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Almond, Rosemary and White Chocolate Yule Log

An almond sponge, filled with almond cream, smothered in a white chocolate and rosemary ganache and covered in toasted flaked almonds. For those who want a Yule Log with a twist this festive season.
Course Dessert
Keyword almond, rosemary, swiss roll, White Chocolate, yule log
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Chilling time 12 hours
Total Time 12 hours 55 minutes
Servings 8

Equipment

  • 23x32cm Swiss roll tin

Ingredients

For the white chocolate and rosemary ganache:

  • 100 ml double cream
  • 2 sprigs rosemary
  • 150 g white chocolate
  • 1 pinch fine sea salt

For the almond swiss roll cake:

  • 4 eggs
  • 80 g caster sugar, plus 2 tbsp for sprinkling.
  • 1 tsp almond extract
  • 1/8 tsp vanilla extract
  • 50 g plain flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 50 g ground almonds
  • 1 pinch salt

For the almond cream filling:

  • 200 ml double cream
  • 1 tbsp icing sugar, sifted.
  • 1/4 tsp almond extract

To decorate:

  • 80 g flaked almonds, toasted.
  • Rosemary sprigs
  • Icing sugar, for dusting.

Instructions

Make the white chocolate and rosemary ganache:

  • Place the double cream and the rosemary sprigs into a small saucepan over a medium heat. Allow the cream to come to just below a simmer (you should see small bubbles form around the edges of the pan), stirring frequently. Remove the pan from the heat, cover and allow to infuse for 15 minutes.
  • While the cream is infusing, finely chop the white chocolate and place into a heatproof bowl. Once the cream has infused, remove the rosemary sprigs and place the cream back over medium heat. Stir frequently until the cream reaches just below a simmer again, then stir in the salt and pour the whole thing over the chopped chocolate. Allow to sit for a minute or two, then stir until the chocolate has completely melted into the cream.
  • Cover the bowl (place the clingfilm directly onto the surface of the ganache, to prevent a skin forming), then allow to cool slightly before putting into the fridge to set overnight.

Make the almond swiss roll cake:

  • Preheat the oven to 180°C (conventional oven). Line the Swiss roll tin with greaseproof paper and set aside.
  • Place the eggs and the 80g of caster sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk on high speed until the mixture is pale and has tripled in volume- the 'ribbon stage'. Add the almond and vanilla extracts, and whisk briefly to incorporate.
  • Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a separate bowl. Stir in the ground almonds, then sprinkle the dry ingredients over the egg mixture. Using a large, metal spoon, fold in gently, until no streaks of flour remain.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared tin and gently level it out with a knife/offset spatula. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-17 minutes, until the cake is golden and just firm to the touch.
  • While the cake is baking, take a piece of baking paper that is slightly larger than the size of the tin and spread it out on a clean work surface. Sprinkle the 2 tbsp of caster sugar over the paper, making the surface is evenly covered.
  • When the cake has finished baking, allow it to cool for 1 minute before flipping it out onto the sugar-coated baking paper. Peel the baking paper that was used to line the tin off the cake and discard. Starting at one of the shorter ends, tightly roll up the sponge, along with the sugared baking paper. Set the roll aside to cool completely like this.

Make the almond cream:

  • Once the roll has cooled, place all of the ingredients for the almond cream filling into a bowl and whisk (I like to use an electric mixer) until stiff peaks form.

To assemble the cake:

  • When you are ready to assemble the cake, carefully unroll the sponge. Spread the cream onto the cake in an even layer, then carefully roll the whole thing back up.
  • Use a clean, dry pastry brush to brush off any excess caster sugar on the outside of the cake roll. Remove the ganache from the fridge, give it a quick mix to ensure it is smooth, then spread it onto the top and sides of the cake.
  • Sprinkle the flaked almonds all over the surface of the cake, so that they stick to the ganache. Add a few sprigs of rosemary for decoration, then dust the whole thing with icing sugar. This cake is best served immediately, but it can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days, if required.

Notes

Adapted from Orange and Almond Swiss Roll, by Domestic Gothess (https://domesticgothess.com/blog/2015/03/16/orange-and-almond-swiss-roll/).