Fabulous Vanilla Yule Log

With Bruno Albouze, get ready to dive into the mesmerizing world of sweet and decadent desserts with this exquisite Yule Log Cake recipe that can also be turned into round cakes. This all-out vanilla delight is a true masterpiece, offering an incredible combination of textures and flavors that will delight your taste buds. Imagine a soft and tender vanilla biscuit as the base, layered with a gooey vanilla dulce de leche filling, a rich and creamy vanilla praliné spread, and a luscious vanilla mousse to top it all off. The log lays on a buttery sablé Breton, adding a delightful crunch to each bite. Are you ready to take your dessert game to the next level with this show-stopping Yule Log Cake? Join me in the kitchen as we explore the secrets behind creating this mouthwatering treat that is sure to impress all your family and friends.

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An explosion of flavor

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Vanilla Mousse

Soak gelatin in cold water to soften; drain and set aside. Scrape seeds out from vanilla beans, and cut pods with scissors. Add vanilla seeds and pods in heavy cream (500g). Bring to a boil, cover and let infuse for 20 minutes or so. Reheat the infused heavy cream, and sieve over white chocolate (save vanilla scraps for the almond praliné). Mix using an immersion blender. Add the softened gelatin and mix. Add remaining chilled heavy cream; blend well and chill overnight.

Vanilla Dulce Del Leche

To turn condensed milk into caramel; fill a deep medium saucepan with water. Ensure the can is completely covered with water at all times during cooking for 2:30 hours. Carefully remove the can from the boiling water. Allow to cool to room temperature before opening. Soak gelatin in cold water to soften; drain. Transfer dulce de leche in a small saucepan and heat up on low heat, add vanilla and salt. Stir occasionally to prevent burning. Remove from the heat and transfer mixture into a narrow container. Add gelatin and mix using an immersion blender. Cool to 140ºF/60ºC, add butter and blend. Keep at room temperature.

Vanilla Infused Oil

Warm up oil with some saved vanilla pods cut into pieces (Do not boil). Transfer into a narrow container, mix with an immersion blender; sieve. Vanilla infused oil can be stored for months.

Soft Vanilla Biscuit

Melt butter with vanilla; let cool to room temperature; but still in melted stage. Meanwhile, mix dry ingredients; almond meal, sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the egg white, egg yolks, heavy cream and butter. Preheat oven to 350ºF/180ºC. In a clean mixing bowl, beat on medium speed the egg whites (120g) along with a third of the sugar for 5 minutes or more. When ready, set mixer on high, add remaining sugar and beat until medium-firm peaks. Fold a third of the meringue into the almond vanilla butter mixture – add remaining meringue. Fill up prepared molds, or baking trays. Even out using an offset spatula. Bake for 30 minutes. Cool and chill. Warm up bottom mold quickly prior un-molding. Prick biscuit with a fork or a pizza dough docker. Moisturize biscuit generously with the vanilla infused oil. For the yule log, trim and cut out biscuit into 2 rectangles that would fit loosely in the yule log mold. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.

Almond Praliné Paste

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, bring the water and sugar to a boil over medium heat, stirring only until the sugar dissolves. Continue cooking without stirring until the syrup reaches the "thread stage" (230°F/110°C on a candy thermometer), which should take about 5 minutes. Carefully stir in the almonds and salt. The mixture will become thick and gritty. Continue stirring constantly. The sugar will first crystallize into a dry, sandy coating around the almonds. Keep cooking and stirring over medium heat. The crystallized sugar will then slowly melt and caramelize, turning a deep amber color. This entire process from adding the nuts to finished caramel should take about 10-15 minutes. Immediately pour the caramelized almonds onto a silicone mat. Let cool completely. Break the hardened praliné block into small pieces. Place them in a food processor. Process continuously, scraping down the sides as needed. The mixture will go from coarse crumbs to a fine powder, then to a thick paste, and finally to a smooth paste. If the mixture warms up too much, refrigerate for 20 minutes. If needed, add a small drizzle of neutral oil and process again until smooth and creamy.

Vanilla Sablé Breton/French Butter Cookie

In a food processor, pulse the butter, sugar, almond meal, salt, and vanilla until creamy. Add the egg yolks and pulse until incorporated. Finally, add the flour and baking powder, and pulse just until a dough forms. Do not overmix.
Place the dough between two sheets of parchment paper. Roll it out to a uniform ¼-inch/6mm thickness. Transfer the rolled-out dough (still inside the parchment) to a baking sheet and freeze until firm, about 20-30 minutes.
While the dough is chilling, cut a piece of parchment paper or cardstock to match the exact size and shape of the base of your Yule log mold. This will be your guide for cutting the cake base.

Baking Crust

Preheat fan oven to 350°F/180°C. Bake sablé Breton for 25 minutes. Use a sharp knife to cut around the template to create the base for the log or cake. You can also cut additional shapes from the remaining dough if desired.

Yule Log Montage

Assemble the Fillings (Upside Down). Whip about 70% of the chilled vanilla ganache montée to soft peaks. Do not overwhip. Using an offset spatula, cover the entire inner surface of your mold with a ½-inch/1.25 cm thick, even layer of the whipped vanilla mousse. This will become the outer layer of your log. Place the mold in the freezer for 15-20 minutes to firm up the outer mousse layer. Add a layer of dulce de leche (use half of the mixture per cake). Lay over the moistened soft biscuit. Pipe half of the almond praliné over and then the mousse almost to the top, leaving some free space for the crust. Enclose with the sablé Breton crust, pressing it down gently but firmly to form the base of the log. Freeze cake overnight until completely solid. Then de-mold. Place the log onto a cake board and freeze.

Finishing the Yule Log

Whip the remaining vanilla ganache montée to medium-soft peaks. Use an offset spatula to cover the whole surface of the log. Create a few strokes to resemble the wood log shape. Decorate the log with some white chocolate shavings, and a dry vanilla bean. Add more Christmas decorations if desired. Allow it to thaw gradually in the refrigerator overnight a day before being served. Enjoy!

Fabulous Vanilla Cake (Built in Stainless Steel Ring)

Begin with the sablé Breton base. Trim it to be slightly smaller than the diameter of the stainless steel cake ring. Place the cake ring on a flat tray or cake board and line it with an acetate cake collar. Insert the crust. Spread a layer of the whipped vanilla ganache montée around the inner sides of the ring and add some over the crust. Top with the soft biscuit, add a layer of praliné followed by the dulce de leche. Fill the ring to the top with the remaining vanilla mousse. Use an offset spatula to smooth the surface evenly. Freeze the cake overnight, before de-molding. Un-mold and finish it as suggested above.

Storage

The Yule log/cake can be made ahead of time (up to 3 months) for easier planning. Upon frozen, it is best to store the cake in its mold, as this makes it easier to handle and prevents damage. Or, the frozen cake can be un-molded, tightly wrapped, and returned to the freezer for longer storage.