Rafaello-style Christmas Yule Log with salted butter caramel and coconut

Rafaello-style Christmas Yule Log with salted butter caramel and coconut is a medium French recipe that serves 12. 550 calories per serving. Recipe by Once Upon a Time in Pastry on YouTube.

Prep: 55 min | Cook: 15 min | Total: 1 hr 25 min

Cost: $14.00 total, $1.17 per serving

Ingredients

  • 120 ml Whole milk (Fresh, at room temperature)
  • 80 ml Vegetable oil (sunflower) (Do not use flavored oil)
  • 5 ml Liquid vanilla extract (1 teaspoon)
  • 5 Eggs (Separate whites from yolks, keep both parts)
  • 150 g Granulated sugar (Divided: 100 g for the whites, 50 g for the yolks)
  • 120 g All‑purpose flour (Sift with the leavening)
  • 5 g Baking powder (About 1 teaspoon)
  • 200 g Salted butter caramel (Prefer a ready‑made caramel or make it at home)
  • 300 ml Very cold whole liquid cream (At least 30 % fat)
  • 250 g Mascarpone (At room temperature)
  • 250 g Unsweetened shredded coconut (150 g in the cream + 100 g for coating)
  • 12 Rafaello (candy) (Break into pieces for decoration)
  • 30 g Toasted sliced almonds (Optional, for decoration)

Instructions

  1. Prepare the milk‑oil‑vanilla emulsion

    In a small bowl, mix the milk, vegetable oil and vanilla extract until you obtain a homogeneous liquid. Set aside.

    Time: PT5M

  2. Separate egg whites and yolks

    Separate the whites from the yolks into two separate bowls. Keep both parts, they will both be used.

    Time: PT2M

  3. Whisk the whites to stiff peaks

    With the electric whisk, beat the whites on medium then high speed until they form stiff peaks.

    Time: PT10M

  4. Incorporate sugar into the whites (bird’s beak)

    When the whites are foamy, gradually add 100 g of granulated sugar while continuing to whisk until you obtain the “bird’s beak” (a peak that bends slightly).

    Time: PT5M

  5. Whisk the yolks with the remaining sugar

    In the small bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the 50 g of sugar until the mixture triples in volume and becomes pale.

    Time: PT5M

  6. Fold the yolks into the whites

    Add the yolk mixture to the whites in three additions, lifting the mass with the spatula to avoid breaking the air bubbles.

    Time: PT5M

  7. Sift flour and leavening, incorporate

    Sift the flour and baking powder directly over the mixture, then gently fold with the spatula until no flour traces remain.

    Time: PT5M

  8. Add the milk‑oil‑vanilla emulsion

    Pour the reserved emulsion into the batter and mix gently until you obtain a homogeneous batter.

    Time: PT5M

  9. Bake the biscuit

    Spread the batter on the baking sheet lined with parchment paper (or in the silicone mold) in an even layer. Bake for 15 minutes at 180°C.

    Time: PT15M

    Temperature: 180°C

  10. Cool and roll the biscuit

    Let the biscuit cool for 10 minutes, place it on a sheet of parchment paper, tap it lightly to release air bubbles, then roll it gently on the paper. Let the roll cool completely.

    Time: PT10M

  11. Prepare the coconut cream

    Whisk the very cold liquid cream until thickened (soft‑peak stage). Add the mascarpone and whisk again until you obtain a smooth cream. Incorporate 150 g of shredded coconut.

    Time: PT10M

  12. Spread the caramel

    On the unfolded biscuit, spread the salted butter caramel evenly using a spatula.

    Time: PT2M

  13. Spread the coconut cream and roll the log

    Spread two thirds of the coconut cream over the caramel, leaving a quarter of the cream aside for finishing. Roll the log tightly, wrap in parchment paper and place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to set.

    Time: PT5M

  14. Decorate the log

    Remove the log from the refrigerator, discard the paper. Cover the surface with the remaining coconut cream, smooth with an offset spatula. Fully coat the sides with shredded coconut. Arrange the Rafaello pieces and toasted almonds on top. Using a piping bag, pipe small touches of cream in a Saint‑Honoré shape on top to prevent the cream from sliding.

    Time: PT10M

Nutrition Facts

Calories
550
Protein
6 g
Carbohydrates
55 g
Fat
35 g
Fiber
2 g

Dietary info: vegetarian

Allergens: eggs, milk, gluten (flour), coconut, almonds (optional)

Last updated: April 7, 2026

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Rafaello-style Christmas Yule Log with salted butter caramel and coconut

Recipe by Once Upon a Time in Pastry

An ultra‑moist rolled log in the Rafaello style: light Swiss biscuit, salted butter caramel, silky mascarpone and coconut cream, decorated with pieces of Rafaello and toasted almonds. Ideal for the holiday season.

MediumFrenchServes 12

Shop all ingredients on Amazon in one click • Printable PDF with shopping checklist

Source Video
1h 19m
Prep
15m
Cook
11m
Cleanup
1h 45m
Total

Cost Breakdown

$14.00
Total cost
$1.17
Per serving

Critical Success Points

  • Stop whisking the whites as soon as the bird’s beak forms (step 4)
  • Do not overbake the biscuit (step 9)
  • Roll the biscuit while it is still slightly warm (step 10)
  • Observe the chilling time of at least 1 hour (step 13)

Safety Warnings

  • Handle hot caramel with care to avoid burns
  • Be careful with knife blades when cutting the log
  • Do not leave children unsupervised while whisking egg whites

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