Lumberjack's Yule Log

I made a Yule Log for Christmas. Easier than I thought. Plus if you can't find any last minute, give this a go.

Makes 1 Festive Yule Log

Log Recipe

6 Egg Whites
55 Caster Sugar

6 Egg Yolks
100g Caster Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste
50g Cocoa Powder, shifted

Icing/Filling

200g Good Quality Dark Chocolate, in pieces
275g Icing Sugar, plus extra for dusting (optional)
250g Butter, cubed at room temperature, cubed


1. Preheat the oven to 180c/160c fan assisted. Grease a Swiss roll tray or baking tray with greaseproof paper.

2. In a large bowl whisk the egg whites until begin to turn white and begin to stiffen. Then gradually add the 55g caster sugar and continue to whisk. It should be a thick white consistency which leaves peaks.

3. In a second bowl, whisk the 6 egg yolks and 100g caster sugar. Should give you a pale colour and be of a thick consistency. Add the cocoa powder and vanilla bean paste. Should be a really thick consistency.

4. Incorporate the cocoa egg yolk to the the egg whites and fold in until you have used up the egg yolk cocoa. Until you get a smooth brown mixture. Pour onto tray and spread evenly. Put in the oven for 20 minutes.

5. To make the filling/icing. Melt the chocolate in a Bain Marie or microwave until completely melted. Allow to cool slightly. Mix the icing sugar in food processor and then add the butter until combined. Then add the cooled dark chocolate and mix.

6. After the sponge has baked, leave to cool slightly then flip onto another sheet of greaseproof paper. Trim the edges. Then spread about a third of the icing on the cake. Lengthways, roll the cake towards you. Use the greaseproof to help roll. Make sure its tightly rolled otherwise it flop out. Transfer to a plate, board etc to ice.

7. You can cut the ends of the cake in an angle and add these pieces to the side of the log to make it look more of authentic log. Cover with leftover chocolate icing. Spread using a spatula or palette knife. Allow to cool. Then sprinkle with icing sugar to give it a snow effect.

Millionaire Shortbread (V)

So caramel week last week and only managed to get this recipe up because I have been busy but you will be getting 3 recipes in a week, you lucky, lucky people. 

I have loved Millionaire Shortbread and would sometimes get those tubs with 20 bites of them. Thought during caramel week, why not give it a go.

Makes:24-28 Bites

Shortbread

225g Plain Flour

125g Butter

75g Caster Sugar

Caramel

150g Butter, cubed

100g Golden Syrup

1 Can of 379g condensed milk

Chocolate

200g Dark Chocolate

100g Milk Chocolate

50g White Chocolate

1. The Shortbread - Preheat the oven to 150c/140c fan assisted. Cover a 20cm square cake tin with greaseproof paper. Mix the plain flour and butter together. Either use a food processor or by hand. Should look like crumbs. Then add the sugar. Combine. Place in the cake tin and press down. I used my second cake tin's removable bottom to press down so it was more compact. Bake the shortbread for 30 minutes or until light golden brown colour. Leave to cool in the cake tin. 

2. The Caramel - Melt the butter in the pan and mix in the golden syrup and heat through on a medium heat. Then add the condensed and stir (don't stop stirring throughout). When combined. Increase the heat and bring to the boil. It should thicken up. Leave to boil for about 5 minutes. To see if it will set, get a bowl of cold water and take a bit of mixture in the pan and drop in bowl. If it hardens up then its finished. Take off heat and allow to cool slightly then pour on top of the shortbread. Leave to cool. 

3. The Chocolate - Set up two Bain Maries (This is a pan of boiling water with a bowl on top). Place the milk and dark chocolate in one bowl. Then in another bowl melt the white chocolate. Melt both chocolates until they are runny. Take off heat and pour the dark/milk chocolate mixture first. Make sure the caramel has solidified first. Then add drops of the white chocolate. Take a toothpick and swirl the white chocolate back and forth across the pan. To make a swirl effect. Leave to cool completely.








4. The Finale - Push the Millionaire Shortbread out using the removable bottom. Them remove the greaseproof paper. You should get defined layers and begin to cut into pieces. Use a sharp knife to minimise breakage. Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Chilli Con Carne

Days are getting shorter and colder. We need to warm our bellies and this dish delivers.

