Chocolate Glazed Christmas Yule Log by Kirsten Tibballs

This recipe was provided and performed by Kirsten Tibballs at the 2018 Cake Bake & Sweets Show!

Raspberry Jam

  • 500 g frozen raspberries
  • 50 g caster (superfine) sugar

Method:

  1. Combine the raspberries and sugar in a saucepan and place on a medium heat.
  2. Stir continuously until you reach 103˚
  3. Allow to cool to room temperature for use in the sponge below. You can pour any leftover jam into individual sterilized jars and immediately turn upside down to seal the jar

*You can substitute the raspberries for blackberries or blueberries.

 

Vanilla Sponge

  • 236g whole eggs
  • 5g Heilala vanilla bean paste 123 g caster (superfine) sugar
  • 123 g plain (all purpose) flour
  • 2 g salt
  • 22g unsalted butter
  • 1 dessert spoon of water
  • QS caster (superfine) sugar, for sprinkling

Method:

  1. Whisk the eggs, vanilla and caster sugar together to create a foam.
  2. Fold through the sifted flour and salt.
  3. Melt the butter and add a little bit of the sponge mixture to it. Add in the water before folding back into the remaining sponge mixture.
  4. Spread the mixture into a three quarter size Flexipat and bake at 190˚C for 6-8 minutes.
  5. As soon as it comes out of the oven, sprinkle with caster sugar.
  6. Place a clean, damp tea towel on top and roll it on along the long side of the sponge with the tea towel still in place.
  7. Unroll the sponge and remove the tea towel. Spread the jam on top.
  8. Reroll the sponge and cut out 2 lengths of 22cm.

 

Chocolate Truffle Mousse

  • 9 g gold gelatine sheets
  • 800 ml Bulla Thickened cream 35% fat
  • 100 g caster (superfine) sugar
  • 100 g liquid glucose
  • 100 ml water
  • 320 g Callebaut 811 dark couverture 53.8%

Method:

  1. Soak the gelatine sheets in a bowl of cold water until soft and pliable.
  2. Semi-whip the cream in the bowl of a stand mixer and set aside in the fridge.
  3. Boil the sugar, glucose and water together in a saucepan. As soon as the sugar has dissolved, add in the pre-soaked and drained gelatine. Immediately pour over the dark couverture in a bowl.
  4. Whisk together until the couverture is fully melted then fold in the semi-whipped cream.

Chocolate Glaze

  • 52 g water
  • 125 g caster (superfine) sugar
  • 125 g glucose
  • 70 g condensed milk
  • 20 g Van Houten Intense Deep Black cocoa powder
  • 55 g Callebaut 2815 dark couverture 58%
  • 11 g gelatine sheets
  • 104 g mirror glaze

Method:

  1. Soak the gelatine sheets in a bowl of cold water until soft and pliable.
  2. Drain the gelatine and melt in the microwave in 30 second intervals.
  3. Heat the water, sugar and glucose together in a saucepan.
  4. Add the condensed milk, couverture and cocoa powder and combine.
  5. Add the gelatine and mirror glaze.
  6. Emulsify with a stick blender and allow to rest overnight.
  7. Use the glaze between 30˚C – 32˚

Cocoa Sable Dough

  • 110 g unsalted butter
  • 17 g Callebaut cocoa powder 22-24%
  • 55 g pure icing sugar
  • 44 g whole eggs
  • 1 g salt
  • 1 Heilala vanilla bean
  • 20 g almond meal
  • 180 g plain (all purpose) flour
  • 3.5 g baking powder

Method:

  1. Combine the butter, icing sugar and cocoa powder in the bowl of a stand mixer.
  2. Add the eggs, salt and cut and scraped vanilla bean.
  3. Add the remaining dry ingredients.
  4. Remove from the mixer and press into a flat, even square. Cover with plastic wrap and cool in the fridge for 1 hour.
  5. Roll the chilled dough out to a 4mm thickness and cut into rectangles 29cm x 13cm.
  6. Place the dough on a perforated tray lined with a perforated Silpain mat. Bake at 170˚C for 8-10 minutes.

Cocoa Streusel

  • 24 g Van Houten Intense Deep Black cocoa powder
  • 75 g plain (all purpose) flour
  • 2 g Maldon sea salt
  • 90 g caster (superfine) sugar
  • 90 g hazelnut meal
  • 2 fresh limes, zested
  • 75 g unsalted butter

Method:

  1. Combine all the ingredients in a food processor until you achieve a crumb consistency.
  2. Spread the mixture onto a Silpat mat and cool in the fridge.
  3. Once chilled, bake at 180˚C for 8 minutes.

Mushroom Caps

  • 200 g Callebaut W2 white chocolate 28%
  • 20 g orange oil soluble colouring
  • 20 g Callebaut cocoa butter, melted
  • QS Callebaut W2 white chocolate 28%, tempered

Method:

  1. Temper the white chocolate and add in the orange colouring.
  2. Add the melted cocoa butter and combine.
  3. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag and pipe the mushroom cap shapes onto a sheet of baking paper.
  4. Allow to set for 5-10 minutes.
  5. Transfer the tempered white chocolate (without any orange colour) to a paper piping cone and pipe random dots of chocolate on top of the set mushroom caps.

Mushroom Stems

  • 200 g Callebaut W2 white chocolate 28%
  • 3 tbsp of water

Method:

  1. Temper the white chocolate and add the water to thicken it.
  2. Transfer to a piping bag and pipe the mushroom stems onto a sheet of baking paper.
  3. Allow to set for 5-10 minutes. Before the stems are completely set, smooth the sides with a sharp knife.
  4. Adhere the stems to the mushroom caps with some leftover tempered white chocolate.

Assembly

QS micro herbs

  1. Pipe a layer of chocolate mousse into the base of the Silikomart ‘Kit Buche’ mould (ref. TOR250 x 90).
  2. Tap the mould on the bench to eliminate air bubbles.
  3. Spread the mousse up the sides of the mould with a spoon.
  4. Place the Swiss roll into the centre of the mousse and pipe more mousse on top.
  5. Smooth the mousse with a palette knife and ensure the sponge is covered.
  6. Freeze for 24 hours.
  7. Unmould and pour the glaze on top at the correct temperature. Allow to sit for a few minutes until it stops dripping, then clean the edges with a sharp knife.
  8. Place on top of the rectangle of sable dough and decorate with the mushrooms and streusel.
  9. Finish with micro herbs.