Chocolate, Salted Caramel & Chestnut Yule Log

I'm looking forward to Christmas more than usual this year as it is looking quite likely that I'll be celebrating it in our very own home! I've been renting since I left my parents at 18 and more years later than I'd like to count, I'm finally buying my own home with my boyfriend. I can't wait to put the Christmas tree up, make the place our own and most of all get baking in our new kitchen! All going well, we will be in there in 2 weeks time, keep your fingers crossed for us!

I recently received the first issue of Baking Heaven, which is a monthly magazine subcription from Magazine.co.uk. It is packed full of sweet and savoury recipes and it certainly lives up to it's name! When I flicked through the magazine to decide what to make I was immediately drawn to this Yule Log. With it's combination of salted caramel, chocolate and chestnuts it sounded like festive perfection. It is taken from Gizzi Erskine's new book Season's Eatings and is something a bit different from the traditional Yule Log.

I started by greasing a lining a lipped baking tray, the recipe recommends using a 33x23cm tin, but as mine was larger I increased the sponge recipe by a third to make up for this. I'll only put the ingredients for the recipe as stated though.

I whisked up 3 large free-range eggs with 75g caster sugar in my food mixer for 8 minutes until it had trebled in size.

I sieved out 50g plain flour and 25g cocoa powder into a bowl and then folded it into the egg mixture.

I poured the batter into the tin and tipped it to spread the mixture out into each corner.

I baked it on 190C/170C Fan/Gas Mark 3 for 12 minutes. I immediately tipped it out onto another sheet of baking paper and rolled it up, rolling the fresh sheet of baking paper with it. The recipe didn't suggest to do this, but having made many swiss rolls in the past, I thought this was the best thing to do and I do recommend it. I left it to cool fully

I then made the chocolate icing by putting 150ml double cream, 30g butter and 150g dark chocolate in a pan and gently heating it until it all melted together. I then put it in the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes.

For the filling I started by making a caramel, I put 100g caster sugar into a frying pan and left it without stirring it until it was golden and bubbling.

I added 80g butter, 50ml double cream, 1 tsp vanilla extract and 3/4 tsp salt and quickly mixed them in.

I then poured the caramel into a bowl, added 180g chestnuts (the recipe said 200g but the pack I got in the shops was 180g) and whizzed it up into a smooth paste using a hand blender. Let it cool to room temperature.

I whipped up 150ml double cream with 3 tbsp icing sugar, then folded it into the cooled caramel and chestnut mixture.

I unrolled the sponger and spread the caramel filling all over it evenly.

I rolled the sponge back up carefully.

I took the icing out of the fridge and spread it all over the roll. I did it quite roughly as the roll was meant to look like a log.

I bashed up 1 flake bar and sprinkled it all over the wet icing. I put it back in the fridge to set.

I finished the Yule Log by adding some redcurrants and dusting it with icing sugar. I've never actually eaten redcurrants before, they look very pretty and taste very inoffensive, however they are quite full of seeds despite their small size. You can choose to decorate the roll with anything you like, I suggest a sprig of holly, edible gold glitter or a liberal dusting of icing sugar!

This was the perfect taster of Christmas treats to come, the filling had a salty caramel flavour, the sponge was light and soft, and the dark chocolate icing was melt in the mouth divine. I really enjoyed every bite!

I'm linking this recipe up with We Should Cocoa hosted by Tin & Thyme.

And with the Sunday Fitness & Food Link Up hosted by Ilka's Blog and Marathons & Motivation.

And Cook Blog Share hosted by Sneaky Veg.

And Recipe of the Week hosted by A Mummy Too.
NB. I have received the subscription to Baking Heaven free of charge, all opinions are my own.
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Chocolate, Salted Caramel & Chestnut Yule Logby November-20-2016Ingredients

• 3 Eggs
• 175g Caster sugar
• 50g Plain flour
• 25g Cocoa powder
• 110g Butter
• 150g Dark chocolate
• 350ml Double cream
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract
• 3/4 tsp Salt
• 200g Chestnuts
• 3 tbsp + more for dusting Icing sugar
• 1 Cadburys Flake Bar
• 3 sprigs of Redcurrants

InstructionsGrease and line a lipped 33x23cm baking trayWhisk up the eggs with 75g of the caster sugar in an electric food mixer for 8 minutes until it has trebled in sizeSieve the plain flour and cocoa powder into a bowl and then fold it into the egg mixturePoured the batter into the lined tray and tip it to spread the mixture out into each cornerBake it on 190C/170C Fan/Gas Mark 3 for 12 minutes. Immediately tip it out onto a clean sheet of baking paper and roll it up, rolling the clean sheet of baking paper with it. Leave it to cool fullyMake the chocolate icing by putting 150ml of the double cream, 30g of the butter and dark chocolate in a pan and gently heating it until it all melts together. Put it in the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutesFor the filling start by making a caramel. Put 100g of the caster sugar into a frying pan and leave it without stirring until it is golden and bubblingThen add 80g of the butter, 50ml of the double cream, the vanilla extract and the salt and quickly mix them in using a whiskPour the caramel into a bowl, added the chestnuts and whiz it up into a smooth paste using a hand blender. Let it cool to room temperatureWhip up 150ml of the double cream with the icing sugar, then folded it into the cooled caramel and chestnut mixtureUnroll the sponger and spread the caramel filling all over it evenly, then roll the sponge back up carefullyTake the chocolate icing out of the fridge and spread it all over the roll. You want this to be quite rough as the roll is meant to look like a logBash up 1 flake bar and sprinkled it all over the wet icing. Put it back in the fridge to setFinish the Yule Log by adding some redcurrants and dusting it with icing sugar