Yule Log or Buche de Noel (egg-free)

I’ve spent years and years trying to perfect my Yule Log recipe, but a rolled sponge is so difficult without springy eggs. I usually have a few attempts and then revert back to my carved up chocolate cake – it still tastes great and does the job but my desire to make a good roulade has not gone away!

Not only have I make my own attempts but I’ve tried numerous vegan roulade recipes – they’re never quite right – a bit too dense, dry and crumbly or just a disaster! You wouldn’t believe how many failed roulades I’ve thrown away. But every Christmas time, I give it another go!

But here at last we have a good recipe – I wouldn’t say it’s 100% perfect as yet as the sponge is prone to cracking when you unroll it – but once filled and rerolled up it sticks together quite well and does give lovely swirls inside. So the recipe is here so it’s in time for Christmas and I will tweak it as improvements occur.

I was so busy making attempt after attempt at the sponge I haven’t yet finished off the outside – it’s going to be a whipped ganache (recipe here) and I’ll add the photos once the final version is made. Although it still looks pretty dramatic with a simple dusting of icing sugar.

I’ve opted for a light cheesecake filling which works wonderfully with the dark sponge but feel free to use a jam, buttercream or sweetened whipped cream if you prefer.

lucylox

Yule Log or Buche de Noel

a beautiful chocolate roulade filled with cheesecake cream

dairy-free, egg-free, nut-free, sesame-free, soya-free, vegetarian and vegan

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 12 minutes mins

cooling time 1 hour hr

Servings: 6

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: French

Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients

  

• 120 g plain flour
• 30 g cocoa powder
• 20 g cornflour
• 120 g caster sugar
• 1/4 tsp xanthan gum
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 120 g dairy-free milk
• 50 g flavourless oil
• 50 g water
• 1/2 tsp vinegar or lemon juice
• 1 tbsp caster sugar to dust the parchment before rolling

cheesecake cream filling

• 50 g dairy-free cream cheese i like Oatly creamy spread
• 25 g dairy-free margarine
• 200 g icing sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Equipment

• 1 baking tray
• non-stick baking parchment

Method

 

To make the sponge

1. Preheat the oven to 170℃ and line a baking tray with non-stick parchment
2. Pour all the dry ingredients into a large bowl (the first 7 ingredients listed), whisk to combine and then make a well in the centre
3. In another bowl or jog combine all the wet ingredients. Pour into the well in the dry ingredients and gradually whisk together until you have a nice smooth paste
4. Pour onto the lined baking sheet and evenly spread out.
5. Bake for 12 minutes until risen and cooked through
6. Leave to cool for a couple of minutes. Meanwhile, sprinkle the 1tbsp caster sugar over another sheet of parchment. Flip over the roulade sponge and then using the parchment, roll up into a tight cylinder. Leave to fully cool.
7. As the sponge is cooling, whisk together the filling ingredients.
8. Once fully cool, very carefully unroll the cylinder (it may crack but you can glue it back together with the filling if necessary
9. Spread the cheesecake cream over the unrolled sponge and carefully roll back up.
10. Sprinkle with icing sugar or cover with whipped ganache (link in the write up above)
11. This sponge is best eaten within a couple of days