g honey
- 40 g unsalted butter
- 70 ml heavy cream
- 35 g almond flour
- 70 g all-purpose flour
- 4 g baking powder
- 30 g dark chocolate 61% to 72% cocoa content
- 10 g unsweetened cocoa powder
Praline crunch
- 100 g praline paste
- 47 g paillete feuilletine crispy crêpe flakes
- 34 g milk chocolate
Vanilla and tonka custard
- 200 ml heavy cream
- 150 ml milk
- 1 vanilla pod
- 1/2 tonka bean pod optional
- 2 egg yolks
- 170 g white chocolate
- 2 sheets and a half gelatin 5 g
Chocolate mousse made with pâte à bombe (cooked egg yolk base)
- 90 g egg yolks
- 38 g whole egg mix one egg and take the desired amount
- 68 g granulated sugar
- 45 ml water
- 225 g dark chocolate 70% cocoa content
- 350 ml heavy cream 30% fat content chilled
- 1 leaf and a half gelatin 3 g
Chocolate and cocoa glaze
- 225 g granulated sugar
- 125 ml water
- 150 g dark chocolate 72% cocoa content
- 30 g unsweetened cocoa powder
- 65 ml heavy cream 32% ,35% fat
- 5 gelatin sheets 10 g or 10 g of powdered gelatin (200 blooms) rehydrated in 60 ml of water
- For a very black glaze add a bit of black food coloring, or use darker cocoa.
PREPARATION
Soft chocolate sponge
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
- Melt the chocolate and butter together in a double boiler.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs with the sugar and honey. Add the sifted dry ingredients and mix well. Gradually incorporate the cream, the warm melted butter, and the melted chocolate, mixing thoroughly after each addition.
- Spread the batter onto a buttered baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Bake for about 15 minutes.
- Once cooled, cut out a base to match the dimensions of your log mold. Spread the praline crunch layer on top and let it set in the refrigerator.
Praline crunch
- Melt the chocolate in a double boiler, then add the praline paste. Mix well until you get a homogeneous preparation.
- Off the heat, gently fold in the feuilletine. Mix well, then spread it all over the cooled sponge.
Vanilla and tonka custard (crémeux)
- If you don’t have an insert mold smaller than your yule log mold, you can make one as I did using a DIY method with an acetate sheet.
- Roll the sheet into a tube about 5 cm (2 inches) in diameter and secure it with tape. Seal one end with a piece of double-layered plastic wrap so you can pour the crémeux inside.
- Make the custard base :
- Pour the cream and milk into a saucepan.
- Split the vanilla pod lengthwise, scrape out the seeds, and add both the seeds and the pod to the pan. Grate in half a tonka bean as well.
- Heat gently without boiling, cover with plastic wrap, and let infuse for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, bloom the gelatin in a large bowl of cold water for 10 minutes.
- Melt the white chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave at low power.
- Bring the infused milk-cream mixture to a boil.
- Lightly whisk the egg yolks to break them up, then slowly pour in some of the hot milk through a fine sieve while whisking. Mix well, then pour everything back into the saucepan.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a spatula. Do not allow it to boil.
- Once the custard coats the spatula (you should be able to run a finger across it and leave a clean line), remove from the heat.
- Immediately stir in the squeezed gelatin.
- Pour the hot custard over the melted white chocolate through a fine mesh strainer and stir until smooth and glossy to create a perfect emulsion.
- Place the DIY tube insert (made with the acetate sheet) upright in a glass to hold it steady. You can also use a smaller log mold if you have one.
- Pour the custard into the tube or mold. Freeze until fully set, keeping it in an upright position.
Chocolate Mousse with Pâte à Bombe Base
- Whip the cream to soft peaks (light and mousse-like, not stiff) and keep it in the refrigerator.
- Bloom the gelatin in a large bowl of cold water for 10 minutes.
- Prepare the pâte à bombe:
- Melt the chocolate in a double boiler and set it aside.
- Whisk the eggs in a bowl placed over a hot water bath (off the heat) until they become foamy.
- If you're using a stand mixer like a KitchenAid, heat the mixture in the bowl while stirring with a rubber spatula, then place it on the mixer and whisk on low speed once it's warm.
- In a saucepan, bring the sugar and water to a boil.
- When the syrup reaches 83°C (181°F), pour it over the eggs while whisking continuously, then add the squeezed gelatin.
- Whisk until the mixture becomes foamy, then remove it from the water bath.
- Continue whisking until the mixture is pale, smooth, and forms a ribbon when lifted. Stop whisking as soon as it cools down to lukewarm.
- Make sure the melted chocolate is at 50°C (122°F) before using it. If it has cooled down, gently reheat it over a water bath; otherwise, it may seize and form lumps in the mousse.
- Loosen the melted chocolate by stirring in a small amount of whipped cream to achieve a smooth, glossy texture.
- Then add a small amount of the pâte à bombe, mix well, and gradually fold in the rest.
- Finish by gently folding in the remaining whipped cream in several additions using a spatula.
- You’ll get a light, smooth, and glossy chocolate mousse.
- Transfer the mousse to a piping bag.
Assembling the Yule Log
- Line the yule log mold with an acetate sheet if it’s made of metal. Using a silicone mold is very convenient. If your mold is less than 8 cm high, let the sheet extend slightly beyond the edges. Make sure to line all sides of the mold properly.
- Pour a little more than half of the chocolate mousse into the mold. Place the frozen insert (crémeux) in the center, then cover with the remaining mousse.
- Smooth the surface, then close with the sponge base topped with the crunchy praline layer, placing the praline side against the mousse. Press gently to allow some mousse to rise up the sides. Smooth again, then freeze for at least 8 hours.
- The next day, unmold the fully frozen yule log onto a wire rack and proceed with the glazing.
- Prepare the mirror glaze (without glucose or condensed milk) by following the steps and tips. You can make it the day before, once the log is placed in the freezer.
- On glazing day, gently reheat the glaze. When it reaches 29°C (84°F), immediately pour it over the frozen log.
- Decorate as desired, then allow the log to defrost in the refrigerator for 4 to 6 hours, or at room temperature for about 2 hours.