Yule logs are a European Christmas tradition. But can this rich, festive cake actually be made low carb? You bet! This delicious version takes a bit of time to create and assemble, but the result is worth it in appearance and decadent chocolate taste. Indulge in this treat while your yuletide logs burn bright.
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Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). You will need a Swiss roll tin or a shallow baking sheet about 13 "x 9" (33 x 23 cm). Line it with parchment paper.
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Separate the eggs and put the yolks in one mixing bowl and the whites in another.
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Sift the cocoa powder into the bowl with the yolks. Add the ground almonds, sweetener, milk, baking powder, and vanilla. Mix together thoroughly with a metal spoon.
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Beat the egg whites with an electric beater until they form stiff peaks. Add 2 tablespoons of the beaten whites to the almond mixture, mixing it in with the electric beater. Then, switch to a metal spoon and gently fold in the remaining egg whites.
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Spoon out the batter onto the prepared baking sheet and spread evenly with a palette knife until is it 1/4" (0.5 mm) thick.
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Bake for 8 minutes or until the sponge is just firm to the touch. Do not overcook.
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Remove from the oven and invert the sponge onto a clean tea towel, with the long edge of the sponge lining up along the long edge of the towel. Roll the sponge up into a tight spiral using the cloth (but don't roll the cloth inside the sponge, just have it wrapped around it.) Leave it to cool with the edge side down so that it sets into this shape.
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Use a vegetable peeler to make the shavings from the chocolate bar. Shave them into a bowl until you have about 2 tbsp. Put the bowl in the fridge to keep the shavings cool.
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Break the remaining chocolate into small pieces and put it into a heat-proof mixing bowl. Warm the cream and vanilla in a small saucepan over medium heat. When steaming, but not yet boiling, remove from the heat and pour the cream mixture over the chocolate pieces. Use a whisk to blend and melt the chocolate until a smooth mixture forms. Put it into the fridge to completely cool before using it to glaze the log.
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Using a beater, whip the cream until firm and add in the vanilla and sweetener.
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When the sponge is cool to the touch, remove the cloth, and carefully unfurl the sponge on a piece of parchment.
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Spread the filling evenly over the surface with a palette knife, leaving a 3/4" (2 cm) border all around the edges. Scatter over the raspberries, breaking them up with your fingers if they are large.
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Use the parchment to roll up the sponge lengthwise around the cream filling. It should overlap slightly to seal in the cream. Arrange the roll on a serving platter with the seam underneath.
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Spoon the chocolate coating over the log and use a palette knife to create the texture of bark.
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Scatter the chocolate shavings over top. Put in the fridge to chill for a minimum of 1 hour and a maximum of 1 day before serving.
Sponge cake
Chocolate coating
Filling and log construction
Tips
If you don't want to use erythritol, you can replace it with a small amount of honey. 1 tsp of honey replaces 1 tablespoon of erythritol. Using honey will increase the carb count by about 1.5 net carbs per serving.
Instead of almond milk, feel free to replace it with the same amount of cow's milk. This will very slightly increase the carb count, by about .4 carbs per serving.
If you don't have a Swiss roll tin or a 13" x 9" (33 x 23 cm) shallow baking sheet, you can take a larger baking sheet by using a length of tin foil, with the edges folded up, to make the right size.
This recipe comes from UK celebrity chef Katie Caldesi's 2020 recipe book, The Caldesi Low-Carb Christmas.
