Lemon-Raspberry Yule Log

Ingredients

• 4 sheets Gelatin sheets (Soften in cold water for 5 min)
• 300 g Raspberry purée (Can be homemade or bought in a jar)
• 6 pcs Egg yolks (Medium‑size eggs)
• 2 pcs Whole eggs
• 200 g Granulated sugar (80 g for the sponge, the rest for the creams, syrup and meringues)
• 200 g Unsalted butter (Divided into two parts: 100 g for the raspberry cream, 100 g for the lemon cream)
• 30 ml Raspberry liqueur (Optional, add to the cooled syrup)
• 200 ml Water (For the syrup)
• 150 ml Fresh lemon juice (Approximately 3 lemons)
• 60 g Cornstarch (Maïzena) (30 g for the lemon cream, 30 g for the rolled sponge)
• 120 g All‑purpose flour (For the rolled sponge)
• 6 pcs Egg whites (Separate from the yolks used earlier)
• 1 g Yellow powder food coloring (To tint the meringues)
• 50 g Fresh redcurrants (For the final decoration)

Instructions

1. Prepare the gelatin

   Place the 4 gelatin sheets in a bowl of cold water and let soften for 5 minutes.

   Time: PT5M

2. Cook the raspberry cream

   Heat the raspberry purée in a saucepan over medium heat. Meanwhile, whisk the 6 egg yolks with 80 g sugar until the mixture lightens. When the mixture begins to boil, incorporate the raspberry purée, stir and continue cooking until 83‑84 °C, monitoring with a thermometer.

   Time: PT12M

   Temperature: Moyen

3. Finish the raspberry cream

   Remove the saucepan from the heat, add the squeezed gelatin and mix until fully dissolved. Pour into a container, let cool for 10 minutes, then incorporate 100 g softened butter while whisking until a smooth texture is achieved. Let cool completely (about 30 minutes).

   Time: PT40M

4. Prepare the raspberry syrup

   Mix 200 ml water with 120 g sugar in a small saucepan, bring to a boil then let cool. Once cold, add 30 ml raspberry liqueur.

   Time: PT10M

5. Cook the lemon cream

   Bring the lemon juice to a boil. Meanwhile, whisk the 6 egg yolks, the 2 whole eggs and 120 g sugar until lightened. Add 30 g cornstarch and mix. Pour the boiling lemon juice over the egg‑sugar mixture while whisking, then return everything to the saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the cream reaches the first bubbles, then continue for an additional 1 minute (≈ 83 °C). Remove from heat, let cool slightly, add 100 g butter and whisk until fully incorporated. Cool completely (≈ 30 minutes).

   Time: PT22M

   Temperature: Moyen

6. Prepare the rolled sponge

   In a bowl, whisk the 6 egg yolks with 80 g sugar until the mixture lightens. Sift 120 g flour and 30 g cornstarch over it, incorporate gently. Beat the mixture with a mixer for a few minutes to obtain a homogeneous batter. Set aside.

   Time: PT10M

7. Whip the egg whites

   In a clean bowl, begin whisking the 6 egg whites, adding a small portion of the remaining sugar. When they reach ¾ stiffness, gradually incorporate the rest of the sugar until firm, glossy peaks form.

   Time: PT10M

8. Fold the whites into the sponge

   Add one third of the whipped whites to the yolk batter and fold vigorously with a spatula to loosen it. Fold in the remaining whites by lifting the batter to preserve the volume.

   Time: PT4M

9. Bake the sponge

   Spread the batter on a baking sheet (40 × 30 cm) lined with parchment paper. Bake at 180 °C for 12 minutes. After baking, let cool on a rack before removing from the paper.

   Time: PT12M

   Temperature: 180°C

10. Prepare the colored meringues

    Whip new egg whites with the remaining sugar as in step 7. Add the yellow powder food coloring and mix lightly. Pipe small pointed balls using a pastry bag onto a parchment‑lined sheet.

    Time: PT16M

11. Bake the meringues

    Bake the meringues at 80 °C for 1 h45 (or until they are dry and lightly golden). Let cool completely before handling.

    Time: PT1H45M

    Temperature: 80°C

12. Assemble the log – first layer

    Place the cooled sponge on a clean kitchen towel, remove the parchment. Lightly brush the sponge with the raspberry syrup. Using a large pastry bag, pipe a 2 cm thick cylinder of lemon cream near the edge and roll the sponge on the towel. Brush the rolled part with raspberry syrup.

    Time: PT8M

13. Assembly – add the raspberry cream

    Gently loosen the raspberry cream with a whisk, pipe it over the rest of the sponge using a flat pastry bag. Roll the sponge again using the towel, soaking the roll with raspberry syrup midway through the process.

    Time: PT8M

14. Freeze

    Wrap the log in the towel and place in the freezer for 1 hour to set the shape.

    Time: PT1H

15. Finishing and decoration

    Remove the log, cut the ends with a serrated knife to obtain clean edges. Pipe a thin layer of lemon cream on top using a flat tip. Attach the yellow meringues side by side across the surface, then scatter a few fresh redcurrants.

    Time: PT12M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

350

Protein

5 g

Carbohydrates

45 g

Fat

15 g

Fiber

2 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Gelatin sheets: powdered gelatin (2 g)
• Instead of Raspberry purée: fresh raspberries blended
• Instead of Egg yolks: ready‑made pastry cream (for the lemon)
• Instead of Whole eggs: pasteurized chicken eggs
• Instead of Granulated sugar: cane sugar, coconut sugar (for the syrup)
• Instead of Unsalted butter: vegetable margarine, coconut oil (for the lemon)
• Instead of Raspberry liqueur: raspberry syrup, concentrated raspberry juice
• Instead of Fresh lemon juice: bottled lemon juice (preservative‑free)
• Instead of Cornstarch (Maïzena): rice flour, arrow‑root
• Instead of All‑purpose flour: whole‑wheat flour, gluten‑free flour (adjust quantity)
• Instead of Egg whites: rehydrated powdered egg whites
• Instead of Yellow powder food coloring: turmeric powder (mild flavor)
• Instead of Fresh redcurrants: blackcurrants, blueberries

Equipment Needed

• Medium saucepan
• Mixing bowls (minimum 4)
• Hand whisk
• Electric mixer with whisk
• Cooking thermometer
• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper
• Pastry bag with tips (large and medium)
• Silicone spatula
• Cooling rack
• Clean kitchen towel
• Oven
• Freezer
• Serrated knife

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Cooking the raspberry cream to 83‑84 °C
• Incorporating the gelatin without lumps
• Whipping the egg whites to firm and glossy peaks
• Slow baking of the meringues at 80 °C
• Rolling the sponge without cracking it

Chef Tips from the Video

• Use fresh blended and strained raspberries for a smooth purée.
• Zest a lemon and add the zest to the lemon cream for extra freshness.
• For a brighter yellow, add a pinch of turmeric in addition to the coloring.
• Lightly dust the meringues with powdered sugar before placing them on the log.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store the log in an airtight container 2 to 3 days.

Freezer: Wrap well and freeze up to 1 month.

Room temperature: Do not leave at room temperature more than 2 hours.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Prepare both creams 1 day ahead and keep them separate in the fridge.
• Bake the sponge and meringues the day before, store in airtight containers.
• The syrup can be made 2 days ahead and kept in the refrigerator.

Frequently Asked Questions