Angellica Bell's Chocolate and Raspberry Yule Log

This is a great dessert to make and not too tricky, even if it looks it. Seriously, I could eat it all year round!

Chocolate Sponge Recipe

4 large eggs

¾ cup granulated sugar

½ teaspoon almond essence (if you don’t have this just use vanilla)

½ teaspoon salt

2/3 cup plain flour

½ cup cocoa powder

1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder

1/3 cup sour cream

¼ cup unsalted butter melted

2 tbsp milk

Icing sugar

Chocolate Whipped Cream Filling

60g cream cheese

60g mascarpone

½ cup icing sugar

1 tsp vanilla vanilla extract

1 1/3 cup double cream

Chocolate Ganache

170g chocolate broken into small pieces (I use 37 % but it’s preferential choice)

½ cup double cream

And to finish off

Rasperries and rosemary twigs

Method

1. Pop the oven on at 160C or 325F, and grease and line a 10x15 inch shallow tray with greaseproof paper.

2. Grab your eggs, sugar and almond essence, and beat together on high speed for a least 5 minutes. By then your mixture will look pale, fluffy and would have tripled in size.

3. In another bowl, sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt together, and whisk until incorporated then gently fold the dry ingredients into the egg mixture with a big spoon.

4. Whisk the sour cream, melted butter and milk together, and fold the mixture in.

5. Pour the mixture into your prepared baking tray and smooth it out into an even layer. Pop it in the oven for about 25 minutes. Check after twenty minutes - the cake needs to feel springy in the centre and not dried out.

6. Lay a clean tea towel out and generously dust it with icing sugar. While the cake is still hot, turn it out onto the tea towel, and starting at one of the short sides of the cake, carefully roll it into a tight log and allow to cool completely. The great thing is you can make the sponge first thing, and it’ll be ready to fill for an evening get-together!

7. Onto the filling. In a bowl put the crème cheese and mascarpone, and whisk together. Add the vanilla, icing sugar and chocolate powder, and whisk again. Add the cream and whisk until the filling is fluffy and holds stiff peaks.

8. Gently unroll your cooled down cake and spread your filling in an even layer. Pop some raspberries on top all over, then carefully roll the cake back into a log.

9. Time for the chocolate ganache. This part is also easy. Warm your cream in the microwave then pour it over your chocolate pieces in a heatproof bowl. Gently stir until all the chocolate has melted, then whisk at medium speed until smooth. Let the mixture cool for a while until it’s firm but still soft as it will just run off the cake!

10. Grab yourself a small spatula and frost the yule log with your ganache. Garnish with raspberries, rosemary or your own personal Christmas decorations then dust the cake with icing sugar!

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