Ingredients
1 egg white
175 g caster sugar, plus a 1 tbsp for dredging
3 eggs
75 g plain flour, plus a little extra for dredging
2 tbsp cocoa powder
225 g butter
50g plain chocolate
500 g icing sugar, plus a little extra for decorating
440 g chestnut purée
holly sprigs to decorate
Method
Preheat oven to 110°C Gas 1/4
1) on a baking sheet, make meringue mushrooms
whisk the egg white until stiff, stir in 25 g sugar and whisk again, fold in another 25 g until stiff, to form pics
2) spoon the meringue into a pipping bag fitted with a plain nozzle , pipe the meringue on to the baking sheet to resemble small mushrooms caps and stalks, separately
3) bake in the oven for 11/2 hours, until dry
4) grease a 33x23 cm Swiss roll tin then line it with greaseproof paper and grease the paper, dredge with the extra caster sugar then the flour, shake any excess
Preheat oven to 200°C Gas 6
5) bain marie the caster sugar and eggs, until pale and thick enough to leave a trail on the surface when the beaters are lifted ( the bain marie should be simmering and the bowl should not be in contact with the water)
6) take the mixture of the bain marie and whisk until cool, then stir in the flour and cocoa, gently fold through the mixture, fold in 1 tbsp water
7) bake in the Swiss roll tin for 12 minutes
8) place a sheet of greaseproof paper over a tea towel, dredge the paper with caster sugar and, when cooked, turn the cake out on to it
9) trim the crusty edges, roll up with the paper inside, transfer on wire rack, leave to cool for 20 minutes
10) put the butter in a bowl and beat until soft
11) melt the chocolate with 1 tbsp water on a bain marie, then leave to cool slightly 12) gradually sift and beat the icing sugar into the softened butter, then add the cool chocolate
13) unroll the cold Swiss roll and spread the chestnut purée over the surface, roll up again without the paper inside
14) cut a thick diagonal slice off one end of the cake, and attach with butter cream to the side of the roll
15) pipe thin lines of butter cream over the log, and 1-2 swirls to represent knots in the wood
16) stick the meringue with butter cream to form mushrooms
Decorate the log with the mushrooms and sprigs of holly, dust with sifted icing sugar.
