Chocolate Yule Log

Here we are too close to Christmas for comfort. My house is a mess. Gifts aren’t finished. Boxes of cookies are stacked in the garage. I haven’t started anything for Judy’s big dinner.  I wonder how will I ever make it with this year’s short run-up to the December holidays. . . My Christmas sweet food fantasies still go for fruitcake and plum pudding, but most of the world wishes for chocolate.

4 ingredients

So let’s fill the table with chocolate. Even in the midst of the rush, here’s 4 ingredient chocolate dessert that is quick, light and irresistible.  It takes minimal time and just a few techniques. The cake will be more or less chocolatey depending on whether you choose semisweet or bittersweet chocolate. This is not a place for chocolate chips which won’t melt as smoothly as bar chocolate. (A little tip: for good quality, reasonably priced baking chocolate, try Trader Joe’s Pound Plus bars. These are 17-ounce Belgian chocolate bars and sell for $5 each. They come in milk, semisweet and bittersweet.)

melting chocolate

To make this Chocolate Yule Log, you will need only 4 eggs, 5 ounces chocolate, half a cup of sugar and a cup of whipping cream. A few things to remember: chocolate melts best slowly in a double boiler over low heat. Chop the chocolate; put it in a Pyrex or stainless bowl and set the bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water.  Let the chocolate slowly melt while you do something else. Egg whites will whip better if they are at room temperature.  If you haven’t taken eggs out of the fridge earlier, immerse the eggs in their shells in a bowl of lukewarm water for 10 minutes before separating the yolks and whites. Work gently and quickly when combining the beaten eggs and chocolate. Here’s the plan: chop the chocolate; melt the chocolate with a little water; separate the eggs; beat the yolks with half the sugar; beat the whites with half the sugar and combine all. Bake in a foil lined sheet pan for 12 minutes; cool; spread with whipped cream, roll up and chill. Lift the foil wrapped log onto a cutting board, roll the cake out of the foil, dust with powdered sugar and it’s ready. You’ll find it much nicer than a bakery cake; it’s light, not too sweet and just the perfect morsel to polish off dinner with a cup of coffee. This cake is also gluten free if you’re looking in that direction.

Chocolate  Yule Log*

4 large eggs, room temperature

5 oz. (1 cup) chopped semi or bittersweet chocolate

3 ½ oz. (½ cup) sugar

3 tablespoons water

8 fl. oz. (1 cup) heavy whipping cream

Line a standard rimmed sheet pan (11-by 16- inches) with foil and lightly brush the foil with neutral oil such as canola.

Place the chopped chocolate in a medium Pyrex or stainless bowl and set the bowl over a saucepan with an inch of barely simmering water. Allow at least 20 minutes for the chocolate to melt slowly. Stir occasionally.

Preheat the oven to 350°

ready to combine

egg whites divided

When the chocolate is melted and still warm (not hot), separate the eggs. Place the yolks in a medium glass or stainless bowl and the whites in a larger bowl (I love to whisk egg whites in my handsome copper bowl, but spotlessly clean glass or stainless will work just as well.) First whisk the egg yolks with half of the sugar until the sugar begins to dissolve and the yolks lighten in color.  Using a clean whisk (or an electric beater) beat the egg whites to soft peaks then gradually beat in the second half of the sugar until stiff peaks form.

(You know the whites are stiff enough when you can turn the bowl upside down and they don’t slip .  .  .). Stir the chocolate to insure smoothness. Fold half of the beaten egg whites into the yolk mixture and half into the chocolate.

batter in sheet pan

Finally fold the two mixtures together, just until combined (there may still be a few streaks of egg white in the mixture that will all come together as it is spread in the prepared sheet pan).

ready to remove from oven

cooled cake

whipped cream spread

Bake the chocolate sheet for 12-14 minutes or until it puffs and forms a light crust on top. Remove from the oven and cool in the sheet pan, covering the top with a tea towel. Once the cake cools, the crusty top will soften.  When the cake is thoroughly cool, whip the cream until soft, almost stiff peaks form and carefully spread the whipped cream over the cake surface. Using a small palate knife, loosen one long edge of the cake and begin to roll the cake as for a jellyroll. If part of the cake sticks to the foil, gently loosen it with the palate knife and continue to roll with a firm touch to prevent air pockets forming. Once the roll is complete, wrap the cake in the foil base and refrigerate until thoroughly cold.  To serve roll the cake out of the foil onto a cutting board or platter. Dust the top with powdered sugar, decorate withevergreens or holly and cut in diagonal slices. Serves 8.

rolling the cake

wrapped to chill

ready to serve

Happy Christmas to all. . .

*Adapted from Darina Allen’s A Simply Delicious Christmas