Hi everyone! It’s almost Christmas! I’ve come across this amazing Yule Log by the French Pastry Chef Jeffrey Cagnes ? I’ve been inspired to create this version! It’s made up of a Swiss Roll Cake, filled with Lemon Ganache and a Crunchy Insert. It’s topped with Roasted Hazelnuts and a Lemon/Basil Gel ?

For a 28cm long Yule Log:

Swiss Roll Cake:

• 5 eggs
• 70g of sugar (1)
• 50g of sugar (2)
• 50g of neutral oil
• 50g of milk
• 90g of flour
• 2g of baking powder
• 1 pinch of salt

Lemon Ganache:

• 250g of full liquid cream
• 68g of white chocolate
• 90g of lemon juice
• 3g of powdered gelatin

Praline:

• 60g of hazelnuts
• 37g of sugar
• 9g of water
• 1 pinch of salt

Crunchy Insert:

• 50g of feuillantine biscuits (you can make your own following this recipe: here)
• 50g of hazelnut praline
• 40g of milk chocolate
• 1 pinch of salt

Basil/Lemon Gel:

• 100g of lemon juice
• 10g of sugar
• 5g of basil leaves
• 6,5g of gelatin
• + OIive oil
• + Lemon Juice

Glaze:

• 100g of water
• 50g of lemon juice
• 150g of sugar
• 10g of gelatin

Filling:

• Lemon Zests
• Basil Leaves

Decoration:

• 300g of roasted hazelnuts
• Some basil leaves
• Lime pieces

We’ll start with the Ganache:

1. Hydrate the gelatin in 6 times its weight in cold water.

2. Bring to boil half of the cream with half of the lemon juice.

3. Pour over the chopped chocolate and hydrated gelatin. Mix with a hand blender.

4. Add the other half of cold cream and lemon juice.

5. Wrap with cling film and refrigerate overnight.

For the Praline:

1. Heat the water and sugar to 116°C. Add the hazelnuts.

2. Stir until the sugar caramelizes completely.

3. Let it cool down over a silicone mat.

4. Add a pinch of salt and then mix. The praline should be fluid and smooth.

For the Insert:

1. Mix the crushed feuillantine with the melted chocolate, praline and salt.

2. Spread the mixture over a guitar sheet to the length of your Log (in that case 28cm).

3. Roll the guitar sheet. Freeze until it hardens.

For the Swiss Roll Cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C.

2. Separate the eggs.

3. Whip the egg whites, adding the sugar (2) in 3 times. It should be supple.

4. Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar (1) until they whiten.

5. Add the yolks to the whites and gently mix with a spatula.

6. Add the sifted flour, baking powder and salt.

7. In a separate bowl, combine the milk with the oil and a bit of the mixture. Add everything back to the initial mixture.

8. Pour inside your silicone mold (the dimensions of mine are 28x35cm)

9. Cook for 10-12min. The biscuit should be golden.

10. Once it has cooled down a bit, unmold and roll it.

It’s time to assemble!

1. Whip the ganache until it forms a bird peak.

2. Spread over the biscuit (keep 70-80g for the decoration).

3. Zest lemons over the cream and add chopped basil leaves.

4. Unmold the insert and place it at the edge of the biscuit.

5. Roll tightly.

6. Using a cutting board, push the yule log while pulling the baking paper toward you. This will help tighten the cake.

7. Freeze overnight.

For the Gel:

1. Hydrate the gelatin.

2. Bring to boil the lemon juice with the sugar.

3. Pour over the basil leaves and gelatin. Mix.

4. Refrigerate overnight.

5. The next day, add a bit of olive oil (the amount depends on the taste you want) and a little bit of lemon juice. Mix with a hand blender. Adjust the amount of lemon juice according to the final texture of the gel (it should be fluid).

6. Place in a pastry bag.

For the Glaze:

1. Hydrate the gelatin.

2. Heat the water, sugar and lemon juice to 103°C.

3. Add the gelatin.

4. Let it cool down between 18-20°C.

Finishing:

1. Pour the Glaze over the Yule Log.

2. Cover with the chopped roasted hazelnuts.

3. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a small St-Honore tip with the remaining lemon Ganache (if you don’t have this tip, cut the end of the pastry bag diagonally).

4. Pipe the cream on the surface of the Log to create an enclosed area. Pipe the gel inside that space.

5. Decorate with some basil leaves, lime segments and halved hazelnuts.

Your Log is ready! Enjoy when the Insert has softened!

Please feel free to ask all your questions in the comment section and don’t forget to DM me your creations on my Instagram account: blog_justonemorecake , I will post them at the end of the post 🙂