CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT YULE LOG

Steps:

• Preparing the cake: 1. If you don't have prepared hazelnut flour then read my recipe "https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/side/other-side-dish/blanching-and-pulverizing-nuts.html". 2. Heat the oven to 225°C. 3. Beat the egg whites and the smaller amount of sugar as a stable meringue. 4. In a separate bowl, beat the whole eggs as a froth with the larger amount of sugar. 5. Fold in the meringue. 6. Add the wheat flour through a sieve and fold it in until just combined. Finally, mix in the hazelnut flour and vanilla extract, then the melted butter. 7. Line a deep oven sheet with baking paper ja spread the batter on it evenly. 8. Bake the cake in the oven for 7 minutes. Immediately lay it in on a cool base and put another baking paper on top of it. Flip it over with the papers and let it cool.
• Preparing the chocolate mousse: 1. Beat the yolks and whole eggs even in a bowl. 2. Bring the sugar and water to a boil. Lower the heat to medium high and boil the syrup without stirring until the temperature reaches 118°C. If you don't have a thermometer then boiling it for about three minutes will do. 3. Keep whisking the egg mix while you pour in the hot syrup - not too close to the edge so the sugar won't stick to the bowl. The hot sugar will pasteurize the eggs. Mix until frothy and cooled. 4. In a separate bowl whip the heavy cream until it's stable and airy. 5. Cut the chocolate into pieces and and melt it in a double boiler. Pour it in a clean bowl and fold in about one third of the whipped cream. Then add the egg mix and the rest of the whipped cream in turns. 6. Let the mousse sit in the fridge if you want it to become more stable. This might be helpful if you want the log to appear rounder.
• Preparing the chocolate bark: 1. Chop the chocolate finely. 2. Temper the chocolate so it solidifies as shiny and snappy: First melt half of the chocolate in the double boiler. Take the molten chocolate out of the hot water bath and keep mixing the rest of the chocolate in until it has also been dissolved. Keep stirring until 32°C, the ideal temperature has been reached. 3. Spread the tempered chocolate evenly on a baking or parchment paper, just wide enough to cover the entire log. Let it solidify; it will only take a few minutes in the fridge. If some arching occurs it will be normal. 4. Snap the chocolate bark as strips by hand. Cut it into smaller pieces if needed.
• Assembly: 1. Peel the baking paper off the bottom of the cake. Spread from half to two thirds of the mousse on the skin side of the cake, leaving enough for the icing. 2. Roll the cake and rewrap it into the baking paper. Let it set in the fridge. 3. Once the log has cooled down cut off the ends slightly diagonally. 4. Paste them on top of the log with the mousse so they become cut off branches. Cover the rest of the log with the mousse except for the cutting parts. 5. Paste the chocolate bark pieces onto the uncovered mousse. 6. Add any details you want (rain of powdered sugar, more decorations etc).