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

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of White chocolate: milk chocolate, dark chocolate with cream
• Instead of Heavy cream: whipping cream
• Instead of Vanilla bean: vanilla extract
• Instead of Vanilla extract: vanilla bean
• Instead of Gelatin sheets: agar‑agar (different amount)
• Instead of Almond powder: almond flour
• Instead of All-purpose flour: wheat flour
• Instead of Baking powder: baking soda (less effective)
• Instead of Whole eggs: egg substitute
• Instead of Granulated sugar: cane sugar
• Instead of Melted butter: margarine
• Instead of Sugar (caramel): brown sugar
• Instead of Glucose: corn syrup
• Instead of Egg yolks: pastry cream
• Instead of Heavy cream (for caramel): whipping cream
• Instead of Gelatin sheets (caramel): agar‑agar
• Instead of Speculoos biscuits: shortbread biscuits
• Instead of Almond‑hazelnut praline: hazelnut paste
• Instead of Cocoa butter: coconut oil
• Instead of Vegetable charcoal powder: cocoa powder (different color)
• Instead of Red chocolate: colored white chocolate

Equipment Needed

• Large bowl
• Saucepan
• Whisk
• Offset spatula
• Immersion blender
• Yule log insert mold (cylindrical)
• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper
• Ruler and kitchen knife
• Cooking thermometer
• Rectangular mold (tray)
• Spray gun (paint gun) (optional)
• Oven
• Freezer
• Kitchen scale

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Hydrating gelatin sheets (ganache)
• Preparing the caramel
• Tempering the caramel and cooking the custard
• First layer of ganache in the mold
• Applying the anthracite gray coating

Chef Tips from the Video

• Using a silicone Yule log mold makes demoulding easier.
• Sifting the flour and leavening prevents lumps in the sponge.
• For an even more dramatic effect, add a light dusting of edible gold powder on the coating.
• The spray gun can be replaced by a smoothing spatula if you don't have one, but the finish will be less uniform.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Keep the Yule log in the refrigerator, well covered, for up to 3 days.

Freezer: Wrap tightly and keep in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Room temperature: Do not leave at room temperature for more than 2 hours, the coating will melt.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Prepare the vanilla ganache and chill it overnight.
• Make the caramel cream and freeze it the day before.
• The speculoos‑praline crunch can be made 2 days ahead and kept frozen.
• Assemble the Yule log the day before and only dust it at service time.