Fabulous Vanilla Yule Log

Instructions

1. Soak the gelatin in cold water until softened; drain and set aside. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla beans and cut the pods into small pieces with scissors. Add both the vanilla seeds and pods to 500g of heavy cream. Bring to a boil, then cover and let infuse for about 20 minutes. Reheat the infused cream, then strain it over the white chocolate (reserve the vanilla pods for the almond praliné). Blend with an immersion blender until smooth. Add the softened gelatin and mix well. Pour in the remaining chilled heavy cream, blend again until fully combined, and refrigerate overnight.

2. To turn condensed milk into caramel, fill a deep medium saucepan with water. Ensure the can is completely submerged at all times during cooking, and simmer for 2 hours and 30 minutes. Carefully remove the can from the boiling water and allow it to cool completely to room temperature before opening.Soften the gelatin in cold water, then drain and set aside. Transfer the dulce de leche to a small saucepan and gently warm over low heat. Add the vanilla and salt, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Remove from the heat and pour the mixture into a narrow container. Add the softened gelatin and blend with an immersion blender until smooth. Cool to 140°F (60°C), then add the butter and blend again until fully incorporated. Keep at room temperature.

3. Gently warm the oil with the reserved vanilla pods, cut into pieces, taking care not to let it boil. Transfer to a narrow container and blend with an immersion blender, then strain. The vanilla-infused oil can be stored for months.

4. Melt the butter with the vanilla and let it cool to room temperature, ensuring it remains liquid. In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients: almond meal, sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the egg white, egg yolks, heavy cream, and the cooled melted butter. Mix until smooth.Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).In a clean mixing bowl, beat 120g of egg whites on medium speed with one-third of the sugar for about 5 minutes. Once frothy, increase the speed to high, gradually add the remaining sugar, and continue beating until medium-firm peaks form. Gently fold one-third of the meringue into the almond-vanilla mixture to lighten it, then fold in the remaining meringue until just combined.Fill the prepared molds or baking trays and spread evenly using an offset spatula. Bake for 30 minutes. Allow to cool completely, then chill.To unmold, briefly warm the bottom of the mold before turning out. Prick the surface of the biscuit with a fork or pizza dough docker, then generously moisten it with the vanilla-infused oil.For the yule log, trim the biscuit into two rectangles that fit loosely into the yule log mold. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.

5. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, bring the water and sugar to a boil over medium heat, stirring only until the sugar dissolves. Once dissolved, stop stirring and continue cooking until the syrup reaches the thread stage (230°F/ 110°C on a candy thermometer), about 5 minutes.Carefully stir in the almonds and salt. The mixture will become thick and gritty. Continue stirring constantly over medium heat. The sugar will first crystallize into a dry, sandy coating around the almonds. Keep cooking and stirring—the crystallized sugar will gradually melt and caramelize, turning a deep amber color. This process, from adding the nuts to reaching the finished caramel, should take about 10 to 15 minutes.Immediately pour the caramelized almonds onto a silicone mat and let cool completely.Once cooled, break the hardened praliné into small pieces and transfer them to a food processor. Process continuously, scraping down the sides as needed. The mixture will progress from coarse crumbs to a fine powder, then to a thick paste, and finally to a smooth, fluid paste. If the mixture becomes too warm during processing, pause and refrigerate for 20 minutes before continuing. If needed, add a small drizzle of neutral oil and process again until smooth and creamy.

6. In a food processor, pulse the butter, sugar, almond meal, salt, and vanilla until creamy. Add the egg yolks and pulse until incorporated. Finally, add the flour and baking powder, and pulse just until a dough forms—do not overmix.Place the dough between two sheets of parchment paper. Roll it out to a uniform ¼-inch (6mm) thickness. Transfer the rolled dough (still between the parchment) to a baking sheet and freeze until firm, about 20 to 30 minutes.While the dough is chilling, cut a piece of parchment paper or cardstock to match the exact size and shape of the base of your Yule log mold. This will serve as your guide for cutting the cake base.

7. Preheat a fan oven to 350°F (180°C). Bake the sablé Breton for 20 to 25 minutes. Once baked, use a sharp knife to cut around the template and create the base for the log or cake. If desired, you can also cut additional shapes from the remaining dough.

8. Whip about 70% of the chilled vanilla ganache montée to soft peaks, being careful not to overwhip. Using an offset spatula, spread an even ½-inch (1.25 cm) layer of the whipped vanilla mousse over the entire inner surface of the mold. This will form the outer layer of the log. Place the mold in the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes to firm up.Once firm, add a layer of dulce de leche (use half of the mixture per cake). Place the moistened soft biscuit on top. Pipe half of the almond praliné over the biscuit, then fill with mousse almost to the top, leaving a little space for the crust. Gently press the sablé Breton crust into place to form the base of the log.Freeze the assembled cake overnight until completely solid. Once frozen, unmold and transfer the log onto a cake board. Keep frozen until ready to decorate or serve.