Chestnut, Pear and Caramel Swiss Roll Yule Log

The preparation step by step

1. Prepare the oven and weigh

   Preheat the oven to 180 °C, conventional oven setting (no fan). Line a 30 × 40 cm rimmed baking tray with baking paper and weigh all the ingredients. Melt the 20 g butter and allow it to cool until lukewarm.

2. Separate the four eggs

   Break the eggs one by one into a small bowl to check their condition. Separate the whites from the yolks with clean hands or a separator. Put the four yolks in one mixing bowl and the four whites in another, perfectly clean, dry bowl. Keep all traces of yolk out of the whites, as yolk prevents them from whipping properly.

3. Whisk the yolks and whites

   Whisk the yolks with 70 g sugar for 3 minutes until pale and thick enough to leave a ribbon. Wash and dry the whisks. Whisk the egg whites with the pinch of salt. When foamy, add the remaining 30 g sugar in three additions. Stop when the egg whites form soft peaks.

4. Fold in dry ingredients without breaking the foam

   Fold a third of the egg whites into the yolk mixture using a spatula. Add the 100 g sifted flour in two additions, alternating with the remaining egg whites. Fold the batter from the bottom up, turning the bowl as you work. Mix two spoonfuls of batter into the lukewarm butter, then pour this back into the mixing bowl.

5. Spread and bake the sponge

   Spread the batter evenly into the corners of the tray. Bake on the middle shelf for 10 to 12 minutes. The surface should spring back when pressed lightly and should no longer feel sticky. Avoid overbaking: a dry sponge will crack when rolled.

6. Prerolled and cooled

   Moisten a clean dishcloth, then wring it out very carefully. Turn the hot sponge onto the towel, lift off the tray and peel away the baking paper. Roll up the sponge with the tea towel inside, starting from a 30 cm side. Let it cool completely for 30 minutes. Keep the towel inside for this first roll; remove it when filling and assembling the cake.

7. Prepare cold ingredients

   Chill a mixing bowl and the beaters in the refrigerator for 10 minutes. Keep the 250 g mascarpone and 200 g cream refrigerated until needed. Soften the 200 g of sweet chestnut cream in a bowl so that you can distribute them without prolonging the whipping.

8. Whisk the cream

   Pour 250 g of mascarpone and 200 g of cold cream into the refrigerated bowl. Whisk on medium speed for 1 to 3 minutes, just until the whisk leaves trails that hold their shape. Incorporate the 200 g of sweet chestnut cream into the spatula, without beating any more. The mixture should be soft but hold its shape on a spoon.

9. Cook the fruit

   Put 250 g of pears in juice, drained and diced 5 mm and 30 g of sugar in a saucepan. Heat over medium heat while stirring. Let it simmer for 5 to 8 minutes. Mash roughly with a fork, keeping small pieces but no large chunks that would make slicing difficult.

10. Thicken the compote

    Mix the 8 g cornflour with the 20 g cold water until smooth. Pour into the hot fruit while stirring. Simmer gently for 1 minute. The compote should coat a spoon, and a trail drawn with a spatula should remain visible for a few seconds.

11. Cool the compote

    Spread the compote in a shallow dish to help it cool quickly. Cover and refrigerate for about 45 minutes, until completely cold. Weigh out 200 g for the filling and reserve the excess to serve alongside. Hot compote would deflate the whipped cream.

12. Spread the cold garnish

    Gently unroll the completely cold sponge and remove the tea towel. Reserve about a third of the cream for the outside. Spread the remaining two-thirds evenly, leaving a 2 cm clear border along the 30 cm edge where the roll will close. Spread the 200 g cold compote, marmalade or fruit cream thinly over the filling, keeping the border clear.

13. Roll without crushing

    Roll from the side opposite the empty border. Guide the first turn with your fingers, then lift the towel to help roll the sponge, keeping the towel outside the cake. Place the log seam-side down on the serving plate. Cover it without compressing and refrigerate for 2 hours. Keep the reserved cream refrigerated too.

14. Cover and Finish

    Loosen the reserved cream with a spatula, then spread it over the sides and top of the log. Make large marks with the back of a spoon. A slightly irregular finish is enough; do not look for a perfectly smooth shell. Keep the ends visible to show the spiral.

15. Add the caramel

    With a spoon, trace two or three wide fillets with the 50 g of cold caramel on the log. Do not heat it to liquefy it: it will melt the chestnut cream.

16. Serve regular shares

    Dip the knife blade in hot water, wipe it thoroughly, then slice without crushing the cake. Wipe the blade between slices to keep the layers clearly defined. Take out only the amount you plan to serve and return the rest of the log to the refrigerator.