Sleigh Me! Tiramisu Yule Log

This tiramisu yule log is all your Christmas and tiramisu dreams come true! It's the combination of one of my favourite desserts: tiramisu with a very Christmassy dessert, a yule log. There's no raw egg in this but it tastes just like a traditional tiramisu with marsala, coffee, sponge and creamy billows of mascarpone cream! I called her Holly.

This idea came to me when we went out for an Italian dinner. I love to try new foods or unusual food but when tiramisu is on the menu I find it hard to bypass it. There was a little pattern on top of the tiramisu that reminded me of the lines of tree bark and then I wondered if it were possible to make a tiramisu yule log for Christmas.

It's so easy I promise Dear Reader. This recipe for a Swiss roll cake doesn't crack but you are safe in the knowledge that we are smothering it with a chocolate mascarpone layer too for added peace of mind (honestly, anxiety over Swiss rolls cracking is such a thing for me). The marsala and coffee are in the mascarpone cream and there's a final dusting of cocoa.

We met someone that was a bit nervous or anxious a while back-not about Swiss rolls but doing his own job. We were staying in a serviced apartment that they described as luxurious. He showed us through a labyrinthian maze to our room and then showed us the features.

He was nervous so he talked at breakneck speed and would stumble over words at times. "There's one bottle of water in the fridge but that's only for the first night," he said which seemed not very luxurious to me. "We don't have a reception area, but there's a number you can text for service," which added to the less than luxurious feeling I was getting. "The number and text are complimentary," he said for emphasis. "I should bloody hope so," I said to myself.

He then went on to detail other features like "complimentary but please don't take the toiletries with you" which was essentially a full sized pump container of shampoo and conditioner. Then three times he mentioned that they have a full length mirror before eventually running off. I felt sort of sorry for him because he was so nervous but at the same time thinking that this was definitely not luxury. After that, at every hotel we've stayed in, we laughingly ask each other, "BUT IS THERE A FULL LENGTH MIRROR?".

So tell me Dear Reader, do you get nervous about Swiss rolls cracking? What gives you anxiety? Have you got your Christmas dinner sorted? What's on the menu?

Tiramisu Yule Log

An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott

Preparation time: 45 minutes plus 1 hour freezing time

Cooking time: 15 minutes

This cake is best made the day before

• 3/4 cup plain flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 eggs, room temperature
• 1 cup caster or superfine sugar
• 1/4 cup cocoa, divided in two for rolling the sponge and for dusting on top

Filling and decoration

• 500g/1.1lbs mascarpone
• 600ml/21flozs. cream
• 1.5 cups icing sugar, sifted
• 3 tablespoons marsala or dessert wine
• 50ml/1.7flozs coffee, cold
• 3 tablespoons cocoa plus extra to sift
• 2 tablespoons black cocoa
• Red currants and rosemary to decorate

Step 1 - Preheat oven to 170C/340F and line a large Swiss roll tin with baking parchment. Spray with oil on both sides so that it sticks to the tray but also so that the surface that the cake batter sits on is greased too.

Step 2 - Whisk flour, baking powder and salt together. In an electric mixer whisk the eggs and sugar until thick and fluffy. Make a well in the centre of the flour and add the egg mixture folding so that the mixture is cohesive but do not overmix.

Step 3 - Spread out into the prepared tray using an angled spatula to reach to all of the sides. You want it thin so don't worry and it will stretch out to the corners-I believe in you. Bake for 15-17 minutes.

Step 4 - While it is baking place a tea towel on a bench and then tear off a large piece of parchment and sprinkle the cocoa on the parchment. When the cake is cooked, place it on the cocoa dusted parchment and dust with more cocoa and use the tea towel to roll it up. Cool completely.

Step 5 - Whisk the mascarpone until smooth. Then add the cream until you start to get billowy peaks and then add the icing sugar, marsala and coffee. Roll out the cake carefully and spread about 2/3 of the mixture over the cake on an even thickness. Roll back up and wrap up in the parchment. Place in the freezer for about an hour.

Step 6 - Add both cocoas to the remaining mascarpone cream. Place the roll on a serving plate. Cut off one triangle and place on top or next to the main log. Spread with the dark chocolate mascarpone cream smoothing it down with an angled spatula.

Step 7 - Take a fork and make tree bark swirls and marks. Decorate with dusted cocoa, red currants and rosemary. Refrigerate - this cake is best served the next day once the mascarpone and cream has absorbed into the cake.