Lesley Chesterman’s Chocolate-Raspberry Frozen Yule Log
This yule log courtesy of Lesley Chesterman is the perfect way to end a holiday meal. With its soft and delicate rolled chocolate cake, kirsch syrup and ice cream filling, coated with Swiss meringue and topped with fresh raspberries, this dessert is a must-try. Just remove the festive and colourful decorations and dig in.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup (40 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup (35 g) cocoa powder
- 6 eggs, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup (160 g) sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- 3 tbsp icing sugar, plus more for sprinkling
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) water
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) kirsch or raspberry liqueur (optional)
- 6 cups (1.5 litres) store-bought vanilla or vanilla-raspberry ice cream, softened
- 1 cup (125 g) frozen raspberries, crushed
- 3/4 cup (160 g) sugar
- 4 egg whites
- 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
- 1 pinch salt
- Fresh raspberries
- Chocolate shavings
- Mint leaves
- Marzipan figurines (optional)
Instructions
- With the rack in the middle position, preheat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Line an 18 x 13-inch (46 x 33 cm) baking sheet with a strip of parchment paper, letting it hang over two sides. Generously butter the paper and sides of the baking sheet.
- In a bowl, sift the flour and cocoa powder. Mix well and set aside.
- In two bowls, separate the whites and yolks of 3 eggs. Set the egg whites aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk the remaining 3 eggs, the egg yolks and 1/2 cup (105 g) of the sugar with an electric mixer until the mixture is pale, tripled in volume and falls from the beaters in a ribbon, about 5 to 7 minutes (using a stand mixer is preferable). Wash the whisk attachment.
- In another bowl, whisk the reserved egg whites and salt with the electric mixer until soft peaks form. Gradually whisk in the remaining sugar until stiff, shiny peaks form.
- Using a spatula, delicately fold the meringue into the egg yolk mixture. Fold the dry ingredients into the egg mixture in three additions. Spread the mixture into an even layer on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the surface of the cake springs back when pressed with your fingers. Let cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes.
- Run a thin blade between the side of the baking sheet and the cake. Sift the icing sugar over the entire surface of the cake and flip over onto another sheet of parchment paper. Delicately remove the top sheet of parchment paper. Cut the long sides of the cake slightly to straighten them out. Set the cake aside.
This yule log courtesy of Lesley Chesterman is the perfect way to end a holiday meal. With its soft and delicate rolled chocolate cake, kirsch syrup and ice cream filling, coated with Swiss meringue and topped with fresh raspberries, this dessert is a must-try. Just remove the festive and colourful decorations and dig in.