Chocolate trunk filled with mascarpone. Christmas dessert

How to make a Christmas log filled with mascarpone .

The Yule log , Christmas Buche de Noel or trunk , in French, is a sweet served as dessert meals and dinners Christmas in several European countries and, from a time now , also in Spain.

It is a very attractive alternative among chocolate lovers and all those who find nougat , marzipan and polvorones simply fall short.

It is originally from France and, due to its shape, reminds of the gypsy arm, although saving the differences. The Christmas log is covered in chocolate ganache and decorated to look like a log ready for the fireplace.

Contrary to what it may seem, the preparation of the Christmas log is quite simple and for this you have to make a Genoese cake plate , a mascarpone cream (very similar to tiramisu ) and a chocolate ganache.

Once these three elements are ready, all you have to do is assemble, decorate and let stand a few hours before serving.

It is not a dessert to prepare in a hurry so make sure you have the necessary time, but be sure to try it because it is yummy. It can be done in advance and stored in the fridge for 24 hours.

The chocolate coating protects the cake and it does not harden , which makes it a recipe bargain. Perfect for those meals that we have to organize at home and in which all time savings are welcome.

If this Christmas you feel like breaking molds and going out of the traditional, you already know that this Christmas log is a great option . Surely many of your family and friends will thank you.

Preparation of the Christmas Log with mascarpone

We have already commented that the Christmas log is made up of four elements: a Genoese cake plate, a chocolate ganache, a syrup bath and a mascarpone cream.

We are going to prepare them in this order, although some can be done in advance and save us some time.

Genoese cake plate

1. With electric rods or a robot, we assemble the eggs with the sugar and a pinch of salt to double their volume and obtain a whitish cream.
2. We add the sifted flour and remove with enveloping movements, from the bottom up, gently so as not to lose the air incorporated with the smoothie.
3. We line a baking sheet with sulfurized paper and spread the mixture over the entire surface, flattening gently to spread well. We cook in a pre-heated oven at 180º C, above and below the traditional oven, for 10-12 minutes or until the surface is golden.
4. We remove from the oven and the tray. We roll up the paper while we remove it and then use it to wrap. Let it cold down.

Chocolate Ganache

1. Heat the cream in a saucepan and chop the chocolate, which we put in a bowl.
2. When the cream is hot, pour it over the chocolate. The heat will melt the ounces little by little and you will only have to stir well after a few minutes.
3. Let cool and take shape before using to cover the trunk.

Syrup bath and mascarpone cream

1. In a saucepan we mix the water with the sugar. We put it on the fire, heat and let it boil, on low heat, for five minutes. We withdraw and reserve.
2. In a bowl with cold water we put the gelatin leaves to soak for 10 minutes.
3. After this time, we separate four tablespoons of cream and heat it in a small bowl in the microwave. 15-20 seconds will suffice.
4. Drain the gelatin and add it to the hot cream, stir well until completely dissolved.
5. Mix the egg yolks with the icing sugar and add, little by little, the mixture of the cream with the gelatin.
6. Then we assemble the cream and add the mascarpone cheese. We add this mixture to the previous one and stir gently until homogeneous.

Assembling the Christmas log

1. We spread the sponge cake on the work surface and brush it with the syrup, using a brush so that it reaches everywhere and in the same proportion.
2. We cover with the mascarpone cream, leaving about two or three centimeters from the clean ends.
3. Roll up again and cut the ends to equalize.
4. We cover in its entirety with the chocolate ganache and transfer the trunk to a serving platter.
5. We use a fork or skewer to draw the grooves of the tree trunks, imitating wood.
6. And finally, we decorate to taste with Christmas motifs, sprinkles, etc.

Here you have a step by step in photos where I show how to prepare this recipe for the Christmas chocolate log . Do not miss any detail so that you get a delicious dessert.

Tips for a Christmas log with a yummy mascarpone

• It is important that we organize ourselves well when preparing the Christmas log, since they are four elaborations that, although separately they take almost no time or effort, when we put them together they can be heavy.
• We can have the syrup and the ganache ready, for example, and prepare the mascarpone cream while the cake is in the oven.
• The trunk is very attractive if we cut one end and attach it to the top or to the side, simulating the union with another branch. It is convenient that the piece is small so that it does not drain and we can stick it without problem with a little cream of mascarpone or ganache.
• Use the chocolate that you like best for the coverage, that is of good quality.
• The Christmas log lasts 24 hours in good condition, but it is necessary to keep it in the fridge and in a closed container or covered with aluminum foil.
• The filling can be varied to taste, a simple pastry cream or a chantilly will be great, as well as the syrup that can be flavored with a little coffee or a splash of some liquor.