A naturally gluten-free Christmas yule log filled with chestnut puree and coconut cream. Inspired by the French Bouche-de-Noel

Chocolate Yule Log

Chocolate Yule Log with Chocolate Chestnut Cream

In my family growing up we had a number of essential desserts at Christmas time.  My older sister, having a slight obsession with sultanas, always opted for traditional Christmas pudding and Christmas cake.  Where as me and my younger brother went for the slightly more chocolatey options – Mum’s special chocolate sponge with snowy meringue icing and a squidy ganache chocolate log. Hero Mum never failed to let us down and all four desserts (as well as home-made mince pies of course) were provided for the festive period.  It took us all holidays and then some to get through all that indulgence, one year I remember having Christmas cake left in February.

I have been researching a number of Christmas dessert recipes over the last few weeks since I have volunteered to make a pud this year.  Reminiscing on the squidgy ganache Yule log of yore I decided to give that a go. On this occasion I didn’t go the full hog and include a ganache icing but instead chose a less gluttonous dusting of cocoa powder.  Alternatively another option for a topping would be to drizzle with melted dark chocolate.

I can hardly believe that this easy recipe is gluten-free, contains no flour (or flour substitute) or dairy.  The sponge was springy and incredibly easy to work with, not to mention tasty. I was lucky and mine rolled up neatly without cracking first time. All those hours of obsessively watching the Great British Bake must have finally paid off.

5.0 from 2 reviews
Chocolate Yule Log
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
A naturally gluten free Christmas yule log filled with chestnut puree and coconut cream. Inspired by the French Bouche-de-Noel
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Cuisine: Christmas
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
Log:
  • 6 free-range organic eggs, separated
  • 1.5 tsp vanilla extract
  • 150g honey
  • 60g unsweetened 100% cocoa powder
Filling:
  • 200g chestnut puree (I used Merchant Gourmet)
  • 50g honey
  • 2 tablespoon of coconut cream
  • 1 tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder
  • + cocoa powder to dust the top
Instructions
  1. Pre-heat oven to 160ºC (fan), and prepare the Swiss roll tin (20cm x 30cm)* by lining with baking parchment.
  2. With an electric whisk, whisk the egg yolks with the vanilla extract and the honey until pale and creamy.
  3. In a separate bowl, with clean beaters, whisk the egg whites until still peaks form.
  4. Sieve the cocoa powder into the yolks, fold in. Then fold in the egg whites in too until entirely combined.
  5. Pour evenly into tin, and bake for 20 minutes.
  6. Remove from oven cover with non-stick baking parchment and a damp tea-towel and leave to cool entirely before touching.
  7. Meanwhile make up the filling: Beat together the chestnut puree, CO YO, honey, then stir in the cocoa powder. The cocoa powder will act as a thickener to the mix.
  8. When the sponge is cooled you're ready to roll! Place a board over the tea-towel and pick up the Swiss roll tin flipping it over, lift off the tin and peel back the baking parchment. Trim any ugly ends off the sponge. Take the filling and spread all over the sponge. Starting at the shorter end of the rectangle, roll up the sponge using the under parchment and tea towel to assist with the rolling. Sprinkle with cocoa powder, and garnish with stolen holly from a garden down the street to finish.
Notes
The sponge recipe made more than enough to fill the recommended swiss roll tin size, so I used the extras to make a second thinner roulade which I sliced into mini rolls - go on get creative (or use a bigger tin).