In recent decades, and thanks to some good marketing campaigns, pandoro and panettone have established themselves as the most popular Italian Christmas desserts. Every year around December, our socials are filled with online fights where legions of fans debate which one is better. It is a dispute that will never know an end.
However, recently and especially in northern regions, a dessert of French origin has begun to spread: the Yule log (or Christmas log, if you prefer). Originally called Bûche de Noël, and translated to “Tronchetto di Natale,” this dessert draws on an ancient European tradition. This tradition involved the heads of families, on the day of the winter solstice (and, later, on Christmas), taking a large log of wood and burning it continuously over the fireplace for 12 days.
The original Yule log is made from a flat rolled sponge cake filled with jam or cream, and covered with chocolate. However, there are now many different versions.
Today, I want to show you one made with Nutella and whipped cream, which will make your Yule log look as if it were covered in snow. It takes a little bit of time, but it is very simple and you can customize it any way you want, indulging in decorations.
Here’s what you need to do.
What I used
A while back I shared my favorite sponge cake recipe, which is made without eggs, butter, or milk. However, the result is too soft for this recipe, which involves making a flat cake and rolling it around the filling. For this, we will use a different recipe made with:
- egg yolks and egg whites;
- sugar
- flour
For the filling, I made a Nutella ganache and combined it with whipped cream. I also used a syrup made with water, sugar, and clementine peels.
The topping, on the other hand, is made with more whipped cream and some powdered sugar.
For the decorations, you can arrange something simple with red berries and leaves, or buy something more elaborate.
As per usual, you can find the exact amount of each ingredient in the recipe card at the end of the post.
Method
This recipe has 3 key parts. First, you’ll have to prepare the sponge cake. Then you’ll fill it and refrigerate it. And finally, you’ll work on the topping.
Making the sponge cake
Preheat the oven in static mode to 390° F. Meanwhile, separate the egg whites from the yolks, being very careful not to mix them together. If they mix, they will not whip well.
After that, start beating the egg whites. As soon as they increase in volume, add the sugar and whip them on high speed until stiff.
To know when they are ready, slowly turn the bowl upside down. If they move, you need to continue. When they stay perfectly still, you can move on to the next step.
Incorporate the egg yolks one by one, then sift the flour over the mixture and mix from top to bottom with a spatula to not remove the egg whites too much. They will still become a little less firm, but don’t worry about that.
Take a flat baking dish and cover it completely with greaseproof paper. Then, spread evenly the egg mixture on top of it.
Bake in static mode for 20 minutes, placing the pan in the center of the oven or at the bottom. After that, take out your sponge cake and let it cool under a clean kitchen cloth.
Making the filling
While the cake is still in the oven, you can think about the ganache and syrup.
For the ganache: start by heating the Nutella in a double boiler until it gets a liquid consistency. You can also simply place it in a bowl over a saucepan full of boiling water. When I made it for the photos below I also added 1 + 1/2 oz of pistachio bitter chocolate and let me tell you, it was a good choice.
Now, add the whipping cream and mix well until you get an even mixture, then put the bowl in an ice bath and cover it with a kitchen cloth.
For the syrup: dissolve 1 + 1/2 tbsp sugar in 2/3 cup warm water, add the peel of a clementine, and heat over low heat. If you want, you can also add 2 tbsp of amber rum.
After preparing these two, whip some whipping cream to stiff peaks.
Assembling the Yule log
Let’s turn what we have made into a delicious Yule log.
Cover the sponge cake with greaseproof paper and flip it onto a work surface. Then, use a kitchen brush or tablespoon to wet it with the syrup.
Remove the Nutella ganache from the ice bath, and whip it with electric beaters until it becomes nice and firm.
Then, spread it evenly on the sponge cake. Do the same with the whipped cream.
Now, grab the sponge cake under one of the longer sides, and roll it up into a log. Some cream may spill out during the process, but don’t worry about that. You will cover it with the topping later.
Wrap your log in greaseproof paper, and let it chill in the refrigerator for about an hour.
After that, cut about 1/4 of the log with a slant cut, and arrange the pieces on a plate or tray to form a Y.
