Christmas chocolate log recipe

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A Christmas chocolate log will make Christmas lunch extra-special - filled and carefully rolled with fresh cream and dusted in icing sugar it's a delight.

Christmas chocolate log
  • Healthy
Serves6–8
SkillMedium
Preparation Time20 mins
Cooking Time20 mins (may need 5 mins extra)
Total Time40 mins (plus chilling in the fridge)
Cost RangeCheap
Nutrition Per PortionRDA
Calories397 Kcal20%
Sugar26.4 g29%
Fat26.8 g38%
Saturated Fat14.9 g75%
Salt0.2 gRow 4 - Cell 2
Protein10.4 g21%
Carbohydrates27.4 g11%
Salt0.2 gRow 7 - Cell 2

Make Christmas lunch extra special with this wonderfully festive chocolate log. Filled with fresh cream and dusted in snowy icing sugar, it’s the perfect alternative to traditional Christmas pudding. 

Containing no flour or butter, the sponge is deliciously light, perfectly complemented by the simple cream filling. This yule log recipe takes just 20 minutes to put prep but looks and tastes impressive. Watch our step-by-step video to see how simple it is to roll a roulade, even if it’s your first time. Top with fresh holly or holly-shaped cake toppers for a festive finish.

Ingredients

  • 6 large eggs, separated
  • 150g caster sugar
  • 60g cocoa powder
  • icing sugar, for dusting
  • 300ml whipping cream
  • few drops of vanilla extract
  • 20cm x 30cm Swiss-roll tin, lined with baking parchment

WEIGHT CONVERTER

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Method

  1. To make the chocolate log, whisk the egg yolks with the caster sugar until the mixture is very light and frothy, and leaves a trail when the whisk is lifted out of it. Fold in the cocoa powder.
  2. Whisk the egg whites until they are stiff, then fold them into the chocolate mixture.
  3. Pour the mixture into the lined Swiss roll tin and spread evenly out to the edges, taking care not to knock out too much of the air.
  4. Bake the cake in the centre of a preheated oven at 180C, gas 4 for 20-25 mins, or until the cake springs back when lightly touched in the centre.
  5. Remove the cake from the oven and turn it out on to a sheet of baking parchment, dusted with icing sugar. Leave the lining paper on the cake, and cover the whole thing with a clean, damp tea towel. Leave the cake to cool completely.
  6. To make the filling, whisk the cream with the vanilla extract until it's thickened enough to be rolled in the sponge.
  7. Remove the lining paper from the cake and trim the edges. Spread the filling over the cake and then roll it up with the help of the baking parchment. Dust the top of the cake with icing sugar and cocoa, then transfer it to a serving plate.

Top tips for making this Christmas chocolate log

Which way do you roll a yule log?

Follow along with our video for the perfect way to roll your chocolate log. The most important step is to roll the log once without the filling so that the sponge won’t crack. Use a layer of baking paper to stop the sponge from sticking to itself.

How long does yule log keep?

Your chocolate log will keep for three days in the fridge, in a cake tin or loosely covered in tin foil – provided it doesn’t get eaten up right away!

Can I freeze Buche de Noel?

Buche de Noel, or Christmas chocolate log, doesn’t freeze well when filled. You could, however, make and freeze the sponge part for up to two weeks.

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Chocolate Swiss Roll

Vanilla Yule Log cake

Chocolate roulade

Jessica Dady
Food Editor

Jessica Dady is Food Editor at GoodtoKnow and has over 12 years of experience as a digital editor, specialising in all things food, recipes, and SEO. From the must-buy seasonal food hampers and advent calendars for Christmas to the family-friendly air fryers that’ll make dinner time a breeze, Jessica loves trying and testing various food products to find the best of the best for the busy parents among us. Over the years of working with GoodtoKnow, Jessica has had the privilege of working alongside Future’s Test Kitchen to create exclusive videos - as well as writing, testing, and shooting her own recipes. When she’s not embracing the great outdoors with her family at the weekends, Jessica enjoys baking up a storm in the kitchen with her favourite bakes being chocolate chip cookies, cupcakes, and a tray of gooey chocolate brownies