Local Life- December 2022

CHEF LEWIS'S BLACK FOREST YULE LOG

Chocolate Sponge

6 Large Eggs (separated)

150g Caster Sugar

50g Cocoa Powder

1tsp Vanilla Extract (we use Little Pod)

White Chocolate Cream

300ml Double Cream

135g White Chocolate

1tsp Vanilla Extract

Cherry Syrup

The Spice Witch Spiced Cherries

1tsp Cornflour

Dark Chocolate Ganache

300g Dark Chocolate

300ml Double Cream

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C Fan/gas mark 4/350ºF.

Chocolate Sponge:

In a large, clean bowl whisk the egg whites until thick and peaking, then, still whisking, sprinkle in 50g caster sugar and continue whisking.

In another bowl, whisk the egg yolks and the remaining caster sugar until mixture is pale and thick. Add the vanilla extract, sieve the cocoa powder over, then fold both in.

Lighten the yolk mixture with a couple of dollops of the egg whites, folding them in robustly. Then add the remaining whites in thirds, folding them in carefully to avoid losing the air.

Line a Swiss roll tin with baking parchment

Pour in the cake mixture and bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Turn sponge out onto another piece of baking parchment dusted with a little icing sugar to stop it sticking, and roll. You can cover with a damp tea towel and leave to cool.

White Chocolate Cream:

Bring to the boil 90mls of Double cream with the vanilla extract.

Melt white chocolate gently in microwave then add warm cream and let it sit for 2mins, then gently stir till cream and chocolate are amalgamated, then you can add the rest of the cold double cream and stir. Place in the fridge for at least 4hrs. I make mine the day before.

Dark Chocolate Ganache:

Warm the cream in a pan, Remove from the heat and add the chocolate, stirring until it is melted. Cool to room temperature, then put into the fridge to thicken up for piping.

Cherries:

Strain the liquor from the jar of cherries & place in a saucepan and warm. Mix cornflour with a splash of water and add slowly to warm liquid until you have a thick syrupy consistency then leave to cool

Rolling Yule Log:

Take the white chocolate & vanilla cream from the fridge, whisk until thickened and smooth (do not over whip, this will make the cream a grainy texture.

Unroll the chocolate sponge carefully and remove the baking parchment. Spread the white chocolate cream over the sponge, sprinkle with the whole cherries and splash the cherry syrup over the cream & re roll tightly. Cut a quarter off the end of the cake on a diagonal & place in the middle of cake to make the branch.

Put the chocolate icing into a piping bag & pipe ganache over the cake, covering the cake completely spread with a palette knife so it looks like the bark of a tree.

This is where your decorative flair comes into play and you can decorate how you like.