Orange & Chocolate Christmas Yule Log

Before starting this Orange and Chocolate Yule Log recipe, organise the necessary ingredients for the orange cake.

Sift the flour and baking powder together...

... in a mixing bowl.

In the stand mixer recipient, crack the whole eggs and add the castor sugar and salt.

Blanch the preparation for about 30 seconds with the whisk attachment.

In the meantime, heat the whipping cream until it reaches 30 or 40°C maximum. The use of a laser thermometer is recommended for this operation.

Pour half of the flour/baking powder mix into the stand mixer bowl...

... and half of the warm whipping cream.

Combine until homogeneous.

Add the rest of the mix...

... and the rest of the whipping cream.

Combine again.

When homogeneous, add the melted butter (make sure it has cooled down first)...

... and the Grand-Marnier (or Cointreau).

Combine until incorporated.

Remove the recipient from the mixer.

Zest 4 oranges with a Microplane grater.

We need 40 grams of orange zest in total.

Add the zest to the batter.

Combine with a spatula to incorporate the zest.

Melt 30 grams of butter in the microwave...

...and apply inside a loaf cake mould with a pastry brush.

Place the mould on a baking sheet...

... and fill with the preparation. Make sure there are no drippings on the inside of the mould.

Shake the mould a little to even the surface and to create an even thickness.

Preheat the oven to 220°C (gas 7), then reduce to 160°C (gas 3) and bake for 45 minutes.

Insert the blade of a knife to check whether the biscuit is cooked (the blade should be dry when you take it out). Remove from the oven then release from the mould while the cake is hot. Set aside to cool.

For the dark chocolate mousse: Organise all the necessary ingredients.

Hydrate the gelatine powder with 6 grams of water.

Shake the bowl to moisten the gelatine powder.

Set aside to soak.

In a saucepan, bring the milk to a boil.

Melt the Ocoa dark chocolate over a bain-marie. You can also melt it in the microwave, in periods of 30 seconds and stirring every time to make sure the chocolate does not burn.

Add the rehydrated gelatine to the melted chocolate...

.. the hot milk...

... and combine vigorously with a whisk...

... until smooth and homogeneous. Leave to cool at room temperature.

Add 1/3 of the whipped cream...

... and combine vigorously with a whisk.

Add the rest of the whipped cream and combine.

The dark chocolate mousse is ready.

Transfer the mousse into a piping bag. The use of a nozzle is not necessary.

Fill the cavities of a Pavoni Iceberg silicone mould. The quantities listed in this recipe allow you to make two chocolate mousse decorations.

Gently tap the mould on your workbench to even the surface and knock out any air bubbles.

Using a cranked spatula, press the chocolate mousse in the cavities to make it compact.

Even the surface with a spatula.

The result should be as shown in the photo.

Cover the surface with cling film and place in the freezer If you're equipped with a freezer with boost function, I recommend using it.

For the rocky chocolate glaze: Organise the necessary ingredients. Melt the milk chocolate in the microwave, in periods of 30 seconds to make sure the chocolate does not burn, especially as milk chocolate is more fragile. Make sure the temperature doesn't exceed 45°C.

When the chocolate is completely melted, add the grape seed oil...

... and the chopped pistachios. You can replace the pistachios with chopped hazelnuts.

Combine well and set aside.

Once the cake has cooled down at room temperature, cut the top rounded part of the cake with a serrated knife. We will need the base of the biscuit to a thickness of 2 or 2.5cm. Boil the water and sugar to prepare the syrup. When the sugar has melted, add the Grand-Marnier. Pour the syrup directly over the biscuit until it is completely steeped. Make sure the whole surface of the biscuit is steeped with syrup.

Once the cake is steeped and the excess syrup has leaked out, lift the biscuit carefully with two cranked spatulas and place it on a chopping board. Proceed carefully so the biscuit doesn't break.

Using the serrated knife, trim all four sides of the biscuit.

This is what the result should look like.

Cut the cake to a length of 23 cm and a width of 8 to 9 cm so it is the right size for the chocolate mousse decoration on top. Set aside.

Place the bitter orange marmalade in a bowl and whisk until smooth.

Place 3 or 4 tablespoons of marmalade over the biscuits...

... and spread to a thin layer. You don't want a thick layer of marmalade that would bring too much bitterness.

The result should be as shown in the photo. Set aside.

For the milk chocolate Chantilly cream: Organise all the necessary ingredients.

Place the milk chocolate pistoles in a bowl and the gelatine (rehydrated beforehand).

Bring the cream to a boil, then pour over the chocolate pistoles.

Let the chocolate melt in the hot cream for a couple of minutes without stirring.

Combine with a whisk until homogeneous.

Pour the chocolate cream in a food tray to a thin layer so it cools down quickly...

... and place cling film on the surface of the cream. Reserve in the fridge. This preparation can be made the day before. In that case you don't need to pour it into a large tray, simply transfer into a bowl and refrigerate.

Icing the cake: Arrange the cake on a cooling rack, placed on a deep tray. Use two cranked spatulas to lift the cake carefully in order not to break it.

Reheat the milk chocolate icing in the microwave. It shouldn't exceed 31°C. Pour the icing over the cake with a ladle, making sure to coat the whole surface.

Even the surface with a small cranked spatula to remove the excess chocolate and to ensure the icing is thin.

Place the biscuit on a yule log cake board cut to the right dimensions.

The result should be as shown in the photo. Refrigerate until set.

I made the decorations beforehand with Ocoa dark chocolate (tempered with cocoa butter) and printed with a transfer sheet. Break into pieces and set the best looking ones aside.

When the chocolate mousse rectangle is completely frozen, take out of the freezer and release from the mould onto a cooling rack placed on top of a food tray.

Proceed quickly before the thin rectangle starts to melt.

Shake a bottle of orange velvet spray for 2 minutes...

... and apply over the surface of the frozen chocolate mousse rectangle. When coming into contact with the frozen chocolate, the velvet icing will set instantly into micro drops. Make sure all sides of the rectangle are coated.

This is what the result should look like.

Lift the chocolate rectangle carefully while it is still frozen, using two cranked spatulas, and arrange it over the orange-flavoured cake. Make sure it is perfectly centred.

The result should be as shown in the photo.

When the chocolate Chantilly cream has cooled down completely, place it in the stand mixer bowl.

Whisk the cold cream...

... until you obtain a soft Chantilly cream. The cream should be smooth and form soft peaks. We don't want something too firm.

Transfer the Chantilly cream into a piping bag fitted with a plain nozzle Ø 5mm.

Pipe small drops of cream all around the chocolate mousse top decoration.

Using small decorating tongs, arrange small pieces of gold leaf over one out of 2 chocolate mousse drops. Arrange a few printed chocolate decorations. Reserve in the fridge until ready to serve. Enjoy this delicious orange and chocolate Christmas yule log!