Yule 2014

Yesterday I celebrated Yule by making a chocolate Yule log. It's celebrated around 21st December, I thought it was the 21st this year because that was the date on my personal and family calendars but some people celebrated it today. It doesn't really matter though if you celebrate actually on the day or around it. :)

A Yule log is traditional and while the last few years I've bought one from Sainsbury's this time I decided to make my own. I used a recipe from last year's Co-op magazine. You can see the Sainsbury's one in last year's post: https://livingseasonal.blogspot.com/2013/12/yule.html

It's quite tricky making a Yule log, (although I have done something similar last year when I made the Christmas vanilla roll cake for Christmas) rolling it up and that. I lost quite a bit of cake and ended up with too much buttercream but it tasted nice anyway! I think next year I might buy one though, lol.

Here's a picture of the Yule log before I put the buttercream on:

And with the buttercream:

I can't write out the whole recipe but here are the ingredients.


Chocolate Yule Log

Ingredients


Swiss Roll

4 medium eggs
100g caster sugar
70g self raising flour
40g cocoa powder

Filling

225g icing sugar
125g unsalted butter, softened
Few drops of vanilla extract*

Chocolate Icing

225g icing sugar
50g cocoa powder
125g unsalted butter, softened

You can decorate with chocolate flakes and Christmas decorations.

*You can use peppermint icing instead of vanilla extract. This was a kids' recipe and there's an option to use green food colouring if you want to.

Here's a link to a similar recipe (this one uses whipping cream and almond extract): http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/chocolate-yule-log


I did consider making a log by Lorraine Pascale but it was more complicated so I stuck to the kids' one! lol. Here's the recipe if you're interested: http://www.eattravellive.com/recipe/chocolate-log-lorraine-pascale/


Also here's a link to the Christmas vanilla roll cake I made last Christmas: https://livingseasonal.blogspot.com/2013/12/christmas-vanilla-roll-cake.html

This year I want to make a Buche de Noel, which is another of type of Yule log. It's white chocolate and is a recipe from Tesco magazine. Then I think I'll take a break from Yule logs/Swiss rolls for a while! lol.

I also celebrated Yule by lighting red and green candles, like I did last year. Hope you had a good Yule and have a good Christmas too. :)