The History of Yule Logs.
The chocolate yule log which is also known as the Bûche de Noël is a traditional dessert that dates all the way back to the nineteenth century. The cake is symbolic of the yule log that people would begin to burn on Christmas Eve. People would burn yule logs as a symbol of the new year to come and something that would bring good luck to the families that burned it. So, how did a log from the woods become a holiday favourite dessert? As our lifestyles evolved and big cities arrived, fireplaces became smaller and stoves allowed for modern cooking to be popular. The tradition became too difficult to uphold in an increasingly modern world, and smaller logs replaced the previously large ones rapidly. A step closer to being the delicious Christmas dessert, the logs began being placed in the middle of people’s dining tables instead of the fireplace. Some logs were hollowed out and garnished with dried fruit, candy, gingerbread and cookies which finally led to the yule cake that we all enjoy each year.
The first yule log cake? That’s very much up for debate as there are multiple stories about the first yule cake, including Antoine Chardot, a Parisian pastry chef from rue de Buci in Paris who invented the beloved buttercream. In the year 1879 he created a sponge cake that was rolled up and filled with buttercream. In the 19th century, the Poitou-Charentes region also recorded a traditional “Christmas roll cake”. Pierre Lacam was a famous pastry chef of the “Belle Epoque” in 1898/1899 and the personal pastry chef of Prince Charles III of Monaco. In his book, Mémorial Historique et Géographique de la Pâtisserie (1863), he writes about a yule log. However, it cannot be said for sure if the creation was his own as he also shared the recipes of others in his book. Other origin stories include a pastry apprentice who worked at Paris City Hall in 1834, a pastry chef from Lyon in the 1860s and Chocolatier-Confectioner Félix Bonnat from Voiron in Isère who wrote a recipe in 1903 for a pastry log that was covered with ganache and decorated in green leaves and pink flowers.
Gluten Free Caramel Chocolate Yule Log Recipe.
Prep Time: 50 minutes
Baking Time: 20 minutes
Chilling Time: 2-3 hours
Serves: 8-10 people
Ingredients for the Cake:
- 4 Large Eggs
- 50g of Oat Flour (double check the packaging to ensure that the flour is definitely gluten free)
- 125g of Golden Caster Sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
- 100g of Dulce de Leche (alternatively, you can use Carnation caramel)
- 50g of White Chocolate (again, you should double check the packaging to ensure that the chocolate is gluten free), melted
- Butter, for greasing
- Icing Sugar for dusting
Ingredients for the Filling:
- ¼ tsp of Ground Cardamom (the seeds from three pods, crushed)
- ½ tsp of Ground Ginger
- ½ tsp of Ground Cinnamon
- 2 tsp of Light Brown Soft Sugar
- 400ml of Double Cream
Equipment:
- 26 x 36cm Baking Tray with a Substantial Rim
- Baking Parchment
- Small Saucepan
- Small Container
- 2 x Large Bowl
- Cling Film
- Whisk
- Sieve
- Wooden Spoon
- Wire Rack
- Electric Whisk
- Spoon
Method:
Step One:
First of all let’s start by lightly greasing your 26 x 36 baking tray with baking parchment and heat your oven to 180℃/160℃/Gas 4.
Step Two:
The first part of the caramel chocolate log we will start with is the filling. In a small saucepan, add all of your filling ingredients and bring to boil over a medium heat whilst whisking to ensure that all sugar is dissolved and to prevent lumps. You should then pour this into your small container, cover it with clingfilm and place it in your fridge for a few hours or until the mixture is fully chilled.
Step Three:
Crack your eggs and put them in a large bowl along with the caster sugar and using an electric whisk, whisk the mixture for 5-8 minutes or until it has tripled in volume and holds a ribbon on the surface when the whisk’s beaters are lifted from the bowl. In a separate bowl you should mix together the cocoa powder, a pinch of salt and oat flour. Now that you are working in the three new ingredients, carefully sieve the dry ingredients over the egg mixture and gently fold in to ensure that the mixture is light and airy. Carefully pour the batter onto the prepared tray and gently level it out to make sure it is an even layer.
Step Four:
Bake your cake for 12-14 minutes or until it springs back when lightly pressed. Once ready, remove the cake from the oven and slip the cake and parchment onto your wire rack to cool.
Step Five:
Now that your cake has reached room temperature, confidently turn it over in one motion onto a piece of parchment paper sprinkle lightly with caster sugar, then peel off the lining parchment.
Step Six:
Whisk your cream filling until it holds soft peaks, then spread it into an even layer whilst leaving 2cm along the short edge clear. Spoon the dulce de leche all over the filling and use either a spoon or knife to swirl it together.
Step Seven:
We’re at the final step and so much closer to being able to eat this delicious treat. Carefully roll the cake using the parchment paper underneath and make sure the uncovered sponge edge is at the end of the roll. If your cake splits slightly, don’t panic, when have you ever seen a perfect log? Dust your cake with a thin layer of icing sugar and lift it carefully onto a serving plate. Finally, drizzle the cake with the white chocolate. Due to the low fat content of the cake, it is best to serve it on the day you have baked it as it will be more prone to drying out quickly.
Festive Recipe Blog Series:
If you have enjoyed reading about the history of the yule log and following the recipe, you can read all about Mince Pies, Hanukkah Dish, Sufganiyot and fan favourite, Mary Berry’s Classic Christmas Cake before returning next week to see which gorgeous dish we’ll be baking together.
Great British Bake Off Blog Series:
If you are maxed out on the festive recipe series, you can find inspiration from our blog series on The Great British Bake Off 2021 that features some seriously delicious recipes, including Paul Hollywood’s Ciabatta and Tzatziki Dip during bread week.