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Chocolate Hazelnut Caramel Yule Log

A luxurious and layered dessert featuring a chocolate sponge filled with hazelnut praline and topped with a rich ganache and rocher glaze, perfect for holiday gatherings.
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Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 6 hours
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert, Holiday
Cuisine: French
Calories: 350
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Chocolate Sponge
  • 60 ml Oil Grape seed oil or neutral oil (like sunflower or peanut)
  • 120 ml Milk Bring to room temperature
  • 75 g Flour
  • 30 g Cocoa Unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 pinch Salt
  • 3 large Egg yolks
  • 3 large Egg whites
  • 1 tsp Vinegar White vinegar
  • 75 g Sugar
  • 25 g Hazelnut powder
For the Hazelnut Praline
  • 100 g Raw skinless hazelnuts Toasted till uniformly colored
  • 100 g Sugar For praline
  • 30 ml Water For praline
  • 1 tsp Fleur de sel Or fine salt
For the Hazelnut Whipped Ganache
  • 3 sheets Gelatin Soaked in cold water
  • 200 g Dark couverture chocolate 66% cocoa
  • 200 ml Hot cream
  • 200 ml Cold cream
  • 100 g Hazelnut praline From previous preparation
For the Rocher Glaze
  • 100 g Milk couverture chocolate 33.6% cocoa
  • 100 g Dark couverture chocolate 66% cocoa
  • 40 ml Grape seed oil
  • 50 g Crushed toasted hazelnuts
For Assembly and Decoration
  • 150 g Salted butter caramel
  • 50 g Toasted hazelnuts
  • 50 g Crunchy chocolate pearls

Method
 

Make the Chocolate Sponge
  1. Mix the oil and milk, then add flour, cocoa, and salt.
  2. Incorporate egg yolks and mix thoroughly.
  3. Whip egg whites with vinegar, gradually adding sugar until stiff peaks form.
  4. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter followed by hazelnut powder.
  5. Spread the batter on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 20 minutes at 170°C.
  6. Let cool slightly, roll in parchment and a towel, and set aside.
Prepare Hazelnut Praline
  1. Toast hazelnuts until uniformly colored.
  2. Make a syrup with water and sugar, then add hazelnuts to caramelize.
  3. Spread on a non-stick surface, let cool, crush, and blend until smooth, adding fleur de sel.
Prepare Hazelnut Whipped Ganache
  1. Soak gelatin in cold water.
  2. Melt chocolate and mix with hot cream.
  3. Add cold cream and hazelnut praline, blend, and let rest overnight in the refrigerator.
  4. Whip to firm consistency the next day.
Make Rocher Glaze
  1. Melt both chocolates together.
  2. Add grape seed oil and crushed hazelnuts, then let cool slightly.
Assembly
  1. Spread salted butter caramel over the cooled chocolate biscuit.
  2. Add hazelnut whipped ganache, followed by layers of hazelnut praline and more caramel.
  3. Gently roll the log and freeze for 30 minutes.
  4. Trim the ends, cover with rocher glaze, and decorate with hazelnuts and chocolate pearls.

Notes

Room temperature ingredients make batter and ganache smoother. Fold egg whites gently to preserve airiness. Chill the ganache mixture overnight for best texture. Use a warm knife for clean slices.