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Christmas Log
SERVES: 8 • 1 HOUR 30 MINUTES
Ingredients:
For the Swiss Roll:
130g caster sugar
2 tbsp water
4 large eggs, separated
2 tsp mixed spice
70g almond meal
80g self-raising flour
20g icing sugar
For the Nougat Cream:
250g cream cheese, softened
150g white chocolate, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract
100g soft nougat, chopped into small pieces
For the Italian Meringue:
100mL water
100g caster sugar
2 egg whites
Directions:
Preheat oven to 170˚C and line a 22cm x 30cm Swiss roll tin with baking paper.
Place sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring until the sugar dissolves, then remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.
Add egg yolks to the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on low speed for 1 minute, then add mixed spice and continue beating for a further 2 minutes. Carefully drizzle the sugar mixture down the side of the bowl to add it into the egg mixture. Increase speed to medium and beat for 4 minutes or until thick and creamy.
Use a spatula to gently fold almond meal and self-raising flour into the mixture.
In a clean bowl, beat egg whites to soft peaks. Gradually, one third of the mix at a time, fold the first mixture through the egg white mixture.
Put batter into the Swiss roll tin and bake for 15 minutes or until the cake springs back when touched in the centre. Remove from oven and set aside.
Sift half the icing sugar over the cake and cover with a clean tea towel. Place a wire rack on top and flip so that the wire rack is on the bottom. Remove the tray and peel away baking paper. Dust with the remaining icing sugar.
Starting at one of the short ends, roll the cake while it is still warm with the tea towel inside. Leave to rest for 20 minutes and then unroll and set aside to cool completely.
Make the nougat cream by adding cream cheese, chocolate and vanilla to a bowl and whisking to combine. Add chopped nougat and fold through with a spatula.
Make Italian meringue by adding water and sugar to a small saucepan and heating the syrup to 115˚C without stirring.
When the syrup reaches 110˚C start beating the egg whites in an electric mixer. When they are foamy but not yet firm, gradually pour the hot sugar syrup into the egg whites as they continue whipping on low to medium speed. When all the syrup is added increase the speed to medium-high and continue until the meringue reaches stiff peaks.
To assemble cake: Spread the nougat cream over the sponge leaving a 2-centimetre border at the short end furthest away from you. Scatter nougat pieces over the cream. Roll the cake up as you did before and transfer to a serving platter.
Cover the cake with Italian meringue and use a spoon to make swirls in the meringue. Use a kitchen blow torch to gently brown.
Add a small gingerbread house to the top to decorate.