Yule Log (Buche de Noel)

This is just such a classic and you can’t have Christmas without it!
As it’s very chocolaty I serve it with some home made custard, yummy..

Makes 1 Yule log and a pot of Custard

This is what you need;
4 eggs
75g caster sugar
25g dark Muscovado sugar
65g self-raising flour
40g cocoa powder

For the Ganache
300g dark chocolate
300ml double cream

For the Custard
4 egg yolks
50g sugar
250 ml whole milk
seeds of 2 vanilla pods

Let’s get started with the Ganache, put everything in a heatproof bowl and put over a sauce pan with simmering water, do not let the later touch the bowl. Stir and make sure that the chocolate has melted then cover and put in the fridge to set.
Preheat your oven 200C/400F/Gas 6.
Start by whisking your eggs and sugar until you have a frothy and pale mixture, then sift the flour and cocoa powder then fold in with a metal spoon. In a 30cm x 20cm greased and lined baking tray carefully pour out the mixture and make sure you get it all the way out to the corners. Bake in the middle of the oven for 10 min. Turn the sponge out on a baking parchment that’s slightly bigger, then on the long side of the sponge cut a 2.5 cm long insertion and roll up the sponge and let it cool. Once the ganache is ready roll out your sponge and fill with half of the ganache and spread evenly. Cut the edges so they are even, then roll up your sponge and cut a 10cm piece from the side, slab a bit of ganache on the angled side then attach it to the rest of the log. Then pipe the rest of the ganache to your taste then sift some icing sugar on top and serve.

For the custard; Whisk the egg yolks and sugar then in a saucepan heat the milk, once simmering, pour slowly into the egg yolks and stir until fully combined, then transfer back into the saucepan and whisk until you have the thickness you desire.

Enjoy x

Kransekake (Gluten Free)

This is a traditional Norwegian dessert that you would make for big celebrations such as; weddings, Confirmations and Christmas. It’s made of almonds so it’s gluten free and just so tasty, now if you don’t have the molds make sure to prepare the rings so you can eventually build a tower.

Makes 18 rings, serves around 25-30 people

This is what you need;

• 500g grounded almonds (now you can do this yourself, just buy the almonds and blanch them, remove the skin and let them dry for 24 hours then ground them up in a food processor or a food grinder if you have one with a fine grinder setting)
• 500g icing sugar
• 4 egg whites

For the icing;

• 1/2 egg white
• 75g icing sugar
• 1/2 tsp cointreau (normally we use lemon juice, but I think this is so much nicer)

Let’s get baking!

Start by putting your grounded almonds in a bowl then sift the icing sugar into the bowl, add the egg whites and mix then transfer into a saucepan, heat up and then transfer back into the bowl. Cover and leave in the fridge for at least 12 hours. Everyone has their own way of managing this dough, the ideal way is if you have a food grinder with a star shape setting. If you don’t but you have big muscles you can use a piping bag with a 30mm round tip, or if you are feeling brave you can just roll them out yourself (this is what I did, have patience  and a glass of water next to you)

Preheat your oven to 220 degrees, gas mark 5.
You have to make 3×6 different ring sizes, bake of a cookie trey in the middle of the oven for 8 min, then let it cool until you start the icing (just put all the ingredients for the icing in a bowl and mix) then organize the rings and start building, icing every layer as you see fit.

Tip – if the rings starts to get a bit dry put a piece of bread in the bottom of the tower.

Enjoy x

Christmas Chocolate Treats

These little mouthfuls of chocolate heaven are just the BEST! You can mix and match flavors but here are my favorites.
You can find the molds for these on amazon, you need 25mm foil cases.

Makes 30 of each flavor

• Mint Chocolate

200g dark chcolate
100g coconut oil/fat
1 tbsp peppermint extract

• Chocolate Orange

200g milk chcolate
100g coconut oil/fat
1 Orange, zest and juice

• Salted Caramel Chocolates

100g milk chcolate
100g dark chocolate
100g coconut oil/fat
15 g caramel (if you made the banoffee cupcakes you should have a lot of caramel left, i used this)
10g sea salt

In a heatproof bowl add the chocolate and then coconut fat, when it’s completely melted and smooth add your third ingredients, except if your doing the caramel that you have to add bit by bit once the chocolate is in the cases, then pour into the cases and leave in the fridge to set. Add the sea salt after you have added the caramel.

Put in a little bag and give it to a real chocolate fanatic!

Enjoy x

Christmas Bread

This is my take on a Swedish staple bread, it’s not Christmas until you’ve had this with a few slices of Gouda and pickle cucumber.

Makes 1 Loaf

This is what you need;

200g rye flour360g strong white flour
1 big pinch of salt
5g fast action yeast
1tsp ginger
1tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp grounded cloves
1tsp dried and grounded Pomelo peel (any citrus fruit works if you can’t get a hold of this)
1 star anise grounded
1tsp cardamom
2tbps black treacle
230 ml tepid water
70ml Guinness (or other kinds of Stout works well too)
10ml olive oil (or 25g melted unsalted butter)
50g raisins (you can have less if you’re not that keen and mix in some almonds and clementine peel to make it extra cheerful)

Let’s get started!! If you are using butter then start by melting this and set to one side to cool.
Put all the dry ingredients in a bowl, make sure to put salt and yeast on each side of the bowl, then make a hole in the middle then add all your wet ingredients in the little well. Mix together but make sure that the yeast gets mixed in before in incorporate the salt. Once everything has come together tip it out on a lightly floured surface and begin the work, you will have to knead for at least 20 min, rye is much harder to to work so don’t give up!
Once you have a smooth dough but it in a bowl and cover it with clingfilm, let it rest and double in side, should take around 1 hour.
Once doubled in size, punch the air out and then make a big rectangle and scatter your raising then roll the dough up into a sausage so it fits into your butter greased bread tin. Leave to rise and double in size, this can take longer than  1 hour depending on the amount of fruit and nuts.
Crank your oven up to max, around 240 and gas mark 9, put a baking trey on the bottom of the oven.
Once the loaf is ready bake it in the oven and add ice water to the baking trey, this will give the loaf an amazing crust!
Bake for 10 min then lower the heat to 210 for an additional 20 min, this forces the loaf to rise even further and you end up with quite the loaf!