I didn’t bother with a traditional Christmas Cake this year.  To be honest, I forgot, as there was so much going on and lots of toing and froing with Mum in hospital.   However, Miss MaMT decided she wanted to make a chocolate yule log anyway, so I left her to it!!   (Well, I did make the ganache coating late Christmas Eve …

Whilst this seems to be the traditional festive cake in France, I think it makes a great dessert for a dinner party any time of year, so no need to wait until next Christmas to make it!!

Pre-heat oven to 200 deg or 190 deg f/f.
Grease and line a Swiss roll tin (26 x 38 cm).

Place into TM bowl and mill 10 secs / speed 10:

• 150g rapadura/unrefined cane sugar (Rapadura is expensive and hard to come by in the UK, so I use Billingtons or Sainsbury’s So Organic range)

Insert the butterfly whisk.  Add and beat for 5 mins / 37deg / speed 3:

• 4 eggs

Meanwhile, sift:

• 75g cornflour
• 2 tbs gluten free flour 
• 1.5 tsp GF baking powder
• 2 tbs cacao powder (or a good cocoa powder)

Gradually and carefully add through the hole in the lid on speed 2 until combined. Note, you will need to scrape down the butterfly and sides and blend for another 10 seconds / speed 2.

Pour into the prepared tin and bake 10-15 minutes, or until the cake springs back when pressed.
Turn onto a sheet of baking paper and gently roll up, then leave to cool at room temperature.

Miss MaMT left it for a day before decorating …

When you’re ready, insert butterfly whisk into a clean, dry bowl and add, then whisk on speed 4.  The timing can vary, so start with 10 seconds, check, then try for another 5-10 seconds, until desired consistency is reached.  You want it to be spreadable and not too stiff:

• 300g double cream
• 1/2 tsp vanilla powder (or a dash of extract, if you wish)
• a dash of red food dye or beetroot juice (optional)

* For dairy free, you could try whipped coconut cream, though I’ve not tried this – it’s just a suggestion!

Unroll the cake and spread with the whipped vanilla cream, leaving a 1 cm border.
Sprinkle one end with:

• 200-250g raspberries

Roll the cake from the raspberry end, using the greaseproof to assist with the rolling.  Pop onto a serving dish with the seam underneath.  Now decorate the exposed cake with chocolate (almond) ganache:

Chocolate Almond Ganache:

Add to the dry bowl and whizz up 10 seconds / speed 9:

•     20g almonds

Add and whizz 30 seconds / speed 9:

•     100g water

Add and whizz up 30 seconds / speed 9:

•     30g chopped dates
•     70g 70-85% dark chocolate (DF/home-made, if you wish)

Scrape down the sides of the bowl and lid well, then melt 3 minutes / speed 2 / 50 deg, until smooth
Scrape and repeat for an extra minute, if need be.

Cover the top and the sides of the cake nicely with the chocolate (start in the centre work outwards and downwards) and then place in the fridge to allow the ganache to set.

Sprinkle with dessicated coconut, if you wish, then make squiggly lines along the Swiss roll to resemble a log!

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Miss MaMT made another version using chocolate avocado as a frosting/filling option and popped in some morello cherries in with the filling also:

Add to bowl and whizz up 10 seconds/ speed 8-9:

• 2 large ripe avocados
• 100g maple or rice syrup
• 100g cocoa powder
• 1 tsp vanilla powder or 1-2 tsp extract

Scrape down the sides and blend at a lower speed until nice and smooth. May take a few goes of blending and scraping. Popping the butterfly in may help after the initial blitz too.

Stays light and fluffy, even in the fridge, for a few days.