Serves 6

Before cooking

1 tbsp Plain Flour
1 Onion, chopped
1 Red Pepper, Chopped
2 Red Chillies, de seeded and roughly chopped
2 Garlic Cloves, crushed
500g Mince Beef
400g Can of Chopped Tomatoes
600ml Beef Stock
1 tsp Smoked Paprike
1 tsp Chilli Powder (strength your own choice, I used Hot)
1 tsp Cumin
2 tbsp Tomato Puree
400g Can Red Kidney Beans
50g Dark Chocolate
Olive Oil

1. Turn your slow cooker on. If you want to cook for longer put on low. If you want a quicker cook turn to high. If there is a removeable hob safe dish take out and put on hob with a bit of olive oil over a medium heat. If not use a frying pan. Add the onion and mince beef. Leave in til the meat begins to brown and the onion soften. Put the pan back in the slow cooker or add the frying pan contents to the slow cooker.

2. Add the rest of the ingredients apart from the chocolate and season. Give a stir. And leave for the following

-Low - 7 - 8 Hours
- Medium -  5 - 6 Hours
- High - 3 - 4 Hours

3. 30 Minutes before end add the dark chocolate and stir. Leave for 30 minutes. Serve with rice or other side you would like. Can be stored and eaten later. Allow time to cool before putting in containers and storing in Fridge or Freezer.

After Cooking

Serving Suggestion

Dark Chocolate, Orange and Ginger Biscuits

As the seasons change so does my baking. These are three different flavours but work well together. Give them a go and share them with your friends

Makes 36-40 Biscuits

150g Unsalted Butter, cut into cubes

175g Golden Caster Sugar

Juice and Zest of 1 Large Orange

2 tsp Ground Ginger

2 level tsp of Baking Powder

350g Plain flour shifted

100g Dark Chocolate Chips

1. Preheat the oven to 180c/160c fan assisted. Line baking trays with greaseproof paper. 

2. Cream the butter and sugar together until combined. Then add the juice and zest of an orange and ginger and mix. 

3. Add the flour and baking powder and mix. Before all the flour is combined and add the dark chocolate and mix till combined. If too wet add more flour. 

4. Form into a ball and wrap in cling film. Then put in the fridge for up to an hour. 

5. Take out of the fridge and roll on a floured surface with a rolling pin. The mixture should have a thickness of just under 0.5 cm (similar to a £1 coin). Another way to tell you have the correct thickness is you can feel the bumps of the chocolate chips when you roll the dough. I used a 6 cm circular cutter and place on the tray with space between each biscuit. Then put in the oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Leave to cool for 10 minutes on the tray. Then move to a wire rack until cooled fully and put in an airtight container. Enjoy with a cup of tea.

Triple Chocolate Cookies (V)

Go Big or Go Home should be applied to these delights. Three type of chocolate in one cookie, so bad, its good.

Makes 22-24

175g Unsalted Butter, cubed at room temperature
175g Light Brown Caster Sugar
150g Dark Chocolate, in cubes/chunks
200g Milk Chocolate, roughly chopped
200g White Chocolate, roughly chopped
25g Cocoa Powder
1 Egg
200g Plain Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Vanilla Extract/Essence/Vanilla Bean Paste (I used paste)

1. Preheat oven to 180c/160c fan assisted. Combine sugar and the butter in a mixer or in a mixing bowl. Add the egg and mix.

2. Melt the dark chocolate in a Bain Marie or microwave. Once melted allow to cool slightly then add to the mixture and mix. Then add the cocoa powder, plain flour, baking powder and vanilla.

3. It should stiffen up slightly once you start to combine the flour. Once the mixture starts to stiffen add the roughly chopped chocolate to the dough and continue mixing until combined. Then you have the cookie dough (as difficult it was for me, don't eat the cookie dough, it would mean less cookies!)

4. Take an ice cream scoop or tablespoon if you don't have a scoop. Scoop a spoonful of cookie dough and place on the lined baking tray and press down lightly with the spoon. Don't put them too close. On my 14" x 10" tray I put 6 on the tray, you could get away with 8 as they don't spread out.

5. Put them in the oven for 12 minutes. When they are finished baking leave on the tray for 10 minutes to cool then transfer to wire rack. Eat warm or wait till they are cool to store in a tin for later.

With these the white chocolate is melted in the centre and are sooo goey.  Enjoy!

Proof in the pudding is in the eating and they deliver 

I am guilty at Oven Staring

Chocolate Orange Cake Explosion

Made this for my friends as a collective birthday cake. Went down a treat. Plus dark chocolate is good and it has an orange in it which is one of your 5 a day, so must be good for you (not a doctor).

