Creamy Chocolate Log for Christmas
This is a family favourite at Christmas time. A simple chocolate sponge recipe layered with melted chocolate, smothered in cream, and rolled into the iconic Christmas 'Buche de Noel'
Servings: 8
Calories: 423kcal
Equipment
- baking tray 32x28cm/11x13in
Ingredients
- 270 g dark chocolate 60-70%
- 170 g caster sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 tsp espresso coffee powder
- 250 ml double cream
- 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
- 4 tbsp caster sugar
Instructions
- Line the Swiss roll with baking paper and lightly brush with a flavourless oil.
- Heat your oven to 180 °C
- Melt 170g of the dark chocolate in a Bain Marie (a heatproof bowl set over just simmering water, but not touching) or microwave.
- Dissolve the coffee powder in 1 tbsp of boiling water and add this to the melted chocolate.
- Separate the eggs into 2 medium sized bowls. Add the 170g caster sugar to the egg yolks and whisk until thick, pale, and leaving a trail with the beaters when you lift them up. Add this to the chocolate mix and fold in gently - trying to keep as much air in as possible.
- In the second bowl, whisk the egg whites until almost stiff. You don't want them to be too thick and dry. Fold this carefully into the chocolate mix. I usually add in a quarter and fold that in quickly to loosen the mix, then fold in the remaining 3/4 carefully to keep the air in the sponge.
- Pour the sponge mix into the lined tin, with the oiled baking paper, and cook in the pre-heated oven for 20 mins. When the time is up, leave to cool on a rack completely.
- When you are ready to put the dessert together, lay a piece of baking paper on the worksurface, and sprinkle with 1 tbsp of caster sugar.
- Flip the sponge onto the sugared foil and gently peel off the greaseproof paper that it cooked in.
- Melt the remaining 100g of dark chocolate and spread this all over the sponge.
- Whip the double cream, vanilla and the remaining 3 tbsp sugar until just holding it's shape. You don't want to over whip it. Spread this on top of the sponge covered with chocolate.
- You can now either roll this lengthwise or widthwise. It's totally up to you. I would normally do this length ways, as it goes further - and with a smaller slice in our house this gives you the chance to have 2 different puddings!
- You need to roll this tightly, without squeezing out the cream mixture. It will crack, but I think that adds to the look of the 'Christmas log'. Once rolled in the baking paper, I like to wrap this again in foil and place in the fridge for at least a couple of hours to firm up before serving. I like to place it on a board, dust with a little icing sugar and a couple of sprigs of holly.
Notes
- This dessert will keep wrapped up in the fridge for a week. Or in you want to get ahead, you can freeze it for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Calories: 423kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 117mg | Sodium: 42mg | Potassium: 66mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 40g | Vitamin A: 581IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 0.4mg