Black Forest Style Christmas Yule Log

Ingredients

• 10 g Pectin (apectine) (Fine powder, to sift with the sugar)
• 150 g Granulated sugar (For the cherry gelée)
• 300 g Cherry purée (Smooth purée, no chunks)
• 150 g Grillotines with liqueur (Candied cherries soaked in kirsch)
• 200 g 70% cocoa dark chocolate (Cut into pieces)
• 200 ml Whole milk (Boiling milk for the ganache)
• 200 ml Whole liquid cream (35% fat) (For the ganache and whipped cream)
• 4 pcs Eggs (Separate whites from yolks)
• 120 g Granulated sugar (for the biscuit)
• 1 pinch Fine salt
• 30 g All-purpose flour
• 30 g Unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 pcs Gelatin sheets (Hydrated 10 min)
• 250 ml Whole milk (for custard)
• 120 ml Whole liquid cream (for custard)
• 1 pcs Vanilla bean (Scraped seeds + split pod)
• 4 pcs Egg yolks (for custard)
• 100 g Granulated sugar (for custard)
• 200 ml Whole liquid cream (for vanilla mousse) (To whisk very cold)
• 1 spray White cocoa butter velvet spray (For finishing)
• 1 spray Brown cocoa butter velvet spray (For relief)

Instructions

1. Mix pectin and sugar

   Mix the pectin with the granulated sugar in a small bowl until a homogeneous mixture is obtained.

   Time: PT5M

2. Heat the cherry purée

   Pour the cherry purée into a saucepan and heat over medium heat until it reaches 60 °C.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: 60°C

3. Incorporate the pectin‑sugar mixture and bring to a boil

   Add the pectin‑sugar mixture in a stream while whisking, bring to a boil then cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: 100°C

4. Let the gelée cool

   Remove the saucepan from the heat and let cool for 5 minutes.

   Time: PT5M

5. Mold the gelée and add the grillotines

   Pour the gelée into the insert mold leaving a 2.5 cm margin, place the grillotines by gently pressing them in, add a drizzle of gelée, tap the mold and place in the freezer for 40 minutes.

   Time: PT40M

6. Melt the dark chocolate

   Cut the chocolate into pieces and melt it in the microwave in 30‑second intervals, stirring between each burst.

   Time: PT5M

7. Prepare the ganache

   Add the boiling milk to the melted chocolate in four portions, mixing from the center outward each time until a smooth ganache is obtained.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: 80°C

8. Whip the cream into whipped cream

   Whisk the very cold liquid cream until a firm whipped cream is achieved.

   Time: PT5M

9. Fold the whipped cream into the ganache

   When the ganache has cooled to 35 °C, fold in the whipped cream in two portions, mixing gently with a spatula.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: 35°C

10. Form the chocolate insert

    Pour the chocolate mousse into the mold already filled with gelée, press a few grillotines, smooth the surface and place in the freezer for 6 hours.

    Time: PT360M

11. Whip the egg whites

    Separate the whites from the yolks, add a pinch of salt and whip the whites to stiff peaks with an electric mixer.

    Time: PT5M

12. Add sugar to the whites

    Pour the sugar in a stream while continuing to whisk until the mixture is glossy and the peaks are firm.

    Time: PT5M

13. Incorporate the egg yolks

    Lightly beat the egg yolks with a fork then fold them into the whites gently with a spatula.

    Time: PT2M

14. Sift flour and cocoa, incorporate

    Sift the flour and cocoa over the mixture and fold them in, lifting the batter until a light and airy batter is obtained.

    Time: PT3M

15. Bake the cocoa biscuit

    Spread the batter on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, bake in a fan oven at 150 °C for 15 minutes.

    Time: PT15M

    Temperature: 150°C

16. Cool the biscuit

    Let the biscuit cool completely on the sheet before handling.

    Time: PT10M

17. Cut the biscuit to the size of the mold

    Using a knife, cut a rectangle slightly smaller (≈5 mm on each side) than the yule log mold.

    Time: PT5M

18. Hydrate the gelatin

    Place the gelatin sheets in a large bowl of cold water for 10 minutes.

    Time: PT10M

19. Heat milk, cream and vanilla

    In a saucepan, bring the whole milk, liquid cream and vanilla bean seeds with the split pod to a boil.

    Time: PT5M

    Temperature: 100°C

20. Temper the egg yolks with sugar

    In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar until the mixture lightens slightly.

    Time: PT3M

21. Cook the custard

    Pour the hot milk over the yolk‑sugar mixture in a stream while whisking, return everything to the saucepan and cook over medium‑low heat until 83‑85 °C, stirring continuously.

    Time: PT5M

    Temperature: 84°C

22. Incorporate the gelatin

    Remove from heat, add the squeezed gelatin and mix until fully dissolved.

    Time: PT2M

23. Cool the custard

    Let the custard cool to room temperature (≈30 minutes).

    Time: PT30M

24. Whip the cream into whipped cream

    Whisk the very cold liquid cream into a firm whipped cream.

    Time: PT5M

25. Mix custard and whipped cream

    Fold the room‑temperature custard into the whipped cream in four portions, mixing gently with a spatula.

    Time: PT5M

26. First layer of vanilla mousse and freezing

    Pour the vanilla mousse into the yule log mold up to one third of the height, smooth, then place in the freezer for 10 minutes.

    Time: PT10M

27. Unmold the insert and place it in the vanilla mousse

    Carefully unmold the insert (gelée + chocolate mousse) and place it in the center of the vanilla mousse, smooth the surface.

    Time: PT5M

28. Add the biscuit soaked with grillotine syrup

    Brush the ladyfinger biscuit with the grillotine syrup using a pastry brush, place it on the vanilla mousse and press lightly so the mousse rises on the edges.

    Time: PT5M

29. Final freezing of the assembled yule log

    Place the assembled yule log in the freezer for 6 hours (or overnight).

    Time: PT360M

30. Apply velvet spray

    Spray the white velvet spray from 20 cm away from the cake, then spray the brown velvet on the top to create relief.

    Time: PT3M

31. Defrost in the refrigerator

    Transfer the yule log to the refrigerator and let it thaw for 5 hours 59 minutes before serving.

    Time: PT359M

32. Final decoration

    Decorate with chocolate trees, small mushrooms, half grillotines and lightly dust with cocoa powder.

    Time: PT15M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

350

Protein

5 g

Carbohydrates

45 g

Fat

18 g

Fiber

2 g