Gluten free yule log
Who better to inspire some Christmas baking than Bake Off runner up Jane Beedle? Here she shows us how to make her show-stopping yule log which is suitable for those on a gluten-free diet.
(Serves 8 - 10)
Ingredients
For the sponge:
4 large eggs110g caster sugar1 tsp vanilla extract50g ground almonds40g cocoa powder unsweetened15g cornflour¼ tsp xanthan gum30g melted coconut oil or butter
For the ganache:
250g plain chocolate 65% 250ml double cream50g unsalted butter
For the buttercream:
150g unsalted butter250g icing sugar, sifted50g cocoa powder unsweetened, sifted300ml double cream1tsp vanilla extractSwiss roll tin 35 x 25cm, greased and base lined
Method
For the sponge, preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5. Place the eggs, sugar and vanilla into a bowl and whisk until very light, fluffy and thickened.
Sift the almonds, cocoa, cornflour and xanthan gum together, pushing through as much of the almonds as possible. Then sift a second time over the egg and sugar mixture and fold in gently.
Add a little of the mixture to the melted butter or coconut oil and mix well. This will help the butter incorporate better into the mix. Fold in gently.
Pour the mixture into the lined tin and smooth it out with a spatula until evenly spread
Bake the sponge for 10-12 minutes, or until just firm to the touch. Do not over bake or the sponge will crack when rolling.
Place a sheet of baking parchment that is slightly bigger than the tray onto the work surface and dust with some caster sugar
Turn the sponge out onto the parchment paper, roll up from the short with baking parchment still in place, leave to cool completely
Make the ganache by putting chocolate and butter in a bowl. Heat the cream until boiling. Allow to cool slightly then pour over the chocolate. Stir until melted. Set aside to until it is a spreadable consistency.
Whip together the cream and vanilla until soft peaks form
Unroll the sponge. Peel the parchment off the back. Using approx half the ganache spread a layer over the sponge followed by a layer of whipped cream. Roll up the sponge
Make the buttercream by beating the butter until pale and soft, add the sifted icing sugar a little at a time until all incorporated and mix is soft and fluffy
Beat in the remaining ganache to the buttercream mixture
Assemble the log. Trim off the ends to tidy. Slice a piece from one end cutting diagonally so that one side is approx 8cm and the shorter side approx 4cm. Stick this to the side of the cake to represent a branch coming off the main stem. Place on a cake board or large plate.
Spread the buttercream/ganache mix over the cake, avoiding the ends, making a wavy pattern to represent the bark. Decorate with fondant holly or ivy leaves.
Keep refrigerated. Remove from fridge approx 10 minutes before serving
More festive treats from Jane: