Recipe: Chocolate Mint Yule Log from Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester

Looking to wow your guests this Christmas? Try this exquisite chocolate mint yule log recipe from Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester

‘An unusual choice of flavours for this classic dessert, with a nod to childhood memories and the traditional British mint thins. The refreshing mint will complement well the intensity of the chocolate: a perfect way to end a celebration meal with friends and family.’

Recipe: Chocolate Mint Yule Log from Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester

Chocolate Ganache

Preparation time: 20 min, chilling time: 24 hours

Ingredients:

• 225g of whipping cream
• 720g of whipping cream
• 50g of glucose
• 2.5g of gelatin
• 200g of Le Chocolat Alain Ducasse Signature – Blend 75% cacao
• 55g of Le Chocolat Alain Ducasse Signature – 100% cacao from Peru

Method:

1. Soak the gelatin in cold water.
2. Heat up 225g of the whipping cream with the glucose. Add the soften gelatin. Then, pour the mix over Le Chocolate Alain Ducasse signature – 100% cacao from Peru. Mix until smooth and shiny. Then, add the rest of the cold cream (720g). Mix until smooth again.
3. Leave the rest in the fridge for 24h.
4. Once rested, whisk the mix with an hand mixer to make it light and fluffy. Feel in a pipping bag fitted with a size 8 nozzle and set aside until plating.

Chocolate Biscuit

Preparation time: 20 min, baking time: 6 min, cooling time: 10 min

Ingredients:

• 80g of butter
• 80g of Le Chocolat Alain Ducasse Signature – Blend 75% cacao
• 20g of ground almond
• 35g of flour
• 6g of corn flour
• 80g of egg whites
• 80g of sugar

Method:

1. Gently melt the butter and the chocolate together in a water bath until the mix reaches 450C. Maintain the mix at this temperature.
2. Sieve the almond powder, the corn flour, and the flour together.
3. Whisk the egg white and the sugar until the texture of a meringue is reached. Incorporate two large spoons of meringue in the chocolate mix before adding the whole mix in the meringue.
4. Gently mix with the sieved powders.
5. Spread the mix on a baking tray with a 1 cm thickness. Bake in the oven at 1800C for 6 min. Allow the biscuit to cool.
Cut the biscuit in rectangles of 1.5cm x 8cm. Set aside until plating.

Chocolate Ice Cream

Preparation time: 20 min, Cooling time: 24 hours

Ingredients:

• 62.5g of Le Chocolat Alain Ducasse Signature – Blend 75% cacao
• 62.5g of Le Chocolat Alain Ducasse Signature – 100% cacao from Peru
• 500g of milk
• 7.5g of milk powder
• 75g of sugar
• 50g of glucose

Method:

1. Heat the milk with the glucose.
2. Mix the sugar with the milk powder and add to the warm milk and glucose. Bring to a boil. Pour over on the chocolate (previously broken into a small pieces).
3. Mix with a hand blender. Let the mix cool.
4. Once cold, churn the mix in the ice-cream maker and set aside in the freezer. Remove the ice-cream from the freezer 10 min before plating to soften the texture.

Lime Gel & Mint Pesto

Preparation time: 20 min, cooling time: 5 min

Ingredients:

Lime Gel

• 250g of lime juice
• 12.5g of sugar
• 4g of agar-agar

Mint Pesto

• 75g of fresh mint
• 10g of lavender honey
• 10g of lemon juice
• 20g of almond paste
• 2g of sea salt
• 1 ice cube

Method:

Lime Gel

1. Heat the lime juice. When reaching 600C, add the sugar and agar-agar.
2. Boil for 1 min. Pour the mix over a filmed tray. Let it cool.
3. Once set, mix to obtain a gel-like texture. If the texture is too firm, add a bit of fresh juice while mixing.
4. Fill in a pipping bag and set aside until plating.

Mint Pesto

For the mint pesto, remove the mint leaves from the stems. Mix all the ingredients together in a blender. Fill in a pipping bag and set aside until plating.

Plating

Ingredients:

50 fresh mint leaves or 50 roasted pistachios

Method:

1. Lay a chocolate shell on the side of each plate.
2. In the shell, place a rectangle of chocolate biscuit.
3. Then, pipe points of chocolate ganache, lime gel and mint pesto (or pistachio praline for the alternative recipe).
4. Finish with fresh mint leaves (or roasted pistachios) and a scoop of chocolate ice cream before serving.

Vegan Mince Pies Recipe / How To Cook The Perfect Christmas Dinner