Lucy's Salted Caramel Yule Log

SALTED CARAMEL YULE LOG (Serves 10) (Adapted from a Band Of Bakers recipe, as featured in Delicious magazine, Dec 2012)

For the Sponge
 
Butter for greasing
3 large free-range Eggs, separated
Half tsp Cream of Tartar
100g Caster Sugar
1tbsp Milk
30g Cocoa Powder
30g Plain Flour
Quart tsp Fine salt
Icing sugar for dusting
 
 
For the cream filling
 
300ml Double Cream
Half a tin of Caramel (Carnations is available from most good supermarkets)
1 tsp fine Salt.
 
 
For the Chocolate Ganache Frosting
 
200g good quality Dark Chocolate
200ml Double Cream
100g Chopped Hazelnuts to decorate
 
 
 
Pre-heat the oven to 180c/fan oven 160c/Gas 4.
Prepare your Swiss Roll tin (about 25cm x 35cm), or just use a similar sized roasting tin, by greasing and lining with baking paper.
 
 
Sponge
 
For the sponge, you need to whisk 3 Egg Whites in a clean bowl until soft peaks form, then add the cream of tartar & whisk until stiff. Use a separate bowl to whisk the yolks & the caster sugar until thick & pale yellow. Add the milk, then whisk until combined.
 
Onto the egg yolk mixture, sift the cocoa powder, flour & fine salt, then fold until well combined using a large metal spoon. Fold in the egg whites, one third at a time, until well mixed. Make sure you don’t knock out too much air, then pour into the tin.
 
Bake for 15 mins, until the top is springy & the sides begin to come away from the tin.
 
 
Let the cooked sponge cool for 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. To help when you eventually roll the cake, roll the sponge up from the short end while still warm, leaving the baking paper on. Unroll carefully once the cake is completely cool.
 
 
Cream Filling
 
In the original recipe for this cake, they recommend a Meringue Buttercream. However, it is far more time consuming, technical & expensive than my simpler & easier method.
 
Measure out 300ml of Double Cream, and whisk until reasonably thick. Add half a tin of Caramel & the Salt then whisk again until you feel it is thick enough to spread on the cake. Don’t forget you can always add more or less Caramel depending on your taste. Place in the fridge to chill.
 
This will make plenty of Cream filling, and there should be more than enough for the cake. This of course means, you can finish off the leftover cream as a reward for your hard work – any excuse eh? Onto the Chocolate Frosting…
 
 
Chocolate Ganache Frosting
 
Heat the 200ml of cream in a pan until it’s just about to boil. Then remove from the heat & break in the chocolate. Stir with a wooden spoon until the chocolate has melted & the Ganache is nice & thick. Allow it to cool completely. If you’re not assembling the cake until later in the day, pop the Ganache in the fridge once cooled, this will also help with the thickening process should you feel it’s too runny. Just make sure you give it a good stir when you do want to use it!
 
 
Assembly
 
Peel the baking paper from the cake, slowly & carefully. Then place it smooth side down on a new piece of baking paper dusted with icing sugar. Spread the cream filling over the sponge, using as much or as little as you like. Don’t go too crazy though, as it’ll just squidge everywhere (unless that’s how you like it!)
 
Then you need a steady hand to gently roll the cake up into a Swiss Roll shape. Place on a plate, then chill in the fridge for around 15 minutes.
 
Finally, remove the cake from the fridge, and spread the Ganache all over the cake, leaving the ends bare. Use a palette knife, or the edge of your spatula to create a textured finish. Scatter your nuts (matron!) over the finished cake, then serve!
 
 
Personally, I find it goes lovely with a good cup of strong Tea. Or maybe a cheeky glass of Sherry if you’re that way inclined. J
 
Enjoy!
 
Lucy xxx
 
 
EXTRA TIPS
 
*For a lovely finishing touch I sprayed my Yule Log with an edible Gold Spray, Dr Oetker do a brilliant one, also available in Silver.
 
*Another finishing touch is swirling Caramel over the Hazelnuts once they’re placed on top of the Yule Log. Yum.
 
*If you have a nut allergy, or don’t like Hazelnuts, how about crumbling Honeycomb over the top of the Yule Log instead? If you have a really sweet tooth, use a Crunchie bar (or 2)!
 
*If you don’t like Caramel, you could always use White chocolate instead for the Cream filling & also for the Ganache.
Use the same quantity as the dark chocolate for the Ganache and the same method. For the cream, boil a pan of water & place 200g of White Chocolate in a bowl sitting on top of the pan. Stir until melted, then leave to cool. Add to the whisked cream. Decorate the Yule Log with Raspberries & a dusting of icing Sugar to finish.