CHESTNUT CHRISTMAS YULE LOG

It's Christmas and obviously I'd like to make a Christmas log :)

I've never tried chestnut, then I'm going to bet on this flavor...

The "Printed joconde" sponge cake :

It's a kind of sponge cake with some decorations made of another sort of batter.

Then we need 2 sorts of batter, a cigarette batter and one for a joconde sponge cake.

1) The cigarette batter (for an oven tray of 30x30 cm)

- 30 gr butter (softened)

- 30 gr powdered sugar

- 1 egg-white

- 20 gr flour

- 6 gr cocoa powder

Whip the softened butter and the sugar until fluffy, then combine the egg-white and then the flour and cocoa powder (here you can use a coloring instead of the cocoa, so add 30 gr of flour instead of the 20)

Spread this batter on a silicone baking mat (better) or on an oven tray covered with greaseproof paper (much more delicate). Then scrape stripes off the batter with the help of a pastry comb scraper, or draw whatever you want with the end of a fork for example... (waves, zig zags, names, numbers like ages etc...). Then put the oven tray in the freezer for 10-15 minutes (very important).

2) Meanwhile, prepare the batter for the sponge cake "joconde".

- 75 gr ground almonds

- 75 gr powdered sugar

- 20 gr flour

- 2 whole eggs

- 30 gr melted butter

- 2 egg whites

- 12 gr sugar

Beat together the ground almonds, powdered sugar, flour, whole eggs until fluffy then add the melted butter, combine well. Beat the 2 egg-whites until stiff, add the sugar (12 gr) before the end of the process. Combine delicately the stiff egg-whites into the other mixture.

Remove the oven tray from the freezer and spread this batter over it quite quickly (don't make a layer too much thick, like 0,5 cm) and put in a preheated oven for 7 minutes (medium-high heat).

Let cool down and cut the shapes you need for your log mold (one layer for the outside, one for the bottom and a middle layer)

Crispy Choco-praline :

- 150 praline paste (mix the powder in a blender until a paste texture)

- 70 gr crêpes dentelles (or use crisped rice or even corn flakes)

- 30 gr milk chocolate (or white or black)

Melt the chocolate together with the praline paste and then add the crushed crêpes dentelles. Spread it on the layer of the sponge cake which will be in the outside, and also in the layer that'll be in the bottom.

Chestnut cream :

- 300 gr chestnut cream canned (or homemade)

- 300 gr whipped cream (30% fat mini)

- 1 or 2 tbsp rum

- 3 gelatin leaves

Rehydrate the gelatin in cold water, then melt them in 2 or 3 tbsp of warm cream. Combine it with the chestnut cream, add the rum, stir, reserve.

Whip the cream and combine it delicately into the chestnut cream.

Cover the inside of the mold with cling film.

Put the sponge cake in the mold (stripes in the outside), pour a bit of the chestnut cream on it, add a middle layer of sponge cake. Add once again chestnut cream, end up with the bottom layer of sponge cake. Press down a bit and wrap with the cling film. Reserve in the fridge for 3-4 hours minimum (or the night).

Remove from the mold, cut the tips and decorate them with nougatine. Decorate the log as you want. I don't like it too much decorate then I just put some candied chestnuts on the top and the sides.

Enjoy, and Merry Christmas.

the cigarette batter striped...