Hazelnut Mousse Yule Log

Ingredients

Chocolate Sponge Cake

• 1 cup Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour spooned and leveled, (136 g)
• 2 Tbsp Cocoa Powder (14 g)
• 1 Tbsp Instant Espresso Powder
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• ½ tsp Salt
• 4 Eggs, room temperature, divided (224 g)
• ¾ cup Cane Sugar divided (144 g)
• 2 Tbsp Buttermilk (30 mL)
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 cup Powdered Sugar (120 g)

Hazelnut Mousse Filling

• 1 cup Heavy Cream (240 mL)
• ½ cup Hazelnut Spread (such as Nutella), softened (148 g)
• ⅓ cup Hazelnut Flour (200 g)

Chocolate Buttercream

• 1 cup very soft unsalted Butter (228 g)
• 2 cups Powdered Sugar, sifted (240 g)
• ½ cup Cocoa Powder (56 g)

Tools

• Mixing Bowl
• Spatula
• Measuring Cups & Spoons
• Baking Tray

Recipe Overview

The Bûche de Noël, or Yule log cake, is a French dessert that dates back to the 19th century. The cake represents the Yule log that families would burn on Christmas Eve. Sometimes complicated, we simplified the process so you can make an impressive dessert that doesn’t require you to be in the kitchen all day. Plus, it’s gluten free!

Recipe Detail

Chocolate Sponge Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 17 x 12-inch rimmed baking pan with cooking spray and lay a sheet of parchment into the pan. Spray the top of the parchment. Set aside.
2. Sift flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl. Set aside.
3. Separate the eggs. Add whites to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Turn to high speed and whip until egg whites start to foam and form tight bubbles. Then, while mixing, slowly stream in ¼ cup of the granulated sugar. Continue to whip for 1–2 minutes, or until glossy, medium peaks form. Transfer to a medium bowl.
4. Add yolks, remaining ½ cup granulated sugar, buttermilk and vanilla and whip on medium-high speed, until mixture is light and has thickened, about a minute.
5. Remove bowl from mixer. Use a spatula to fold flour mixture into yolk mixture, mixing just until combined. Gently fold in whipped egg whites.
6. Working gently, evenly spread batter into prepared pan. Place in the oven and bake for 15–18 minutes, or until cake springs back to the touch.
7. While cake is baking, lay a thin kitchen towel flat on the counter and sift 1 cup of powdered sugar over the towel.
8. Remove cake from the oven and immediately invert it onto the sugar-coated towel. Carefully peel off the parchment paper. Then, starting with the narrow end, slowly and gently begin rolling the cake up with the towel. Set the cake aside to cool for 45–60 minutes in its rolled-up position.

Hazelnut Mousse Filling

• In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip heavy cream (start on medium speed and increase to high as cream thickens) until medium peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the softened hazelnut spread until fully incorporated.
• Carefully unroll the sponge cake. (If you see minor cracking, it’s okay! Just be gentle and don’t worry about making the cake completely flat before spreading the mousse.) Evenly spread the hazelnut mousse over the surface, then sprinkle with hazelnut flour. Re-roll the cake (without the towel, of course), and set aside to chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Chocolate Buttercream

• Add butter to a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Turn to medium-high and beat until light and pale. Turn off the mixer, scrape down sides of bowl and sift in powdered sugar and cocoa. Return mixer to medium speed and cream until color is consistent and mixture is fluffy, about a minute.

Assemble

• Trim ½–1 inch off each end of the log with a serrated knife, so that each end is flat and the filling shows through. Then, use the same knife to cut an angled quarter off one side of the log. This will be the branch.
• Place the main body of the log in the center of your serving platter (or use a nice cutting board). Spread about a tablespoon of buttercream to the side of the log where you will attach the "branch" you trimmed off, and set the branch in place. Spread buttercream in a thick layer over the entire log and branch, then drag a fork across it to make "bark" indentations. Dust cake with powdered sugar, and decorate with fresh, sugared cranberries and sprigs of rosemary.