Yule Log | Bûche De Noël | Christmas Log Cake

🧂 Ingredients

• 300 ml whipping cream

  cold
• 3 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 tbsp Stevia sweetener

  optional
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

  optional
• 200 g dark chocolate chips
• 200 ml whipping cream
• 100 g cake flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ⅛ tsp fine salt
• 6 large eggs

  room temperature
• 50 ml vegetable oil
• 60 ml milk

  room temperature, I used lactose-free milk
• 20 g Stevia sweetener

  for egg yolk batter
• 85 g Stevia sweetener

  for egg white meringue, can add up to 120g
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp cream of tartar
• Rosemary leaves
• Fresh raspberries
• Gold leaf
• Icing sugar

Instructions

• 1 Use a food mixer with whisk attachment. Combine 300 ml whipping cream, 3 tbsp
  cocoa powder, 1 tbsp Stevia sweetener (optional), and 1 tsp vanilla extract
  (optional) into the mixing bowl. 
  
  Mix on low speed. Then gradually increase to high speed until soft peaks
  are formed.
  
  Chill in the refrigerator to let it firm up for at least 4 hours.
• 2 Warm 200 ml whipping cream until the side of the pot bubbles slightly. Do not
  let it boil.
• 3 Add the warm whipping cream to 200 g dark chocolate chips. 
  
  Let it sit for 3 minutes. 
• 4 Whisk well to mix well. 
• 5 Transfer the dark chocolate ganache into a piping bag.
  
  Chill in fridge to let it set for at least 4 hours.
• 6 Pre-heat the oven (convection or conventional top and bottom heating) to 170°C
  (338°F).
  
  Line the base of a cake pan with baking or parchment paper. I used a non-stick
  baking sheet on a 13×13-inch cake pan.
• 7 Separate egg yolks from 6 large eggs. We will need 6 egg yolks and 5 egg whites.
• 8 Sift together 100 g cake flour, 1 tsp baking powder, and 1/8 tsp fine salt. 
• 9 In a separate mixing bowl, combine 6 egg yolks and 20 g Stevia sweetener and mix
  well.
  
  Use a handheld whisk or electric mixer to whisk until the egg yolk mixture turns
  pale in colour and increases in volume and becomes thicker. This takes about 3-5
  minutes.
• 10 Add 50 ml vegetable oil to the egg yolk batter. Use a whisk and mix well.
  
  Then add 60 ml milk and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Use a whisk and mix well. 
  
  Batter will become smooth and thick.
• 11 Add the sifted flour mixture in 2 batches. Use a whisk to mix until the batter
  becomes smooth and thick, with no visible sign of flour.
• 12 To make the meringue, use a food mixer with whisk attachment, and a clean and
  oil-free mixing bowl, add 5 egg whites and sprinkle in 1/4 tsp cream of tartar.
  
  Whip on high speed until the whites turn frothy. 
  
  Add 85 g Stevia sweetener in gradually while the egg whites are whipping until
  stiff peaks are formed. This takes about 5-7 minutes. 
  
  Note: The ideal stiffness is when a stiff peak forms, holding its dropped 'hook'
  shape on a whisk.
• 13 Fold the meringue into the egg yolk batter in 3 batches. Each time, use a whisk
  to fold in gently until well-mixed. Take note not to overmix, otherwise the
  whipped air bubbles will deflate. The final batter should have no visible signs
  of the white meringue.
• 14 Transfer the batter into the lined cake pan.
  
  Use a spatula to ensure the batter fills the corners and sides, and smooth the
  surface.
  
  Tap a few times on the table to eliminate air bubbles.
• 15 Bake in pre-heat oven for 15-22 minutes at 170°C (338°F).
  
  Note: It takes about 15 minutes in a convection oven or about 22 minutes in a
  conventional oven. To test the doneness of the cake, firstly, insert a chopstick
  or skewer in the middle of the cake, if it comes out clean, it’s done. Secondly,
  gently press on the cake, if it bounces back, it’s done.
• 16 Once the cake is baked, immediately drop the cake in pan 2-inch from the table.
  Let the cake sit in the pan for 2 minutes before releasing the cake.
  
  Use a knife to run around the edge of the cake pan. Gently pull the cake by the
  sides onto a cooling rack. (See 06:09 in the video below)
• 17 Place a clean piece of parchment paper over the cake. Hold the sides of the cake
  pan and cooling rack, and carefully flip over the cake.
  
  Gently peel away the lined baking sheet that is now on top of the cake. (See
  06:30 in the video below)
• 18 Cut 2 shallow slits 1.5 cm apart, on one end of the cake with a sharp knife.
  (See 06:36 in the video below)
  
  Note: Do not cut too deep, otherwise the cake will break when rolled.
• 19 On the other end of the cake, cut the cake at 45-degree angle. (See 06:45 in the
  video below)
• 20 Place a clean piece of parchment paper over the cake. Roll the cake while it’s
  still warm, starting from where the slits are.
  
  Keep it wrapped in the parchment paper until it cools completely.
  
  Note: Optional to keep the rolled cake in the fridge to cool. If chilled in the
  fridge for too long, moisture might build up in the paper.
• 21 Gently unroll the cake.
  
  Spread the chocolate whipped cream on the cake. At the end where the slits are,
  the whipped cream should be the thickest, and the thinnest nearer the cut end.
  Leave a thin border around the cake.
• 22 Roll the cake starting from where the slits are. Use the parchment paper to lift
  the cake off the surface as you roll. 
  
  The edge of the cake should be facing down once the cake is rolled.
• 23 Trim off both ends of the rolled cake.
• 24 Cut out 1/3 of the rolled cake. Then cut off a diagonal section of the 1/3 cake.
  Put the rolled cake together to resemble a tree log.
• 25 Pipe the dark chocolate ganache all over the rolled cake. Use a spatula to
  ensure the dark chocolate ganache covers the cake evenly and fully.
• 26 Use a fork to make the tree log marking on the dark chocolate ganache.
• 27 Decorate with Fresh raspberries, Rosemary leaves, Gold leaf or Icing sugar. Be
  creative to decorate.
  
  Chill in fridge until the dark chocolate ganache firms up. The yule log is best
  served with 3 days.

Nutrition Info