Making the topping
Now, whip more whipping cream, and spread it over the log with a spatula.
Use a fork to draw irregular lines on the topping, so it simulates the unevenness of snow. To finish, add a dusting of powdered sugar or, alternatively, coconut flour.
Now, all that’s left is to decorate your snowy Yule log as you see fit. I like to keep it simple and use just a bit of red berries, but if you search online you’ll find lots of imaginative ideas. Finally, clean the plate of all the excess cream and sugar, and serve.
See, it took a while but it wasn’t difficult, right? Now all you have to do is enjoy your snowy yule log with whomever you want. My family looted my log before I could take a decent picture of its final form, and the picture below is all that’s left. But I’m taking it as a compliment 😀
The Nutella & pistachio chocolate ganache was really good – I will use it more often. And the clementine syrup gave the sponge cake a really nice flavor.
Here is the recipe card with the exact ingredients and a summary of the instructions. You can use the setting to adjust it according to your needs or use it as a shopping list from your smartphone. Let me know what you think of it, and Merry Christmas!
Print
Snowy Yule Log
- Total Time: 140
- Yield: 1 log 1x
Ingredients
For the sponge cake:
4 large eggs
3 + 1/2 oz 00 flour
3 + 1/2 oz sugar
For the filling:
12 oz Nutella
2 oz pistachio chocolate
16 oz whipping cream
2/3 cup lukewarm water
1 + 1/2 tbsp caster sugar
2 tbsp amber rum (optional)
For the topping:
4 oz whipping cream
powdered sugar or coconut powder to taste
red berries to taste
decorative leaves
Instructions
Making the sponge cake:
- Preheat the oven in static mode to 390° F.
- Meanwhile, separate the egg whites from the yolks, being very careful not to mix them together.
- Beat the egg whites. As soon as they increase in volume, add the sugar and whip them on high speed until stiff.
- Incorporate the egg yolks one by one, then sift the flour over the mixture and mix from top to bottom with a spatula.
- Take a flat baking dish and cover it completely with greaseproof paper. Then, spread evenly the egg mixture on top of it.
- Bake in static mode for 20 minutes, placing the pan in the center of the oven or at the bottom. After that, take out your sponge cake and let it cool under a clean kitchen cloth.
Making the filling
The filling is made with a Nutella Ganache, whipped cream, and a simple syrup.
For the ganache: heat the Nutella in a double boiler or in a bowl placed above a pot with boiling water. Add the chocolate and let it melts. Then, add 12 oz of whipping cream and mix well until you get an even mixture, then put the bowl in an ice bath and cover it with a kitchen cloth.
For the syrup: dissolve the sugar in the water, add the peel of a clementine, and heat over low heat. If you want, you can also add 2 tbsp of amber rum.
After preparing these two, whip the remaining cream to stiff peaks.
Assembling the Yule log:
- Cover the sponge cake with greaseproof paper and flip it onto a work surface. Then, use a kitchen brush or tablespoon to wet it with the syrup.
- Remove the Nutella ganache from the ice bath, and whip it with electric beaters until it becomes nice and firm. Then, spread it evenly on the sponge cake. Do the same with the whipped cream.
- Now, grab the sponge cake under one of the longer sides, and roll it up into a log. Some cream may spill out during the process, but don’t worry about that. You will cover it with the topping later.
- Wrap your log in greaseproof paper, and let it chill in the refrigerator for about 1 hour.
- After that, cut about 1/4 of the log with a slant cut, and arrange the pieces on a plate or tray to form a Y.
Making the topping:
- Whip the whipping cream, and spread it over the log with a spatula.
- Use a fork to draw irregular lines on the topping, so it simulates the unevenness of snow. To finish, add a dusting of powdered sugar or, alternatively, coconut flour.
- Use red berries and leaves to decorate your snowy Yule, or add your preferred decorations. There are lots of creative ideas online.
- Finally, clean the plate of all the excess cream and sugar, and serve.
- Prep Time: 60
- Cooling time: 60
- Cook Time: 20
