THE FESTIVAL CARNET
Easy chocolate Christmas log
An easy chocolate log with cocoa sponge, two-ingredient ganache and fork striae, without a special mold.
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This easy chocolate Christmas log uses a single ganache to garnish and cover a cocoa sponge. The chocolate melts in hot cream, then cools down until it becomes spreadable. The sponge is cooked flat and still pre-rolls hot in a tea towel: these two gestures make it possible to build a log without any particular mold or complicated filling.
The decor is that of a homemade log: large striations drawn with a fork and some shavings, without shell to temper or mirror icing. Prepare the ganache first to give it time to take. During assembly, both preparations must be cold and the ganache flexible. You can then keep the roll in the fridge until the next day, well covered to preserve the sponge.
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The preparation step by step
Make a chocolate ganache
Chop the 300 g of ganache chocolate and place them in a bowl. Heat the 300 g of cream until the first quivering, then pour them over the chocolate. Wait 2 minutes, then gently mix in the center with the spatula by widening the circles. The ganache should become smooth, without lumps or oily separation.
Let the ganache become spreadable
Pour the ganache into a shallow dish. Let the steam settle for a few minutes, then cover and refrigerate for about 1 hour, stirring once after 30 minutes. Aim for the consistency of a soft spread, which keeps track of the spoon. If it hardens too much, let it soften for a few minutes out of the refrigerator.
Prepare the plate and eggs
Preheat the oven to 180 °C in conventional oven setting (no fan). Tapes the 30 x 40 cm baking paper. Melt the 20 g butter and allow it to cool until lukewarm. Break each egg into a small bowl; separate the white from the yolk by passing the yolk between the half shells. Gather the four whites and four yolks in two bowls.
Whisk both preparations
Whisk the four yolks with 70 g of sugar for 3 minutes: the mixture must fade and thicken. Using clean beaters, whisk the four egg whites with the salt, then add the remaining 30 g sugar in three additions. Stop when the foam forms a soft peak at the end of the whisk, without becoming dry or lumpy.
Finish and spread the dough
Fold in a third of the whites to the yolks to soften them. Add the other whites and the 80 g of flour sieved with the 20 g of cocoa, in two, lifting with the spatula. Mix two spoonfuls of warm butter dough, then pour back into the bowl. Regularly spreads on the plate, even in the corners.
Monitors the baking of sponge
Bake at mid-height for 10 to 12 minutes, without opening for the first 8 minutes. Cocoa sponge should remain flexible under one finger and not leave wet dough. Don’t just rely on its already dark color: prolonged cooking dries out this thin layer and makes it harder to roll.
Preroll and let cool
Spread the dish clean, moistened and then very well wrung, on the worktop. Turn the hot sponge over, baking tray removed, then gently peels off the baking paper. Roll the sponge immediately with the tea towel, starting from a side of 30 cm. Let it cool for 30 minutes as well: the future log will be about 30 cm long.
Spread the ganache in the sponge
Unroll the sponge completely cold and removes the cloth. Reserve about 250 g of ganache for the cover. Spread the remaining 350 g on the sponge with a small spatula, without pressing heavily. Leave a 2 cm border on the 30 cm side that will close the roller; it will prevent the trim from overflowing.
Roll and let take in the refrigerator
Go to the side opposite the empty border and gently roll the sponge over itself, guiding it with the tea towel. Do not trap the fabric in the cake. Lay the log on its plate, close underneath, then cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. Keep the ganache reserved for the cold; pull it out a little before decorating to soften it.
Cover with the streaks of a log
Spread the 250 g of reserved ganache on the top and sides of the roll with the back of a spoon. Slightly passes the teeth of a fork in the direction of the length to draw broad lines. Do not press down to the sponge: keep the texture light, without trying to sculpt realistic bark or branches.
Finish the set and cut the pieces
Shape the shavings in the 20 g chocolate of the decor with a thrifter, then distribute them in the center of the log. Keep it cold until service. Take it out 10 minutes before cutting, then use a warm, well-wiped blade to cross the ganache without crushing the sponge. Clean the blade between the slices.
Conservation. Store the covered log in the refrigerator, at 4 °C maximum, for 3 days. Get out only the necessary parts. The log can be frozen without decor for a month, then thawed overnight in the refrigerator.
Recipe proposal with quantities and step by step. Times vary depending on the material: follow also the markers of texture and cooking.
The benchmarks for success
A flexible ganache, not liquid
Wait for her to stand on the spatula before filling. If it is hard, soften it a few minutes out of the cold; do not force on the sponge.
Simple Pop Culture Variant
For a pixel touch, replace the shavings with four large squares taken from the 20 g of chocolate in the decor. Lay them flat, slightly offset, without modeling or hidden structure.
Eight individual loggers
Prepare the exact same recipe, then cool the roll for two hours before cutting it into eight 3.5 to 4 cm sections. Place each portion on a small plate and distribute the 20 g of shavings between the eight portions. These logs are the individual portions of the roll, not eight cakes made with eight times the ingredients.
Questions Before You Start
Why does my chocolate sponge crack?
It has often overcooked or cooled flat. Pre-roll it as soon as you leave the oven and garnish it cold, without over-tightening.
Can I use milk chocolate?
Not with the same quantities: it gives a more flexible ganache. Use dark chocolate at 55-65% expected for this version.
Should we whip the ganache to the drummer?
Nope. Simply mix it with the spatula and let it thicken in the refrigerator. This is a classic ganache, not a whipped ganache.
Is this recipe from Marmiton or Regal?
Nope. This is a homemade recipe written for CakeChristmas, without attribution to Marmiton or Regal. To find a recipe published by one of these publishers, go directly to his site and check the title and the author.
Can I follow this sheet at Thermomix?
This method uses a beater and an oven. It does not give unverified Thermomix settings. For robot-guided execution, choose an official Cookidoo recipe and check its compatibility with your model; do not automatically transpose speeds.
The recipes and creations cited
Find the guided recipes or creations of their author on the sites below. The sheet of this book remains an independent house proposal.
Baking tips for this recipe
- Chop the chocolate into regular pieces to facilitate its melting on contact with the cream.
- Mix in the center and gradually widen the gesture to obtain a smooth ganache, without unnecessarily incorporating air.
- Respect the indicated rest and temperature of use: a warm, soft or cold ganache does not work in the same way.
Substitutions and variations
To replace a main ingredient, choose another sheet designed with the one you want to use. Changing the proportions of fat, sugar or liquid can change the hold of the dessert.
Keep the type of chocolate provided for the structure or ganache. Switching from dark chocolate to white chocolate changes the balance: the quantities do not transpose directly.
More treats for your Christmas table
Recipes that share ingredients or the same preparation family.