Yule Logs - recipe or wing it?

[ScrambledSmegs]

I've not made one before but after years of disappointing dry sponges covered in tooth-achingly sweet buttercream I've decided to have a go.

I've taken a look at some recipes (Delia, BBC Good Food, Felicity Cloake) and quite frankly none of them quite hits the spot. But it's basically a Swiss roll covered in some form of sweet dark coating that's fannied with to look vaguely like a piece of tree. So not tricky, I hope?

I'm thinking of using a ganache to cover the cake and make it look like bark as none of us like buttercream. Also, we dont like plain whipped cream so I'm open to suggestions of what to put in the filling. Ganache again? Maybe with some sweet chestnut purée?

I'm sure there are some experts on MN, would love your advice. Thanks!

[Miaowse]

You sound like you know what you’re doing and ganache icing would be delicious; I say wing it.

[InTheLongGrass]

I was all set to say dont wing a swiss roll base, but if you use a recipie for that, all your suggestions sound good.
Delia has a chestnut puree yule log, I believe. Will see if I can find a recipie on-line.

[InTheLongGrass]

Chestnut filling but obviously change the outer cream layer!

[ScrambledSmegs]

Thanks, the Delia recipe is the one that made me think of chestnuts!

Ok, winging it! I'm a reasonably confident baker so fingers crossed it will at least be edible

[butmumineedit]

I do a mint Yule log which everyone really enjoys and have had requests for it again this year, it's a bbc good food one

[TheWoollybacksWife]

I make Mary Berry's recipe which is covered in ganache - I also fill it with ganache as both DD1 and I don't particularly like whipped cream on its own.

[laudemio]

Ganache icing sounds good.
I would do whipped cream folded through with marscapone and vanilla. Possibly chopped hazelnuts too.

[laudemio]

For the filling obvs

[AnnaMagnani]

Felicity Cloake recipe is phenomenal. Also dead easy.

[NotMeNoNo]

I use a Nigella Yule Log (Nigella Christmas)
recipe with ganache inside and out. The secret is rolling up the warm sponge. We have it instead of Christmas cake.

[ScrambledSmegs]

Ooh - I hadn't noticed there were two Felicity Cloake recipes, the 'perfect' one and another from 2018. The second one looks more like what I was thinking of. And so does Nigella's!

I can feel a Nigella/Felicity mash-up coming on!

[StrawberrySquash]

I use Mary Berry's roulade and fill with Delia's chocolate mousse.
www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/chocolate_roulade_79152
www.deliaonline.com/recipes/international/european/french/a-very-chocolatey-mousse
You could do less/no mousse and add whipped cream too.
This is very rich, so I'd only coat in a thin layer of ganache or whatever. I serve as a roulade dusted with icing sugar.