Who can resist a chocolatey yule log on Christmas day? This one made by our friends over at Biona is refined sugar free, suitable for vegans and contains two helpings of super-cacao - a sure crowd pleaser!
Ingredients:
For the cake:
4 tbsp Aduna Super Cacao Powder
100g wholemeal plain flour
100g ground almonds
100g Biona coconut sugar
6 tbsp Biona coconut oil, melted
2 tbsp Biona ground flaxseed
80g Biona cranberries
1 tsp baking powder
100ml water
For the filling:
400ml Biona coconut milk, chilled
For the icing:
2 tbsp Aduna Super Cacao Powder
400ml Biona coconut milk, chilled
3 tbsp Biona maple agave syrup
Optional:
Desiccated coconut, to decorate
Method:
For the filling and icing, the coconut milk needs to be a thick cream. Leave the 2 tins of coconut milk in the fridge for at least 12 hours so that the cream separates from the water.
For the yule log: Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan and line a 34cm x 25cm swiss roll tin with parchment paper.
Mix up the ground flaxseed with 4 tablespoons of water in a small bowl and leave in the fridge for 5 minutes.
In a large mixing bowl add the wholemeal flour, ground almonds, baking powder, coconut sugar, coconut oil, cranberries, 100ml of water and 4 tablespoons of super-cacao powder. Mix until you have a smooth batter and then pour into your lined baking tray and spread out evenly. Place in the oven for 10-12 minutes.
Get a fresh piece of parchment paper laid out on your work surface, this will be used to roll the sponge. When the sponge is ready, leave to cool for about 10 minutes and then carefully flip the sponge upside down onto the fresh parchment paper. Cut off any burnt bits from the sides of the sponge, about 2cm from the edge.
With the paper, start to roll the sponge. Keeping rolling the sponge and the paper together. If the sponge begins to crack or break, the cream filling will glue it all together.
Leave to cool for about 1 hour.
For the filling: Take 1 tin of the coconut milks from the fridge and open it from the bottom. There should be water floating on top of the cream which can be discarded. Scoop out the cream from the bottom into a bowl. Leave the cream to soften up for about 5 minutes, while you wait you can unroll the sponge. The sponge may have split or broken in some places, but just make sure to push the sponge together so there are no visible breaks.
Spread the cream over the sponge about half a centimetre from the sides.
Roll the sponge again - use the paper to start rolling, however this time the paper will not roll with the sponge. Use the paper to gently roll up the sponge to the very end. Place the log on a plate and put in the fridge for about 30 minutes to set the cream.
For the icing: Take the second tin of coconut milk and open the same way as the first tin. Mix the thick cream with 2 tablespoons of Super-Cacao powder and 3 tablespoons of maple agave syrup.
Take the log out of the fridge and spread the icing all over. Use a fork to make the log pattern and sprinkle with desiccated coconut. Put back in the fridge for another 30 minutes before serving.
Enjoy!
Recipe by Biona
