Equinox Yule Log in the style of Cyril Lignac and Benoît Couvrant

Ingredients

• 300 g White chocolate (high quality, broken into pieces)
• 200 ml Heavy cream (well chilled)
• 1.5 Vanilla bean (split and scraped)
• 1 c. à café Vanilla extract (pure)
• 6 Gelatin sheets (hydrated 15‑20 min in cold water)
• 150 g Almond powder (sift before use)
• 30 g All-purpose flour (sift with the leavening)
• 0.5 c. à café Baking powder
• 2 Whole eggs (at room temperature)
• 80 g Granulated sugar
• 80 g Melted butter (cooled to room temperature)
• 150 g Sugar (caramel)
• 30 g Glucose (liquid glucose syrup)
• 30 ml Water
• 4 Egg yolks (at room temperature)
• 200 ml Heavy cream (for caramel) (well chilled)
• 4 Gelatin sheets (caramel) (hydrated 15 min)
• 200 g Speculoos biscuits (coarsely crushed)
• 100 g Almond‑hazelnut praline (melt with cocoa butter)
• 50 g Cocoa butter (melted gently)
• 2 c. à café Vegetable charcoal powder (for anthracite gray color)
• 50 g Red chocolate (melted for decorative band)

Instructions

1. Hydrating gelatin sheets (ganache)

   Place 6 gelatin sheets in a large bowl of cold water and let hydrate for 20 minutes.

   Time: PT20M

2. Infusing vanilla into the cream

   Pour 200 ml of cream into a saucepan, add the seeds and the pods of 1.5 vanilla beans, bring to a gentle boil then cover and let infuse for 20 minutes.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: 90°C

3. Resting the vanilla cream

   Remove from heat, let the infused cream rest for an additional 20 minutes covered.

   Time: PT20M

4. Incorporating gelatin into the cream

   Squeeze the gelatin, add it to the still‑warm cream and mix well until fully dissolved.

   Time: PT5M

5. Mixing with white chocolate

   Pour the hot cream over the broken white chocolate, let melt for a few seconds then blend with an immersion blender until smooth.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: 45°C

6. Cooling the ganache

   Transfer the ganache to a container, cover and place in the refrigerator for 9 hours (ideally overnight).

   Time: PT9H

7. Preparing the almond sponge cake

   In a bowl, whisk 2 eggs with 80 g sugar until pale, add 150 g almond powder, then 80 g melted butter, finally fold in 30 g sifted flour with 0.5 tsp baking powder.

   Time: PT12M

8. Baking the sponge

   Spread the batter on a baking sheet lined with parchment in a strip 25 cm × 6 cm, bake at 170 °C for 15 minutes until lightly golden.

   Time: PT15M

   Temperature: 170°C

9. Cooling the sponge

   Allow the sponge to cool at room temperature for 30 minutes before cutting.

   Time: PT30M

10. Cutting the sponge to the mold size

    Using a ruler and a knife, cut a strip of 25 cm × 5.5 cm.

    Time: PT5M

11. Hydrating gelatin sheets (caramel)

    Place 4 gelatin sheets in a bowl of cold water for 15 minutes.

    Time: PT15M

12. Preparing the caramel

    In a saucepan, heat 150 g sugar, 30 g glucose and 30 ml water over medium heat until an amber color is reached (≈150 °C).

    Time: PT10M

    Temperature: 150°C

13. Egg‑cream mixture

    In a bowl, whisk 4 egg yolks with the seeds of half a vanilla bean and 200 ml cold cream.

    Time: PT5M

14. Tempering the caramel and cooking the custard

    Slowly pour the hot cream over the caramel, stir, then add the egg‑cream mixture. Cook over low heat while stirring until 82 °C.

    Time: PT5M

    Temperature: 82°C

15. Incorporating gelatin into the caramel

    Remove from heat, add the squeezed gelatin, blend with an immersion blender until completely smooth.

    Time: PT5M

16. Cooling the caramel cream

    Allow the cream to reach room temperature (≈30 minutes).

    Time: PT30M

17. Molding the caramel cream

    Pour the cream into the cylindrical mold 25 cm × 5.5 cm and smooth the surface.

    Time: PT5M

18. Freezing the caramel insert

    Place the mold in the freezer for 5 hours (or overnight).

    Time: PT5H

19. Preparing the speculoos‑praline crunch

    Melt 100 g almond‑hazelnut praline with 50 g cocoa butter over low heat until homogeneous.

    Time: PT5M

    Temperature: 45°C

20. Crushing the speculoos biscuits

    Blend 200 g speculoos into a coarse powder (not too fine).

    Time: PT5M

21. Biscuit‑praline mixture

    Mix the speculoos crumbs with the praline‑cocoa butter mixture until evenly coated.

    Time: PT5M

22. Pressing the crunch

    Line a 30 cm × 8 cm tray with parchment, pour the mixture in and press with a tart pan.

    Time: PT5M

23. Freezing the crunch

    Place the tray in the freezer for 1 hour for full set.

    Time: PT1H

24. Assembling the vanilla ganache

    Remove the ganache from the refrigerator, whisk at medium speed until it reaches a slightly fluid Chantilly consistency.

    Time: PT5M

25. First layer of ganache in the mold

    Pour the ganache into the Yule log mold to one‑third of the height, smooth with an offset spatula.

    Time: PT5M

26. Inserting the caramel cream

    Place the caramel insert (upside down) in the center, press it slightly, then completely cover with the remaining ganache.

    Time: PT5M

27. Adding the crunch

    Lay the praline‑speculoos crunch on top, press lightly to adhere.

    Time: PT5M

28. Final freezing of the Yule log

    Place the assembled Yule log in the freezer for 5 hours (or overnight) to set.

    Time: PT5H

29. Preparing the anthracite gray coating

    Melt 200 g white chocolate with 50 g cocoa butter in a bain‑marie, add 2 tsp vegetable charcoal and blend with an immersion blender until a smooth paste forms.

    Time: PT5M

    Temperature: 45°C

30. Applying the coating

    Pour the hot coating into the spray gun and spray evenly over the Yule log surface using circular motions.

    Time: PT5M

31. Setting the coating

    Allow the coating to set for 30 minutes at room temperature.

    Time: PT30M

32. Red decorative band

    Melt 50 g red chocolate and, using a piping bag, draw a thin band on top of the Yule log.

    Time: PT5M

    Temperature: 45°C

33. Finishing and presentation

    Remove the Yule log from the mold, place on a serving plate, optionally decorate with a few praline shards.

    Time: PT5M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

450

Protein

5 g

Carbohydrates

45 g

Fat

30 g

Fiber

2 g