Christmas tiramisu Yule log

Ingredients

• 250 g Mascarpone (at room temperature)
• 200 ml Whole cream (well chilled)
• 6 pcs Eggs (separate whites from yolks)
• 80 g Granulated sugar (divided: 60 g for yolks, 20 g for whipped cream)
• 150 ml Cold espresso coffee (prepared and cooled)
• 200 g Ladyfingers (savoiardi) (about 12 biscuits)
• 3 pcs Gelatin sheets (soaked 10 min in cold water)
• 15 g Unsweetened cocoa powder (for decoration)
• 30 g Decorative star-shaped chocolate (optional, for final touch)

Instructions

1. Hydrate the gelatin

   Place the 3 gelatin sheets in a bowl of cold water and let rest 10 minutes until fully rehydrated.

   Time: PT10M

2. Separate the eggs

   Separate the whites from the yolks into two different bowls, making sure no trace of yolk remains in the whites.

   Time: PT5M

3. Whisk yolks with sugar

   Pour 60 g of sugar onto the egg yolks and whisk at medium speed until the mixture lightens and becomes frothy.

   Time: PT5M

4. Melt the mascarpone

   Put the 250 g of mascarpone in a bowl, heat for 30 s in the microwave (medium power) until warm but not boiling.

   Time: PT2M

   Temperature: 45°C

5. Dissolve the gelatin in the mascarpone

   Squeeze the gelatin sheets, add them to the warm mascarpone and mix with a small whisk until fully dissolved. Let cool.

   Time: PT3M

   Temperature: 45°C

6. Incorporate the mascarpone into the egg‑yolk mixture

   Pour the slightly warmed mascarpone (without gelatin) into the yolk‑sugar mixture and gently fold with a spatula.

   Time: PT2M

7. Add the gelatin‑mascarpone

   Fold the mascarpone containing the melted gelatin into the previous mixture, still folding gently.

   Time: PT2M

8. Whip the egg whites

   Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.

   Time: PT5M

9. Whip the cream

   Pour the very cold heavy cream into a cold bowl and whisk until a firm whipped cream forms. Add 20 g of powdered sugar while whisking.

   Time: PT5M

10. Fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture

    With a rubber spatula, gently fold the whipped cream into the previous mixture using bottom‑to‑top motions.

    Time: PT3M

11. Fold in the egg whites

    Add the whipped egg whites to the mixture and gently fold with the spatula, always folding.

    Time: PT3M

12. Chill

    Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to set the mousse.

    Time: PT30M

    Temperature: 4°C

13. Prepare the mold

    Line a 28 cm loaf pan with plastic wrap, allowing it to overhang the edge; use at least three sheets of film.

    Time: PT5M

14. First layer of cream

    Fill a plain pastry bag with the mascarpone mousse and deposit two layers of cream in the mold, filling up to half height.

    Time: PT5M

15. Soak the biscuits

    Quickly dip each ladyfinger in the cold coffee (one quick dip) and arrange them on the cream forming a row perpendicular to the mold.

    Time: PT5M

16. Second layer of cream and biscuits

    Cover the biscuits with a generous layer of cream, smooth, then add a new row of soaked biscuits and finish with a final layer of cream.

    Time: PT7M

17. Long chill

    Cover the log with the overhanging plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for a minimum of 6 hours or overnight.

    Time: PT6H

    Temperature: 4°C

18. Unmold and decorate

    Remove the log from the refrigerator, peel off the film, gently turn onto a serving plate. Fill a pastry bag with the remaining whipped cream and pipe the surface with a plain or fluted tip. Dust with cocoa powder and decorate with star‑shaped chocolate.

    Time: PT10M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

350

Protein

5 g

Carbohydrates

30 g

Fat

20 g

Fiber

1 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Mascarpone: fat-free cream cheese
• Instead of Whole cream: whipping cream
• Instead of Eggs: pasteurized eggs
• Instead of Granulated sugar: cane sugar
• Instead of Cold espresso coffee: strong filtered coffee
• Instead of Ladyfingers (savoiardi): savoiardi
• Instead of Gelatin sheets: agar‑agar (adjusted amount)
• Instead of Unsweetened cocoa powder: cocoa powder
• Instead of Decorative star-shaped chocolate: grated dark chocolate

Equipment Needed

• 500 ml bowl
• 1 L bowl
• Electric mixer (or electric whisk)
• Silicone spatula
• Pastry bag with plain tip
• 28 cm loaf pan
• Plastic wrap
• Microwave
• Kitchen thermometer (optional)
• Knife or dough cutter (optional)

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Hydrate the gelatin correctly
• Dissolve the gelatin in warm mascarpone without boiling
• Fold in the egg whites and whipped cream without breaking them
• Respect the refrigeration rest time of at least 6 hours

Chef Tips from the Video

• Use a very cold metal bowl to whip the cream – it speeds up setting.
• Run the plastic wrap under hot water before placing it on the mold to make it more pliable and avoid folds.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Keep chilled, wrapped, up to 2 days.

Freezer: Not recommended, the mousse texture degrades.

Room temperature: Consume within 2 hours of serving.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Prepare the mousse the day before and let it rest overnight in the fridge.
• Add the cocoa and chocolate decoration just before serving to avoid moisture.