25 Days of Christmas Recipes, Day 17: Ginger Yule Log with Biscuit Filling and Butterscotch Sauce

Day 17 of our Advent Culinary Adventure. Welcome to a true fusion of my two homes: Britain and France. You can’t go anywhere around France around Christmas time without finding a Buche De Noel (a Yule Log to us Brits). In my Supermarket alone I can already find Buche De Noel’s of multiple different flavours in the pastry fridges and in the freezers ready for Christmas Day. I knew that I wanted to make one for my Christmas Recipes but I wanted it to be new and different.

Gingerbread/Ginger Cake is a very popular cake in Britain, especially around the North of England where I’m from. It’s my Mum’s favourite cake, it’s a cake I remember fondly sharing with my friend ‘Pepsi’ after visiting a University for the first time. In Yorkshire we have our own version called Ginger Parkin/Parkin. All these cakes feature two necessary ingredients: Powdered Ginger and Black Treacle (an ingredient impossible to find in France except from British retailers). This Buche De Noel is a combination of both my homes: a French Yule Log made in the flavour of a popular Yorkshire/Northern English cake. The biscuit spread filling compliments it perfectly as it adds creaminess without distracting from the lovely, light and flavoursome sponge.

Ingredients:

SPONGE

• 6 Medium Whole Eggs
• 2 Medium Egg Yolks
• 200g Caster Sugar
• 60g Soft Brown Sugar
• 1tbsp Black Treacle
• 170g Plain Flour
• 2tsp Ginger Powder
• 1tsp Mixed Spice
• Pinch of salt
• 2tbsp Melted Butter

FILLING

• 230g Biscuit Spread
• 150g Cream Cheese
• 100ml Double Cream
• Pinch of Salt

BUTTERSCOTCH TOPPING

• 60g Salted Butter
• 100g Soft Brown Sugar
• 250ml Double Cream
• 1tbsp Cornflour

Method:

SPONGE

1. Preheat oven to 230 degrees C/Gas Mark 8.
2. Line a large 28 by 38cm edged tray with baking paper, using butter to hold your baking paper down.
3. Find a large pan that fits a large bowl over the top. The bowl shouldn’t go past the middle of the pan.
4. Fill the pan with water up to the point below the bowl, but don’t put the bowl on top just yet. Put the pan on the hob on a high heat and allow to come to the boil. Turn down to a simmer.
5. Sieve your flour, salt and spices three times between two separate small-medium bowls (not your big bowl). Keep your sieve for later. Have your melted butter ready for later.
6. In your bowl, put your eggs, egg yolks, sugar and black treacle. Mix slightly and then put over your simmering water.
7. Remove your pan from the heat, leaving the bowl on top, and whisk with an electric whisk until your mixture becomes fluffy and light. It should leave behind ribbons on the surface when you lift the whisk across it.
8. Sieve your flour mixture over your eggs.
9. Fold in your flour gently, making a figure of eight with your silicon spatula or wooden spoon, taking care to knock as little air out as possible. Stop as soon as you can no longer see traces of flour.
10. Gently fold in your melted butter.
11. Pour into your prepared tray and gently tilt the pan until it covers the base. Put in the oven and bake for 5-8 minutes.
12. Check your sponge with a toothpick to check it has cooked before removing from the oven. The toothpick should come away clean.
13. Get a piece of baking paper the size of your sponge and sprinkle caster sugar over its surface. Tip your sponge on top and slowly and gently remove the baking paper from the bottom.
14. 2cm from one of your smallest ends, cut a slit ¾ way through the sponge. Roll up your sponge tightly whilst warm, using your baking paper underneath to help you roll. 
15. Place a clean, damp tea towel over the top of the sponge whilst you make your filling and topping.

BISCUIT FILLING

1. Put all the ingredients for the filling into a medium-sized bowl and beat until smooth.

BUTTERSCOTCH TOPPING

1. Put your cream into a medium pan and place on a high heat.
2. Bring to the boil and then quickly add your butter, brown sugar and cornflour. Turn the heat down to a simmer and cook for three minutes or until your sugar has dissolved, stirring with a whisk constantly.
3. Remove from the heat and pass through a sieve to remove any lumps.
4. Leave to cool before pouring over your assembled roll (below). 

ASSEMBLEY 

1. When you’re ready to assemble, uncover and gently unroll your sponge.
2. Spread a layer of your filling over the sponge, leaving a 1cm edge around the sides.
3. Re-roll your sponge again.
4. Cut off the two end slices.
5. Carefully, with a tablespoon pour your Butterscotch Topping over the top of the roll, letting it run down the sides. Stop when you’ve covered the entire top of the roll (you can use the rest as a dipping sauce for another desert or serve alongside your roll, warm or cold).
6. Move your sponge to its serving plate.
7. Top with whatever you wish: toasted marshmallows, crumbled biscuits/pretzels, whole biscuits or chocolates—whatever you fancy… Serve with whipped cream or ice-cream and enjoy.