Christmas chocolate log recipe

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 (opens in new tab) 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

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 (opens in new tab)

Vanilla Yule Log cake (opens in new tab)

Chocolate roulade (opens in new tab)