Christmas isn’t complete without the yule log, for me. We don’t do Christmas puddings or cakes in Belgium but we always have a beautiful yule log. My granny likes to get them in two flavours: the traditional chocolate one and a slightly fancier one, usually raspberry or some other fruity flavour. It’s always indulgent bordering on the obscene, and everyone always goes back for seconds (and thirds, and dare I say it, fourths). 

Indulgence to me means chocolate and butterscotch scream. Tis the season, after all! And if you’re looking to serve something a little bit different from the usual Christmas pud this year, give the delectable Yule Log a try. 

Ingredients:
For the swiss roll:
100g self-raising flour
50g brown sugar
2 tbsp cocoa powder
150ml soya milk
3 “flax eggs” (3 tbsp ground flaxseed + 9 tbsp warm water)

For the butterscotch cream filling:
1 can light coconut milk
100g soft brown sugar

For the chocolate “bark”:
200ml soya cream
175g dark chocolate 
1 tbsp sugar

Instructions:
1. The Swiss roll: Pre-heat the oven to 170ºC. Mix the flax eggs in a little bowl and set aside to let it thicken. Sift all dry ingredients into a mixing bowl, then one by one add the liquid ingredients and stir into a homogenous batter. Pour into a smallish lined baking tray and bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes. 
2. The butterscotch cream: Boil down the coconut milk and sugar in a saucepan for 40 minutes until it is so thick it’s more like a butter than a cream. Set aside to cool. 
3. The chocolate “bark”: In a small saucepan gently heat the soya cream, sugar and broken pieces of chocolate. Stir till smooth and liquid. 
4. When the Swiss roll is cooled, spread the butterscotch cream over the cake. Carefully roll the cake, gently peeling the baking parchment off as you roll. Cover the log in chocolate ganache, refrigerate for 20-30 minutes, then carve some lines along its length with the tips of a fork. Dust some powdered sugar over the top. Refrigerate again until ready to serve.