Gingerbread Yule Log

Mix honey, water and brown sugar, then bring it to the boil.

Then add the spices, the orange zest and the butter. Mix, cover and let it infuse for 20 minutes.

Butter a 26 to 28 cm long and 9 cm large cake pan.

In a container, sieve the flour with the baking powder. Pour the liquid part in 2 times using a sieve and each time whisk.

Pour the gingerbread mixture in the cake pan, then bake it in an 170°C oven for 30 to 40 min while keeping an eye on the baking process.

After removing the cake from the oven, unmould the gingerbread on a metal grid and leave it to rest.

After the cooling is done, slice with a bread knife a 25 cm long 8 cm large and 1 cm thick piece.

Put the gingerbread piece on a tray.

For the gingerbread cream, start by warming the liquid cream which you then pour on the remnants of gingerbread before whisking the whole.

Add the mascarpone and whisk again. Pour the mixture in the whisk tank and leave it to rest in the refrigerator until it is completely cooled down.

For the syrup, mix the sugar and some water then bring it to the boil. After cooling, add the rhum.

When the gingerbread cream is completely cooled down, whisk it to obtain a creamy mixture.

In a 28 cm long silicone baking pan, spread the cream with a pastry bag. Level the surface with spatula and leave it in the freezer. You will obtain a frozen gingerbread cream to put in the middle of the log.

For the mousseline cream, start by heating the milk with 50g of caster sugar. Break the eggs in a container, add the rest of sugar and whisk to whiten them.

Sieve the flour and the cornflour on the eggs then mix. When the milk starts boiling, pour it on the mixture while mixing.

Pour the whole in a sauce pan. Heat the cream while mixing, it will thicken, then at the first bubbles, continue mixing for 1 min at medium heat.

When the cream is cooked, remove it from the heating point. Add a third of the butter wheight then mix. Pour the mixture in the whisk tank and leave it to rest.

With some dark chocolate that you will have prepared beforehand (see video on chocolate processing), we will make chocolate ribbons.

Cut 2,5 cm large and 15 to 20 cm long rhodoïd strips. Cover each strip with some dark chocolate. Let them partly solidify.

When the chocolate start solidifying, fold each strip in two and solder the extremity by applying a light pressure. Put them on a tray and leave them to cool down completely.

Spread dark chocolate on a rhodoïd strip to make two 9 cm diameter circles. Let them slightly solidify before cutting each circle.

With a knife, cut each circle to obtain a straight line. Place everything (with the ribbons) in the refrigerator to finish the chocolate process.

Finish the mousseline praline cream. Whisk the cream at room temperature with the praline. Add the soft butter before whisking everything together.

when the mousseline praline cream is stiff enough, stop whisking. Unmould the frozen gingerbread cream, and cut it to obtain a 25 cm long piece.

Soak the gingerbread with rhum flavored syrup with a brush. With a pastry bag, put some praline cream on the central part, then place the frozen gingerbread cream.

Continue with a pastry bag fitted with a Saint-Honoré tip, and put the mousseline cream around the middle part to have a wavy aspect that covers the entire log.

Finish by putting the chocolate half circles on the extremities of the log , then put the chocolate ribbons on the top after removing the rhodoïd.