Chocolate Chestnut Yule Log

There is no more festive dessert than a traditional Yule log for the
holiday table.

Chocolate Chestnut Yule Log

For the cake:
2 Tbs (30 ml) all-purpose flour
2 Tbs (30 ml) cocoa powder
A pinch of salt
3 eggs, separated
1/4 tsp (1 ml) cream of tartar (tartaric acid)
1/2 cup (125 ml) confectioner's sugar
2-3 drops almond extract
Cocoa powder for garnish

For the filling:
1 Tbs (15 ml) rum, brandy, or water
1/2 envelope (1 tsp, 5 ml) unflavored gelatin
4 oz (4 squares, 110 g) unsweetened chocolate,
coarsely chopped
1/4 cup (60 ml) confectioner's sugar
1 can (8 oz, 225 g) chestnut puree
1 1/4 cups (310 ml) heavy cream

To make the cake, sift the flour, cocoa, and salt together into a small bowl.  In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until frothy. Add the cream of tartar and beat until stiff peaks form.  Gradually
beat in half the sugar.  Combine the egg yolks, the remaining sugar, and almond extract in another bowl and beat until thick and pale yellow.  Stir in the sifted flour and cocoa mixture.  Fold in the egg white mixture, being careful not to over mix.  Grease a 9 x 13-inch (23 x 33 cm) jelly-roll pan, line the bottom with wax paper or parchment, and grease the paper.  Transfer the batter to the prepared jelly-roll pan and smooth to level the top.  Bake in a preheated 350F (180C) oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until the cake is spongy to the
touch.  Have ready a large piece of wax paper liberally dusted with confectioner's sugar, and transfer the cake, upside down, to the dusted paper.  Remove the wax paper that was lining the pan from the bottom of the cake and roll the cake up with the dusted wax paper still inside.  Set aside.

To prepare the filling, combine the rum and gelatin in a small cup and let soak for 10 minutes.  Melt the chocolate in a pan over simmering water.  With the pan still over the simmering water, stir the gelatin mixture into the chocolate and, using an electric beater, whip in the sugar and chestnut puree.  Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.  Whip the cream until soft peaks form and fold into the
chestnut mixture.

Unroll the cake carefully and spread it with half the chestnut mixture.  Roll it up again, removing the wax paper this time, and place on a serving dish.  Cover with the remaining chestnut mixture
and score with the tines of a fork to make a pattern resembling the bark of a tree.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.  Garnish with a dusting of cocoa powder immediately before serving.  Decorate the plate with sprigs of holly if desired. Serves 6 to 8.

Bon appetit from the Chef at World Wide Recipes Reproduced by permission of World Wide Recipes