Chocolate Yule log: the sponge roll that doesn't crack
The homemade Yule log is the dessert that makes the biggest impression at the end of the Christmas Eve dinner. It looks complicated, but it rests on three simple things: a sponge that bakes for 8 minutes, a chocolate ganache and rolling while still warm. Here is the method for a soft sponge that won't crack.
- 8 people, 40 min prep time
- Sponge 8 to 10 min at 200 °C, rolled while still warm
- Chocolate ganache whipped like chantilly
- Can be made the day before : it's even better
Appliance and settingOven 200 °C, conventional heat, baking tray for the ganache
Ingredients
The Christmas Eve dessert, homemade
The Yule log recalls the big wooden log once burned in the fireplace on Christmas Eve. Today, it's a rolled sponge filled with cream and covered in a chocolate bark. In Belgium, you find it in every patisserie in December, but the homemade version, made with good Belgian chocolate, holds its own against them.
The steps
- Start with the ganache. It needs to cool before whisking. Chop the chocolate into a mixing bowl. Heat 20 cl of cream on the hob, on setting 6, until it just starts to simmer. Pour over the chocolate, wait 1 minute, then gently stir from the centre until smooth. Add the butter. Let it cool, then chill for 1 hour in the fridge.
- Preheat the oven Preheat the oven to 200 °C, conventional convection. Line a baking tray (about 30 × 40 cm) with baking paper.
- Whisk the eggs and sugar. Using an electric whisk, beat the whole eggs with the sugar for 8 to 10 minutes. The mixture should triple in volume, turn very pale and form a thick ribbon when you lift the whisk.
- Add the flour and cocoa. Sift them together with the salt over the bowl, in two batches. Fold gently with a spatula, lifting the mixture from the bottom up, to keep as much air as possible.
- Spread and bake. Pour the mixture onto the tray and spread it into an even rectangle 1 cm thick. Bake on shelf 2 for 8 to 10 minutes. The sponge is done when it feels springy and bounces back when you press it with a finger.
- Roll while warm. Dampen a clean tea towel and wring it out well. Turn the sponge out onto the towel, peel off the paper, then roll sponge and towel together, starting from the short side. Leave to cool like this.
- The syrup. Bring the water and sugar to the boil for 1 minute on setting 7. Add the rum if you like, and leave to cool.
- Whip the ganache. Add the remaining 15 cl of cold cream to the cooled ganache and whisk with an electric whisk for 2 to 3 minutes, until it has a chantilly-like texture. Don't whisk for too long: it would become grainy.
- Fill and roll. Gently unroll the sponge. Brush it with syrup. Spread a third of the ganache, then roll up again, this time without the towel, pressing firmly.
- Cover and decorate. Place the log on the serving plate, seam side down. Cut both ends on the diagonal. Cover with the remaining ganache and draw the bark with the tines of a fork. Keep in the fridge for at least 2 hours. Before serving, dust with icing sugar and decorate with red berries and rosemary.
Appliance settings
| Step | Appliance and mode | Setting | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heat the cream | Induction hob | Setting 6 | 3 to 4 min, until it just simmers |
| Baking the sponge | Oven, conventional heat | 200 °C, shelf level 2 | 8 to 10 min |
| Baking the sponge (variation) | Oven, fan-assisted | 180 °C, shelf level 2 | 8 to 9 min |
| Syrup | Induction hob | Level 7 | 1 min at the boil |
| Setting the log | Fridge | 4 °C | 2 h minimum, ideally overnight |
The sponge is very thin: one minute too many and it dries out. Stay near the oven and test it from 8 minutes.
Variations
- With speculoos : sprinkle the ganache with crumbs of homemade spéculoos before rolling.
- Chocolate and pear : add diced poached pear to the filling.
- Praline : mix 80 g of praline paste into the warm ganache.
- Lighter version : fill with mascarpone chantilly and raspberries, and keep the ganache for the topping only.
Storage and advance preparation
The yule log can be made the day before Christmas Eve, it's even recommended. It keeps 3 days in the fridge, in a box or under a cloche so it doesn't pick up odours. Take it out 15 minutes before serving so the ganache is softer. It also freezes 1 month, without the decoration.
For a clean cut, dip your knife in very hot water and wipe it between each slice. And for the chocolate, use Belgian dark couverture chocolate, between 55 and 65%: beyond that, the ganache becomes bitter for children. With the leftover chocolate, make a few truffles to serve with coffee.
Which appliance?
For a Swiss roll, you need an oven that heats evenly across the whole tray: otherwise one corner burns while the middle stays raw.
An oven with conventional heating and bottom heat
For pastry, choose an oven that offers conventional heating and bottom heat. Examples: Smeg SFP61TB3FR (Linea, pyrolytic, 10 modes, up to 280 °C), Beko BCBIM17604KSBMPS (pyrolytic, 3D hot air, Wi-Fi), Whirlpool OMR55RR0B (conventional heating, pizza mode, pyrolytic and hydrolysis cleaning).
From €629.99 to €759.99
A pyrolytic oven with 3D fan heat
Siemens HB574ABR3F (iQ300, 3D forced air, cookControl10) or Bosch HBA571BB4 (Series 2, Hotair 3D, AutoPilot 10).
£809.99 and £649.99
Precise induction
Smeg SIB2641D: four zones, Bridge zone and nine power levels.
599,99 €
Public prices noted on 15 October 2026: the product page is definitive, and Nimesclub members often get a reduced price.
Ovens for baking in store
SMEG SFP61TB3FR built-in oven€759.00
Built-in oven BEKO BCBIM17604KSBMPS€629.00
Built-in oven WHIRLPOOL OMR55RR0B€749.00
Built-in Oven BOSCH HBA571BB4€649.00
Built-in oven SIEMENS HB574ABR3F€543.00
Hob SMEG SIB2641D€599.00Conventional or fan oven for your sponges? Our guide to oven functions helps you choose. Fancy an even more spectacular festive dessert? Try theBaked Alaska.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my Swiss roll crack?
It's overbaked or it cooled flat. Take it out as soon as it's springy to the touch (8 to 10 minutes), and roll it immediately in a damp tea towel. It will then keep the shape of the roll and no longer crack.
How many days ahead can you make the yule log?
The day before is ideal: the sponge soaks up the ganache and the log slices more neatly. It keeps for 3 days in the fridge, under a cloche or in a box.
Can you freeze a chocolate yule log?
Yes, for up to 1 month, without the decoration. Thaw it overnight in the fridge, then decorate it before serving.
The right oven makes all the difference
Steam ovens, pyrolytic ovens, induction hobs: come and see them at our Temploux store, or ask our expert salesperson for advice.
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