Vanilla and Caramel Yule Log with Praline Crunch

The preparation step by step

1. Moisturizes gelatin with caramel

   Pour 3 g of gelatin over 18 g of cold water and let it swell for 10 minutes. Prepare a small mold with an insert of 22 x 3 cm, or about 200 ml.

2. Prepare the creamy caramel

   Heat the 100 g of cream until it shakes. Out of heat, dissolved hydrated gelatin and then added 120 g of caramel. Mix until homogeneous. The caramel is already sweet: do not add extra sugar.

3. Harden the heart

   Pour 200 g of cream into the small mould. Reserve the covered surplus in the refrigerator. Let cool for 20 minutes, then freeze for at least 4 hours. The insert must be unmolded in a single hard piece.

4. Prepare the base of dacquoise

   Preheat the oven to 170 °C in conventional oven setting (no fan). Draw a 28 × 14 cm rectangle on the reverse of a sheet of baking paper and place it on a baking tray. Sift the 40 g icing sugar and 10 g flour, then mix with the 50 g ground almonds.

5. Whisk the egg whites, then fold in to loosen the mixture

   Pour the 80 g egg whites into a clean mixing bowl. Whisk on medium speed. When they become frothy, add the 40 g of sugar in three additions. Stop when a soft peak holds at the tip of the whisk. Fold in the dry ingredients with a spatula, lifting the mixture from the bottom over the top.

6. Cuis la Dacquoise

   Spread the batter within the 28 × 14 cm rectangle without pressing out the air. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes, until the top is pale golden and flexible and the edges release easily. Allow to cool for 30 minutes before removing the paper. A base that is still warm would melt the mousse.

7. Adjusts the sole to the mold

   Cut a strip of 24 x 8 cm, or 5 mm smaller than the opening of the mold on each side. Set the offcuts aside to serve as a snack. Do not stack and compress several layers inside the log: keep the base thin.

8. Hydrates the gelatin

   Sprinkle the 4 g gelatine over the 24 g cold water in a small bowl. Let it swell for 10 minutes. Heat the extra 50 g cream in a small saucepan. Remove from the heat and stir in the hydrated gelatine until dissolved. Cool to about 30 °C, without allowing the mixture to set.

9. 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. Mix the 35 g icing sugar and teaspoon of vanilla in a bowl so they can be incorporated without prolonged whisking.

10. 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. Fold in the 35 g icing sugar and teaspoon of vanilla with a spatula, without further whisking. The mixture should be soft but hold its shape on a spoon.

11. Stabilizes the foam

    Mix two spoonfuls of whipped cream into the still-fluid gelatine cream, at about 30 °C. Immediately fold this into the remaining mousse in three additions, using a spatula. Do not add the liquid while hot, as it would deflate the whipped cream. Assemble the log immediately.

12. Prepare the crisp

    Melt the 60 g of milk chocolate in a mild bain-marie, without the bowl touching the water. Mix with 50 g of hazelnut praline paste. Add the 50 g of crumbled crisp crêpe dentelle wafers and gently stir.

13. Spread a thin layer

    Spread the crisp on the cooled biscuit sole, in a layer of 3 to 4 mm. Keep any surplus in small piles to serve next to, without thickening the base. Refrigerate for 20 minutes. The crisp will be placed on the foam side during assembly.

14. Fill the mold without bubbles

    Place the mold on a rigid board. Use a spoon to spread about half the mousse over the base and up the sides of the mould. Tap the mould gently to release large air pockets. Unmould the frozen insert and place it in the centre, pressing gently without letting it touch the bottom. Cover with the remaining mousse, leaving about 1 cm for the biscuit base. Pour any excess into a small serving glass and refrigerate.

15. Close with biscuit

    Place the cooled biscuit sole on the mousse, crispy mousse side. Press lightly to level the base without pushing it into the mousse. Smooth the edges, cover and freeze for at least 8 hours, keeping the mould level.

16. Unmould the frozen log

    The next day, put a serving dish in front of you. Gently remove the mould from the completely frozen log, without pulling on the mousse. Remove any cling film and place the log biscuit-side down on the serving plate. A log that has only been refrigerated would be too fragile to unmould this way.

17. Let thaw in the cool

    Refrigerate the demoulded log for at least 6 hours at 4 °C maximum before serving. Thaw in the refrigerator, not on the work surface. The centre should yield to the knife: if it is still hard, allow more time to thaw in the refrigerator.

18. Add the shavings

    Draw a vegetable peeler along the edge of the white chocolate bar to make 20 g shavings. Simply distribute them in the center of the cold log, without covering the entire surface.

19. 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.