Anton Du Bake’s Christmas Yule Log
Anton Du Beke is dancing his way into the kitchen of another viewer who desperately needs help turning their baking disasters into festive delights this Christmas. He’s helping hairdresser Claire (whose usual efforts are more like a nightmare before Christmas!) create a delicious yule log.
Anton Du Bake’s Christmas Yule Log
Serves: 8-10
Ingredients
For the sponge:A little vegetable oil to grease the tin3 eggs85g caster sugar, plus extra to sprinkle85g plain flour2 tbsp cocoa powder½ tsp baking powder
Chocolate buttercream icing:300g butter, softened600g icing sugar7 tbsp cocoa powderTo finish: (optional)25g green fondant 25g red fondantIcing sugar, to dust
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 200C/fan/180C/Gas 6. Grease the base and sides of a 23 × 32 cm Swiss roll tin with baking paper and brush the paper with oil.
2. Place the eggs and sugar together in a bowl and whisk with an electric whisk until pale and thick and the whisk leaves a trail when lifted up from the mixture.
3. In a separate bowl mix together the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder. Sift into the egg mixture. Fold in very carefully, until smoothly combined, then pour into the prepared tin, gently tipping the tin from side to side to distribute the cake mixture into the corners. Bake for 10 minutes until the sponge is risen and just firm to the touch.
4. Turn out the cooked sponge onto a sheet of baking paper dusted with caster sugar and carefully remove the lining paper from the sponge. Roll the sponge up from its longest edge with the paper still inside. Leave to cool completely.
5. To make the buttercream, sieve the icing sugar and cocoa. Beat the butter in a bowl and beat in the icing sugar and cocoa until smooth and combined. Add a little milk if the buttercream is not a spreadable consistency.
6. Unroll the sponge and spread some of the chocolate buttercream icing over the top. Carefully roll up again into a log.
7. Place the roll on a serving plate. Spoon the remaining buttercream into a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle. Pipe all over the sponge, leaving the ends uncovered. Use a palette knife and then a fork to make a wood-like effect. Dust liberally with icing sugar. If not decorating with fondant decorations, at this stage chill in the fridge.
8. If making fondant decorations, roll out the green icing on a little icing sugar and cut out holly leaves using a cutter or a knife. Roll the red icing into small berry balls. Stick the holly and berries to the chocolate log. Leave to firm up in the fridge before serving.