Chocolate Yule Log Cake

The modern edible take on the Yule log tradition: a light chocolate sponge rolled around silky whipped ganache and frosted to look like bark. It turns an ordinary December evening into a small ceremony, which is exactly what the season is for.

Makes 10 to 12 slices · 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 eggs, separated
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 8 oz dark chocolate, chopped
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, plus more for dusting
• Meringue mushrooms or sugared rosemary, for decorating (optional)

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Line a 10x15-inch jelly roll pan with parchment and grease lightly.
2. Beat the yolks with 1/2 cup sugar until pale and thick. Beat in the vanilla. In a separate bowl, beat the whites with salt to soft peaks, then gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar to stiff peaks.
3. Sift the cocoa and flour over the yolk mixture and fold gently, then fold in the whites in two additions.
4. Spread evenly in the pan and bake 12 to 14 minutes, until springy. Immediately turn out onto a clean kitchen towel dusted with powdered sugar, peel off the parchment, and roll up with the towel. Cool completely.
5. For the ganache: heat the cream to steaming, pour over the chopped chocolate, rest 2 minutes, then stir smooth. Chill 30 minutes, then whip until fluffy.
6. Unroll the cake, spread with two-thirds of the ganache, and re-roll. Frost the outside with the rest, dragging a fork through it for bark texture. Dust with powdered sugar and decorate as you like.