Rachel Khoo: Log in

Move over Christmas pudding: the French know a thing or two about creating a show-stopping dessert for Christmas Day. This amazing yule log is about as good a chocolate finale as you can get — light and airy, but adorned with the fluffiest ‘bark’ buttercream you’ll ever make.

BÛche de Noël

Serves 8-10

200g chocolate

6 medium eggs, separated

150g caster sugar

5 tbsp cocoa powder

300ml whipped cream

200g raspberries

190g salted butter, very soft

100g icing sugar

100g 70% dark chocolate, melted

Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas Mark 4. Grease a 30cm x 30cm tin and line with baking parchment. Melt the chocolate in a glass bowl over a simmering pan of water, then take off the heat to cool.

In the meantime, beat the egg yolks with the caster sugar until pale and well incorporated. Whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks. Slowly pour the chocolate mixture into the egg yolks a little at a time and whisk vigorously. Add half the egg whites, mix in with 2 tbsp of the cocoa powder, then gently fold in the remainder. Pour into the baking tin and smooth with a palette knife to create an even surface. Bake for 15 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and turn out to cool on a wire rack, then leave for 5 minutes before placing a clean, slightly damp tea towel over it. Cool for a further 10 minutes with the towel on top. Flip the cake over, then peel off the parchment paper and gently flip the cake back over the other way — you want the smooth underside on the outside of the roll. Spread the whipped cream over the rougher side of the cake, then scatter the raspberries over the top. Roll up the cake carefully and place on a serving plate.

To make the buttercream, beat the butter with a pinch of sea salt in a mixer with the paddle fixture until very fluffy and white. Gradually add the icing sugar, beating to incorporate. Then pour in the chocolate and add the remaining cocoa powder. Beat until fluffy.

Use a palette knife to spread the top and sides of the yule log with the buttercream and decorate as liked.