Vanilla Christmas Log

The preparation step by step

1. Scents vanilla milk

   Pour 350 g of milk into a saucepan. Split the pod in length with a small knife, scrape the seeds and add seeds and pod to the milk. Heat until it simmers, then remove the pod. If you use the extract, keep it to add to the cream after cooking, along with the butter.

2. Prepare and cook the pastry cream

   Whisk the three yolks with the 60 g of sugar and the 30 g of starch in a bowl. Pour half of the warm milk into the pan, stirring. Heat on medium heat by whisking everywhere, including in the corners. At the first big bubble, continue a gentle boil for 2 minutes without stopping to stir.

3. Cool the trim completely

   Out of the heat, incorporate the 20 g of butter and vanilla extract if you use it. Pour the cream into a dish on 2 cm maximum thickness. Place a film on contact, let the steam fall for a few minutes and refrigerate 1 hour 30 minutes, until the center is cold. Do not wait for its complete cooling on the worktop.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. Finish and spread the dough

   Fold in a third of the whites to the yolks to soften them. Add the other whites and 100 g of sifted flour in two, with a spatula running from the bottom to the top. Mix two spoonfuls of lukewarm butter dough, then pour this mixture back into the bowl. Regularly spreads over the entire plate, right down to the corners.

7. Monitors the baking of sponge

   Bake at mid-height for 10 to 12 minutes, without opening for the first 8 minutes. The sponge should be slightly golden, soft under one finger and no longer leave wet dough. Take it out as soon as these benchmarks are combined: a prolonged cooking dries this thin layer and makes rolling more difficult.

8. 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.

9. Soften the cold pastry cream

   Check that the sponge and cream are completely cold. Remove the film, then whip the pastry cream by hand for 30 to 60 seconds to make it smooth. Do not add milk or liquid cream: this filling must remain thick enough to fit inside the roll, while spreading without tearing the crumb.

10. Fill and roll the sponge

    Unroll the sponge and remove the tea towel. Spread all the pastry cream in a regular layer, leaving 2 cm free on the closing edge. Roll from the opposite side, with the help of the towel, without forcing on the sponge. Lay the log on its plate, closed under it, to prevent the roll from opening.

11. Let the log firm up

    Cover the log without crushing it and keep it in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. This time allows the trim to regain its hold after whipping and mounting. If you prepare it the day before, leave it covered in the refrigerator until you decorate it; the sponge exposed to the air dries up.

12. Add decor just before serving

    Sauping the 10 g of icing sugar on the log with a small sieve, keeping the layer light. Shape 20 g of white chocolate shavings with a thrifter and spread them in the center. Then cut eight parts with a clean knife, wiped between the slices. The decor remains simple and the spiral of vanilla cream clearly visible.