Tiramisu Yule Log
An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott
Preparation time: 45 minutes plus 1 hour freezing time
Cooking time: 15 minutes
This cake is best made the day before
- 3/4 cup plain flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup caster or superfine sugar
- 1/4 cup cocoa, divided in two for rolling the sponge and for dusting on top
Filling and decoration
- 500g/1.1lbs mascarpone
- 600ml/21flozs. cream
- 1.5 cups icing sugar, sifted
- 3 tablespoons marsala or dessert wine
- 50ml/1.7flozs coffee, cold
- 3 tablespoons cocoa plus extra to sift
- 2 tablespoons black cocoa
- Red currants and rosemary to decorate
Step 1 - Preheat oven to 170C/340F and line a large Swiss roll tin with baking parchment. Spray with oil on both sides so that it sticks to the tray but also so that the surface that the cake batter sits on is greased too.
Step 2 - Whisk flour, baking powder and salt together. In an electric mixer whisk the eggs and sugar until thick and fluffy. Make a well in the centre of the flour and add the egg mixture folding so that the mixture is cohesive but do not overmix.
Step 3 - Spread out into the prepared tray using an angled spatula to reach to all of the sides. You want it thin so don't worry and it will stretch out to the corners-I believe in you. Bake for 15-17 minutes.
Step 4 - While it is baking place a tea towel on a bench and then tear off a large piece of parchment and sprinkle the cocoa on the parchment. When the cake is cooked, place it on the cocoa dusted parchment and dust with more cocoa and use the tea towel to roll it up. Cool completely.
Step 5 - Whisk the mascarpone until smooth. Then add the cream until you start to get billowy peaks and then add the icing sugar, marsala and coffee. Roll out the cake carefully and spread about 2/3 of the mixture over the cake on an even thickness. Roll back up and wrap up in the parchment. Place in the freezer for about an hour.
Step 6 - Add both cocoas to the remaining mascarpone cream. Place the roll on a serving plate. Cut off one triangle and place on top or next to the main log. Spread with the dark chocolate mascarpone cream smoothing it down with an angled spatula.
Step 7 - Take a fork and make tree bark swirls and marks. Decorate with dusted cocoa, red currants and rosemary. Refrigerate - this cake is best served the next day once the mascarpone and cream has absorbed into the cake.