Christmas chocolate log with chestnuts

Ingredients

Preparation:

Log

Spread the chestnut cream all over the cake, leaving about an 1cm. border in its perimeter. Facing one of the large ends, start forming the cake into a roll by lifting the baking paper. Fold the log tightly with the baking paper, using your hands to tighten it up, and also a spatula to combine into an even and complete mixture.

Transfer the log into a plate and use a spatula to evenly spread the buttercream in about a 0.5cm thick layer all over the log. 

Decorate the log with the candied chestnuts, raspberries, grated chocolate, and sprinkle with a little sieved cocoa to finish.

 

Cake

Beat the eggs and sugar in a mixer with the wire whisk until they become fluffy, white, and creamy. Add the meringue in two parts into the egg mix and gently stir with a rubber spatula until well combined. Add flour in 2-3 parts and stir with the rubber spatula until fully incorporated. Transfer the cake mix into a 30×40cm baking tray lined with baking paper and spread the cake mix uniformly over the tray.

Preheat the oven at 230oC and bake for approximately 6 minutes until evenly brown. Remove the cake from the oven, let chill for 1-2 minutes, flip the cake over onto a 40×60cm baking paper, and carefully remove the paper you used for baking the cake in the oven.

Use a brush to evenly spread the syrup all over the cake, transfer in a baking dish along with the baking paper and leave in the fridge to chill for about 5 minutes.

 

Dark rum syrup

Pour all ingredients in a cooking pot, place over high flame and remove once it comes to boil. Leave for a few minutes to let the syrup cool down to room temperature.

 

Chestnut cream

Use a wire whisk to combine the eggs, corn flour and sugar in a bowl. Place a cooking pot over medium flame, pour in the OLYMPOS cream 35%, OLYMPOS Milk 3.7% fat, chestnut paste, salt, and let heat until just before boiling. Use a rod blender to beat the cream mix until the chestnut paste is fully dissolved. Slowly pour the egg mix into the cream mix, continue whisking with the wire whisk, and once it curdles, remove the pot from the flame. Transfer the cream in a bowl, firmly cover with clingfilm and leave in the fridge for about 1 hour to let the cream cool and thicken. Take the cream out of the fridge, transfer into a mixing bowl and beat with a wire whisk until fluffy. Add candied chestnuts and hazelnuts and stir to combine.

 

Chestnut buttercream

Heat a cooking pot over low to medium flame, add OLYMPOS cow milk butter, dark rum, water, sugar and salt, and stir periodically until the OLYMPOS cow milk butter is fully melted. Pour in the OLYMPOS cow milk butter, chestnut paste, and cinnamon powder into a blender bowl and beat in high speed until all ingredients are evenly combined. Transfer the buttercream in a bowl, cover with clingfilm and leave in the fridge to slightly cool for about 15 minutes.