This Bûche de Noël, or Christmas log recipe, consists of a white swiss roll sponge filled with decadent chocolate cream and frosted with a rich dark chocolate icing.
Preheat your oven to 190 C/ 170 C fan/ 375 F/ Gas Mark 5 and line a 9 x 13-inch Swiss roll tin with Bacofoil® Non-Stick Baking Paper.
Whisk the egg whites, by hand or with an electric beater, until they hold stiff peaks. Sprinkle over a little of the caster sugar and whisk until thick and glossy.
In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks with the remaining caster sugar until light and thick.
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt over the egg yolk mixture and fold in gently.
Gently fold in the whisked egg whites until everything is incorporated and smooth.
Pour into the prepared baking tin and bake in the centre of the oven for 12-15 minutes.
Place a piece of Bacofoil® Non-Stick Baking Paper on your work surface and dust over some icing sugar.
Turn the cooked sponge cake out onto the icing sugar and leave to cool for a minute or two.
Carefully remove the Bacofoil® Non-Stick Baking Foil, and trim a few millimetres of cake from each side.
Score a 1/4 inch deep cut 2.5 cm up from one of the short ends of the cake, taking care not to cut all the way through.
Using the bottom sheet of Bacofoil® Non-Stick Baking Paper, roll the cake into a Swiss roll shape and leave to cool completely.
to make the chocolate cream filling
Whip the double cream until it forms soft peaks.
Sift over the cocoa powder and icing sugar.
Add the vanilla and fold until well combined. Chill until needed.
to make the chocolate frosting
Place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix with an electric mixer at low speed until combined.
You might need to add another tablespoonful of cream to get the right consistency.
to assemble
Carefully unroll the cake and spread with a layer of the chocolate cream.
Using the Bacofoil® Non-Stick Baking Paper to help you, roll the filled cake back up into a Swiss roll shape.
Cover in the chocolate frosting and decorate as desired!