Christmas Chocolate Log

Ingredients

• ½ cup melted milk chocolate
• ½ cup melted dark chocolate
• 4 eggs
• ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon castor sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla essence
• ¼ cup refined flour
• 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
• Powdered sugar for dusting
• 1 cup readymade dark chocolate ganache
• 1 cup whipped cream
• Icing sugar for dusting
• Dried orange roundels for garnish
• Candied cherries for garnish

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180º C.
2. Break the eggs, one by one, separate the egg yolks and white and put them in separate bowls. Add ¼ cup castor sugar to egg yolks, add vanilla essence and beat till light and fluffy.
3. Sift refined flour and cocoa powder directly into the bowl. Add orange juice and mix with light hands.
4. Add remaining sugar to egg whites and beat till light and fluffy.
5. Add ⅓ of the egg white mixture to refined flour mixture and fold in with light hands.
6. Add the remaining egg white mixture and fold in well. Spread this mixture on a greased rectangular baking tray and bake for 10-15 minutes.
7. For the chocolate garnish, take a butter paper. Drizzle melted milk chocolate with a fork.
8. Now drizzle dark chocolate and spread evenly with a palette knife. Place a sheet of butter paper on top and roll tightly. Refrigerate for 15-20 minutes.
9. Dust some powdered sugar on a butter paper and de-mould the cake while it is still hot. Dust some more powdered sugar on top of the cake and roll tightly. Let it cool down to room temperature. 
10. For the stuffing, take half of the chocolate ganache in a bowl. Add whipped cream and fold with light hands.
11. Apply some of this mixture evenly on the cake and roll again. Evenly spread the remaining chocolate ganache over the log. 
12. Dust cocoa powder and arrange the chocolate garnish over it. Dust icing sugar on top.
13. Garnish with dried orange roundels, candied cherries, crush some of the remaining chocolate garnish and sprinkle on the sides. Serve.