Earl Grey, Hazelnut & Chocolate Yule Log... Happy New Year 2015!

This was the first time I had prepared a dessert for a Christmas meal.

It was usually Jenny’s job to do it, ever since she’s working as a professional patisserie, she doesn’t bake much at home.

This cake consists of 4 components:

Earl grey creme

Hazelnut mousse

Chocolate sponge cake

Chocolate chantilly cream

I quite enjoyed preparing the yule log & I'm sure I’ll be making this from time to time as I really like the combo.

A rich chocolate cake with a smooth nutty mousse & a sophisticated note of earl grey tea, all combine every well. 

Everyone loved it & commented that it’s very nice.

This has been a great year for me in completing my Ph.D.

Thank you all for your patience & re-joining me this year & the coming years.

Wishing you all the best & happy new year.

Recipe for Earl Grey, Hazelnut & Chocolate Yule Log (8 x 7.5 x 25 cm long):
Creme au earl-grey (3 cm x 25 cm tube)
133 g whipping cream
67 g egg yolks (about 4 egg yolks)
47 g sugar
3 g sheet gelatine, bloomed
5 g earl grey leaves

Combine egg yolks & sugar.
Bring the cream to boil, add the tea leaves & infuse for 5 min.
Drain to remove the tea leaves.
Pour the cream to the egg batter, mix well & heat to 82C until thick & creamy.
Remove from heating, add bloomed gelatine & mix until dissolve.
Pour into a tubular mould & freeze.

Chocolate sponge (30 x 30 cm)
40 g unsalted butter, softened
50 g plain flour, sifted
30 g cocoa powder
50 g full fat milk
4 eggs
65 g caster sugar
Pinch of salt

Separate 3 egg whites & yolks, refrigerate the egg whites until needed.
Line a piece of baking paper on a baking pan.
In a small saucepan, bring the butter to boil under gentle heat, remove from heating & immediately fold in the flour, followed by cocoa powder.
Pour & fold in the milk in 2-3 portions until combine.
Mix 4 egg yolks with 1 whole egg, pour & fold to the batter in 2-3 times until combine, set aside to rest for at least 15 min.
In a large bowl, combine egg whites & salt, whisk at high speed until it’s foamy.
Whisk in the sugar in 2-3 portions, continue whisking to just before stiff peaks.
Fold 1/3 meringue into the egg yolk batter until combined.
Pour the egg yolk batter to the remaining meringue & fold gently until smooth & combined.
Spread on the prepared tin & bake in a preheated oven at 180C for 10-15 min.
Remove from the oven, carefully remove the paper on the sides of the cakes, gently place a piece of baking paper to cover the top & leave to cool.

Cake syrup
2 tbsp hot water
1/2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp Cointreau

Mix all ingredients & set aside until needed.

Hazelnut mousse
85 g whipping cream
113 g hazelnut praline paste
3 g sheet gelatine, bloomed
175 g whipping cream

In a saucepan, bring 85 g cream to boil, stir in gelatine until dissolve & then pour over the praline paste making a smooth mixture.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk the remaining cream to soft peaks & fold in the praline cream.

Chocolate chantilly
200 g whipping cream
110 g dark chocolate

Melt chocolate over warm water bath.
Heat 60 g cream & mix with chocolate to make a smooth ganache, allow to cool down for 5 min.
Whip the remaining cream to soft peaks, fold it the chocolate cream.

Assembling
Cut the chocolate sponge into 2 pieces: one bigger piece to be the U shape & then use the U-shaped terrine mould to cut one smaller piece for the base.
Brush generous amount of cake syrup on the cake.
Pour 1/2 hazelnut mousse & spread around the cake, refrigerate to set.
Place the early grey creme & cover with remaining hazelnut mousse.
Spread the mousse & cover with the cake piece, refrigerate to set.
Carefully remove from the mould & spread the chocolate chantilly.
Decorate as you like.