Red velvet bûche de Noël with boozy cranberries recipe
Created by The Tesco Recipes team
Celebrate the festive period in style with this luxurious show-stopping Christmas red velvet buche de noël. This Yule log is a great alternative to a Christmas cake, with a rich and indulgent taste and packed with boozy cranberries for an extra special treat.
See method- Serves 12
- 1 hr to prepare, plus cooling
- 557 calories / serving
Ingredients
- 100g (3 1/2oz) cranberries
- 200g (7oz) caster sugar, plus extra for dusting
- 150ml (5fl oz) orange or whisky liqueur
- 125g unsalted butter, softened
- 2 large eggs, separated
- 140g (5oz) plain flour
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 120ml (3 3/4fl oz) buttermilk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp white wine vinegar
- 30ml (2 tbsp) red food colouring
For the filling
- 200g cream cheese
- 150g mascarpone
- 75g butter
- 175g (6oz) icing sugar
- 175g (6oz) white chocolate, melted
- sugar snowflakes (optional)
Each serving contains
- Energy
- 2325kJ 557.0kcal
- Fat
- 34g
- Saturates
- 20g
- Salt
- 0.5g
- Sugars
- 44g
of the Reference intake
Carbohydrate 53.3gProtein 6.0gFibre 1.5g
Method
- Heat 100g (3 1/2oz) sugar and 300ml (1/2pt) water in a pan over a low heat, until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat, add the cranberries and leave to stand for 15 minutes. Drain and then transfer to a bowl. Cover with the liqueur. Chill until needed.
- Preheat the oven to gas 4, 180°C, fan 160°C. Grease and line a 23 x 33cm (9 x 13in) Swiss roll tin. In a bowl, beat the butter and remaining 100g (3 1/2oz) sugar with an electic whisk, until fluffy, then gradually beat in the egg yolks.
- Sift the flour, cocoa, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and a pinch of salt into a separate bowl. In a jug, combine the buttermilk, vanilla extract, vinegar and food colouring.
- Fold in a third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, followed by a third of the buttermilk mixture. Repeat until you have used up all the ingredients.
- In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites to soft peaks. Gently fold them into the cake mixture.
- Spoon the cake mixture into the prepared tin and level the surface. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the sponge is springy to the touch and just coming away from the sides of the tin.
- Dust a large sheet of baking paper with caster sugar. Turn out the bûche onto the sugar and peel off the lining paper. Lightly score a line about 1cm (1/2in) from one of the shorter ends, being careful not to cut through the sponge, then roll it up. Leave to cool.
- Meanwhile, make the filling. In a bowl, whisk the cream cheese, mascarpone, butter and icing sugar. Whisk in the melted chocolate and 2 tbsp of the cranberry soaking liquid, until smooth.
- Unroll the sponge and spread with a third of the icing, then roll it back up and put on a serving plate. Using a palette knife, spread the top and sides of the bûche with the remaining icing.
- Drain the cranberries and arrange over the bûche. Decorate with sugar snowflakes (if using) and an extra dusting of caster sugar. Serve.
- Get ahead: Fill the sponge up to 4 hours before serving, leave at room temperature, but somewhere cool.
- See more Christmas dessert recipes