125g Dark Chocolate, broken into pieces
1 ½ tbsp Cocoa Powder, sifted
1 tsp Baking Powder, sifted
250g Plain Flour, shifted
3 Large Eggs
250ml Sunflower Oil
275g Golden Caster Sugar
1 Juice and Zest of a Large Orange

Topping (Ganache)
200g Dark Chocolate
200ml Double Cream
25g Dark Chocolate, grated (optional)
Chocolate Orange Wedges (Popular Branded ones)

1.  Line a 8 inch cake tin with greaseproof paper. Preheat the oven to 180c/160c fan assisted.

2. In a bowl mix, mix the sugar, oil and eggs together. Then add the orange juice and zest to the bowl and give another mix.

3. In either a bain marie or a microwave, melt the dark chocolate. In a ban marie continue to stir so it doesn't burn. If you choose to melt the chocolate in the microwave, heat for a minute, give a stir and heat for a further minute, continue the process until the dark chocolate is melted.

4. Allow the chocolate to cool slightly and add this to the mixture. When combined add the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder. 

5. This should thicken the cake mixture. Pour into the cake tin and put in the oven for 45-55 minutes. Check the centre of the cake with a skewer to see if it's baked all the way through. Put on a rack to cool. 

6. While the cake is cooling make the Chocolate Ganache. To do this heat the cream in the pan. When it starts to boil take off the heat. Put the chocolate in a heat proof dish and pour over the heated cream and begin to stir until fully combined. Leave to cool slightly.

7. Decorate the cake by pouring the ganache over the cake (make sure you have a plate underneath the rack to catch the chocolate). Place chocolate orange wedges on the cake. Grate with chocolate. Place in container (on a cake board or plate). Place in fridge to allow ganache to harden. Serve

Movember 4 Course - Dessert - Molten Chocolate Orange Cake

My final course in my 4 course meal for Movember. Everyone loves a dessert and this one is so so yummy from the first spoonful. And its simple to make and will impress any guest (or just make 2 for yourself, that's what I did).

Serves 2

75g Butter, plus extra for greasing
75g Soft Brown Caster Sugar
50g Plain Flour
75g Good Quality Dark Chocolate, plus 2 small bits of dark chocolate
1 Large Egg
Juice and Zest of half an orange

1. Preheat the oven to 200c/180c Fan assisted. Grease 2 ramekins with the butter. Melt the 75g of dark chocolate, either in the microwave or in a bowl over boiling water.

2. Cream the butter and sugar together. Then add the egg until it resembles scrambled eggs. Add half of the melt dark chocolate (shouldn't be too hot otherwise it will cook the eggs). Mix the flour then add the remaining melt chocolate. Then add the juice and zest of the orange. Give it a final stir.

3. Pour into the ramekins then place the chunk of chocolate in the centre of the mixture. Put in the oven for 10-12 minutes. It should have a firm bottom.

4. Take out of the oven and allow to cool for a couple of minutes. With a knife go around the edge of the cake to loosen from the ramekin. Invert onto a plate. Serve with cream or ice cream and eat immediately.

Movember is nearly over so donate here Every little helps the cause :) I will also do a post with all 4 recipes on one post so if you want to make the 4 course meal. All the recipes will be in one place.

I will be altering my page to fit the christmas vibe so watch this space for my mince and mini christmas cake recipes.

Chocolate Chilli Con Carne

Chocolate in a main? A sweet twist to the classic Texan dish. Can be served with tortilla chips or rice.

Serves 4


1 Onion, finely chopped
1 Red Pepper, chopped
2 Red Chillies, de seeded and chopped
2 Garlic Cloves, finely sliced
500g Minced Beef
400g Can of Chopped tomatoes
400g Can of Red Kidney Beans, drained
40-50g Dark Chocolate
300ml Beef Stock
1 tsp Paprika
1 tsp Chilli powder (Mild, Medium or Hot)
1 tsp Cumin
2 tbspn Tomato Purée

Cheese, grated

1. Put a large pan on the hob over a medium heat. Add oil to the pan. Add the onions and fry until softened. Continue to add the red chillies, pepper and garlic to the pan and fry for about 5 minutes.

2. Add the spices to the pan and stir well. Fry for a further minute.

3. Add the mince beef to the pan. Stir to break up the mince. Cook until browned. This should take about 5-10 minutes.

4. Add the chopped tomatoes, beef stock and dark chocolate to the pan. Reduce to a low heat and allow to simmer. Add the 2 tbspn of tomato purée to the pan. Allow to cook for 15 minutes. Stirring occasionally so the contents doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.

5. Add the red kidney beans. And cook for a further 10 minutes to allow the beans to heat through. Taste the sauce and season if needed.

6. Sprinkle some grated cheese on top. Serve with tortilla chips or rice.