Fresh Fruit Christmas Log from Le Cordon Bleu International
SERVES 10-12PREPARE: 1 ½ hours
COOK: 8 minutes
REFRIGERATE: 1 hour
Ingredients
:Chocolate Sponge
3 egg yolks
75 g caster sugar
3 egg whites
70 g flour, sifted
15 g unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
75 g caster sugar
3 egg whites
70 g flour, sifted
15 g unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
Chocolate Cream
40 g dark chocolate
1 leaf gelatine
150 ml milk
2 egg yolks
50 g caster sugar
20 g cornflour
200 ml whipping cream
1 leaf gelatine
150 ml milk
2 egg yolks
50 g caster sugar
20 g cornflour
200 ml whipping cream
Chocolate Syrup
100 ml water
100 g caster sugar
10 g unsweetened cocoa powder
100 g caster sugar
10 g unsweetened cocoa powder
Fruit
200 g strawberries
1 pear, diced
100 g raspberries
100 g blackberries
1 kiwi, diced
1 pear, diced
100 g raspberries
100 g blackberries
1 kiwi, diced
Decoration
Kiwis, pears, raspberries,
strawberries, blackberries
Icing sugar
Preheat the oven to 180ºC (355ºF). Line a 30 x
38 cm oven tray with baking parchment.Icing sugar
Chocolate Sponge: Combine the egg yolks and 25 g of the sugar; beat until pale yellow and creamy. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites, gradually adding the remaining sugar until stiff peaks form; gently incorporate the egg yolk-sugar mixture. Fold in the sifted flour and cocoa powder. Pour the sponge batter into the prepared tin and smooth with a palette knife. Bake for about 8 minutes, or until firm but springy to the touch. Cool on a rack.
Chocolate Cream: Chop the chocolate and set aside in a large bowl. Soften the leaf gelatine in a bowl of cold water. Bring the milk to the boil and remove from the heat. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar until pale yellow and creamy; add the cornflour. Slowly whisk in half the hot milk then add the remaining milk; return the mixture to the saucepan and stir continuously over low heat until thickened. Continue stirring and boil for 1 minute; remove from the heat. Squeeze the excess water from the leaf gelatine and add it to the hot milk mixture. Pour over the chopped chocolate and stir until smooth; cool. Cover the surface with cling film, stir from time to time and set aside to cool. Beat the whipping cream until firm and gently fold into the cooled chocolate cream.
Chocolate Syrup: Place the water, sugar and cocoa powder in a saucepan and stir over low heat until the sugar is completely dissolved then, bring to the boil; cool.
Finishing: Fold the fruit carefully into the chocolate cream. Line a 35 cm log mould with a piece of baking parchment larger than the mould. Cut the chocolate sponge into 2 rectangles, 13 x 35 cm and 5 x 35 cm. Place the larger rectangle in the mould (it will come up the sides) and brush with chocolate syrup. Fill with the chocolate-fruit cream, mounding the cream towards the top. Brush the smaller rectangle with chocolate syrup and place on top log. Refrigerate for 1 hour then carefully invert the log and tip it out onto a platter. Decorate with fruit and dust with icing sugar.
© 2010 Le Cordon Bleu International
