Salted Pecan Praline Yule Log

GALLERY

Servings: 10
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 10-12 minutes

Ingredients

For the Genoese sponge:
20g (¾ oz) Stork, melted
85g (3 oz) caster sugar
3 medium eggs
85g (3 oz) self-raising flour
2 tablespoons cocoa powder

For the icing:
85g (3 oz) Stork
225g (8 oz) icing sugar, sieved with
2 tablespoons cocoa
2-3 teaspoons semi skimmed milk
2 tablespoons chestnut puree

For the Praline
55g (2 oz) caster sugar
55g (2 oz) pecan nuts
Large pinch sea salt crystals

Method
Place the eggs and sugar in a bowl and whisk over gently simmering water (do not allow bowl to touch water) until light and thick and mix leaves a ribbon trail when whisk is lifted out. Gently fold in the flour and cocoa using a spatula and finally drizzle in the melted Stork and fold in.

Pour the mixture into a greased and lined 32 x 20cm (13 x 8 inches) Swiss roll tin and gently spread evenly.

Bake in preheated oven 200°C, 190°C fan, Gas mark 6 for 10 - 12 minutes until springy to the touch and slightly shrinking from the sides. Remove from oven and turn out onto a sheet of baking parchment sprinkled with sugar.

Trim edges and roll up with the parchment paper inside. Leave to cool.

Place ingredients for icing in a bowl and beat together until smooth. Gently unroll Swiss roll and spread half the icing over. Re-roll without the greaseproof paper, then cover the surface with remaining icing. Mark with a fork to resemble a log.

For the praline, place the ingredients in a heavy based pan and place over a gentle heat. Shake the pan at intervals until the sugar melts and turns a golden caramel colour. Turn out onto parchment paper and leave to cool. Use a rolling pin to break into smaller pieces and use to scatter over the log. Lightly dust with icing sugar.

Decorate with marzipan holly leaves and berries if liked.