Hi everyone! Today I’m happy to show my first Yule Log or “Buche de Noel” of the year! It’s made up of a super soft cocoa sponge cake, dark chocolate ganache, fresh mango cubes and a smooth whipped coffee ganache. Those three flavors combine incredibly well together and the fresh mango brings freshness to this dessert. I’ve also decided to decorate it with tempered chocolate pieces. This is a yule log full of flavors, textures and very easy to make, it will be perfect for the holiday season!
For a Yule Log of 33cm long:
Sponge cake:
- 5 eggs of 50 g
- 20g of flour
- 25g of corn starch
- 20g of cocoa powder
- 35g of butter
- 85g of sugar
The chocolate ganache: (you’ll have some left)
- 200g of dark chocolate (70% is great)
- 200g of full liquid cream
- 40g of butter
The filling:
- 250g of fresh mangoes
The whipped coffee ganache:
- 1,5 tbsp of instant coffee (don’t use a coffee too acidic)
- 5g of coffee beans (like the Colombian)
- 250g of full liquid cream (72,5g + 177,5g)
- 105g of white chocolate
- 3g of powdered gelatin
The decoration:
- 300g of dark chocolate (you’ll have some left)
- A few cubes of mango
- A few beans of coffee
- Some icing sugar
Let’s begin with the coffee ganache (it’s better to make it the day before):
1. Hydrate the gelatin in 6 times its weight in cold water.
2. In a saucepan, add the small amount of liquid cream (so 72,5g) and the crushed coffee beans. Bring to boil and then cover it and let it infuse 10-15min.
3. Melt the white chocolate in a bain-marie (or in the microwave).
4. Once the coffee has infused, add the instant coffee and bring to boil again.
5. Pour it over the white chocolate in three times and mix vigorously between each addition.
6. Add the gelatin and the remaining of the very cold liquid cream (177,5g).
7. Wrap with cling film (the film must touch the surface) and refrigerate one night.
For the chocolate ganache:
1. Melt the dark chocolate in a bain-marie (or in the microwave).
2. Bring to boil the liquid cream and pour it over the chocolate in three times, mix well between each addition.
3. Add the butter and mix.
4. Let the ganache cool down and try to mix it from time to time. It must thicken and have the consistency of a spread so we can use it.
Meanwhile, we’ll make the sponge cake:
1. Preheat the oven to 190°C fan assisted.
2. Separate the white and the yolk of the eggs.
3. Beat the egg white by adding the half of the sugar (42,5g) progressively until stiff peaks form.
4. Melt the butter and let it cool down.
5. Whisk the egg yolks with the other half of sugar until it whitens.
6. Pour it over the beaten egg white and gently stir with a spatula.
7. Sift the flour, cocoa powder and corn starch over the mixture and incorporate it gently.
8. Finish by adding the melted butter.
9. Pour the mixture on a baking tray covered with parchment paper. Mine is 38x31cm. If you have, I suggest you to use a silicone baking mat, it will be easier to unmold.
10. Cook for 8-9min, the time may vary depending on your oven. The cake is ready when you see the borders beginning to golden.
11. Flip it immediately over another parchment paper and let it cool down slightly before unmolding it.
12. Cut the edges and roll it in the paper. After this step, my cake was 33x29cm.
Last preparation, the tempered chocolate:
1. Finely chop the dark chocolate.
2. Melt 3/4 of it (so, 225g) in a bain-marie until it reaches a temperature between 50°C and 55°C.
3. Off the heat, add the chopped chocolate left (so, 75g) and mix. The temperature must go down to 29°C.
4. Bring it back to the bain-marie and wait until it reaches 31-32°C. Your chocolate is ready!
5. Pour it between two acetate sheets and spread it thinly.
6. Refrigerate minimum 20min.
It’s time to assemble everything!
1. When the dark ganache has the perfect consistency, thinly spread it over the biscuit. A thin layer is enough.
2. Cut the mangoes into small cubes and generously cover the surface.
3. Roll the cake tightly using the parchment paper. To make sure it’s tight enough, push the cake with a cutting board while pulling the parchment paper towards you.
4. Refrigerate it while we finish the coffee ganache.
5. Take your coffee ganache out of the fridge and whip it by increasing the speed progressively. It must stick to the whisk.
6. Cover the entire yule log with a thin layer of coffee ganache. Cut the edges for a neater look. Place the rest of the ganache in a pastry bag fitted with a St Honore pastry tip, and pip a nice wave on top of the yule log.
7. Stick to the edges, pieces of tempered dark chocolate, and sprinkle them with some icing sugar. Decorate the top with some mango cubes and coffee beans.
Here you go, your Buche de Noel is ready!
Don’t forget to write an email to partage@justonemorecake.com to share your pictures of the recipe and your opinions! I will add them at the bottom of this article.
