Christmas Log Cake with Chestnut

Cake (Base)

• 5 large eggs
• 125g powdered sugar
• 82g self-raising flour (Farina 00)
• 50g cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Coating (Chocolate Ganache)

• 200ml heavy cream
• 250 ml chilled heavy cream
• 250g dark chocolate (approx. 55-59% cocoa solids)
• 1 teaspoon honey

For the Filling

• 450ml heavy cream
• 30g powdered sugar
• 150g sweet chestnut puree (100g roasted chestnuts & 50g sugar)
• 150g hazelnut praline

Decoration:

• Chocolate Flakes
• Toasted hazelnuts
• Canned black cherries (the kind used for cheesecake, but cherries)

Base (Cake):

1. In a large bowl, beat the eggs, powdered sugar, and vanilla very well until a soft, fluffy mixture forms. In another bowl, mix the flour with the cocoa and, using a spatula, gently fold them into the egg mixture with light, large movements until just combined. Be careful not to overwork the mixture, as you will lose the air incorporated.
2. Spread the mixture onto a rectangular baking tray lined with parchment paper. Bake in the middle of the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Place a sheet of parchment paper on your work surface and dust it with powdered sugar. Carefully invert the cake onto the paper and remove the parchment paper it was baked on.
3. Dust with a little more powdered sugar and roll up lengthwise, rolling the baking paper along with it, and let it cool.

For the Coating:

4. Chop the chocolate into small pieces. Heat 200ml of heavy cream and pour it over the chocolate.
5. Stir well until combined. Mix in the chilled 250ml heavy cream and the honey, and blend until smooth. Leave in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours.
6. When you are ready to use it, put it in a mixer with the whisk attachment and beat until light and fluffy.

Assembly:

7. Whip the heavy cream with the powdered sugar until it forms whipped cream. Unroll the now-cold sponge roll and remove the paper. Spread the hazelnut praline all over, and then spread the whipped cream on top. At one end of the cake, spread the chestnut puree in a cylinder shape and roll up lengthwise to form a large log. Cut off about 1/5 of the log diagonally.
8. Transfer the large piece of cake onto a serving platter and turn the small piece you cut and place it in the middle of the large cake to create a branch.
9. Put the chilled ganache (the chocolate and cream mixture) into a piping bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe long, thick lines along the length of the cake, completely covering it so that it resembles tree bark. Cover any exposed edges with a little cream. Dust with a little powdered sugar and decorate as desired.