Chocolate raspberry yule log

Ingredients

3 eggs
1/2 cup caster sugar
1/2 cup plain flour
3 tbs cocoa
2 cup thickened cream
1 punnet raspberries
150 g dark chocolate

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced) and grease and line a 33x19cm baking tray with paper. Beat the eggs with the sugar until tripled in volume and very light and mousse-y. Sift in the flour and 2 tbs of cocoa, and fold gently together.

Spread the mixture onto the lined tin in an even layer and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until dry and springing back lightly when touched. Lay another sheet of baking paper out on the bench and then flip the cake out onto it and peel off the top layer of baking paper.

Tightly roll the cake up inside the fresh sheet of paper to make the traditional swiss roll shape. Wrap in a tea towel and set aside to cool completely.

To fill the cake, beat 1 1/2 cups of the cream to stiff peaks, and fold through the raspberries, crushing them up a bit as you go. Unroll the cake (don’t worry if it breaks at all, you won’t see it), spread over the filling, and re-roll back into a log shape.

To decorate, melt the chocolate and remaining cream together either in the microwave or in a bowl over simmering water. Let cool for a minute and then pour over the log, using a butter knife or palette knife to spread around on the sides. Place in the fridge for at least half an hour to set.

Once the ganache is fairly firm, dust the yule log with remaining cocoa powder, and use the tines of a fork to make a wood-grain pattern on the outside of the log, cleaning the fork as you go. Store in the fridge and serve in thick slices.

Find related sweet Christmas recipes

Serving Suggestions

Note

Feel free to replace the raspberries with strawberries, or even a ripple of jam.
If you don’t want to create the log-effect in the icing, simply leave off the cocoa powder – the shiny ganache looks great.
You make the sponge up to a day ahead, before assembly.