Alphonso Mango Yule Log

Before starting this Alphonso Mango Yule Log recipe, organise the necessary ingredients for the printed biscuit.

Melt the butter in the microwave. Set aside until cooled down.

Pour the melted butter in a bowl...

... add the icing sugar...

... and combine with a whisk. Sift the icing sugar beforehand to avoid clusters.

... and combine with a whisk.

... and combine until homogeneous.

Colour the preparation with yellow colouring. Start with a small amount of colouring, then add more if necessary until you get the desired colour.

Combine with a whisk to dissolve the colouring powder.

Transfer half of the yellow preparation into a piping bag.

Add a little bit of green colouring to the rest of the preparation. Green colouring is more intense so you'll only need a tiny amount.

... and the colour is homogeneous. Set aside.

With the piping bag containing the yellow preparation, use scissors to cut the tip of the bag to create a small hole with a diameter that doesn't exceed 3 or 4 mm.
Arrange a Silpat baking mat 40 x 30cm on top of a larger baking mat or greaseproof paper sheet in order to make a mess on your worktop surface.

Pipe the preparation in a zigzag pattern, from one corner of the silicone mat to the other.

Repeat the same operation...

... with the green preparation.

Slide a cranked metallic spatula across the preparation so both colours flatten and blend together.

This is what the result should look like.

Repeat the operation over the whole surface. The first stroke will set the colour pattern on the Silpat mat. Even if you slide the spatula several times over the colours, these will no longer move after the first stroke.

You can notice the marble effect when you lift the baking mat.

Place the Silpat baking mat over a Silichef XL perforated baking sheet. Reserve in the freezer until set.

For the biscuit: Organise all the necessary ingredients.

Pour the cream in a deep recipient and add the beaten eggs...

... and the almond powder.

Mix with a Bamix hand blender.

When homogeneous...

... add the flour...

... and blend again.

Add the invert sugar...

... and the hot melted butter...

... then mix until homogeneous. The butter is incorporated hot to ensure a liquid consistency.

Add a little yellow colouring powder.

Mix well.

Add a tiny amount of green colouring (this colour is very powerful).

Mix again with the hand blender.

Remove the printed biscuit from the freezer and pour the preparation over the mat. The amount of preparation should be accurate. I recommend using a digital kitchen scale while you pour the preparation. You should use 325 grams of preparation per tray. This will ensure a biscuit that is the perfect thickness and texture.

Spread the preparation over the whole surface of the mat with the cranked spatula, to an even thickness.

Bake in a fan-assisted oven at 170°C (gas 3) for 7 minutes. Place the tray on the middle rack. Also make sure the tray is flat so the preparation doesn't leak during baking.

When cooked, remove from the oven...

... and flip the baking mat on a sheet of greaseproof paper.

Release the biscuit from the silicone mat immediately. Gently detach the Silpat mat, which should come off easily.

The marble biscuit is ready. Set aside to cool.

Cut the cold biscuit to the dimensions of the yule log mould, i.e. length of 35 cm and width of 15 cm. This biscuit will be used to line the round shape of the mould. We will need another biscuit strip to insert inside the log.

Line the mould with the strip of marble biscuit, with the pattern side facing down. Don't forget to place a sheet of greaseproof paper between the mould and the biscuit for an easier release from the mould.

For the mango and lime confit: Squeeze the limes.

Weigh the lime juice directly on the kitchen scale, together with the lime zest prepared beforehand with a Microplane grater.

Peel the mango. You don't need to peel the whole mango as we will only use half of it. Set aside.

Pour the Capfruit mango purée in a saucepan...

... and add the lime juice and zest. Cook over medium heat.

In a separate bowl, combine the pectin NH coating and castor sugar. The pectin and castor sugar should be combined together before adding to the fruit purée to avoid any lumps.

Combine well.

When the mango purée reaches 50 or 60°C...

... add the pectin and sugar mix and combine with a whisk.

Cook for 2 or 3 minutes until thick.

Pass through a fine sieve over a deep, narrow jug.

Mix with the hand blender. This operation is important for a homogeneous consistency.

Cut half of the mango into thin sticks, then into small cubes.

Add the mango cubes to the mango confit. Weigh the mango cubes beforehand and add 60 grams to the coulis.

Pour the mango confit into the mould, over the green biscuit. Pour it carefully in order to create a layer with a regular thickness. Refrigerate until set.

For the milk chocolate mousse: Organise all the necessary ingredients.

Heat the milk in the microwave and add the milk chocolate chips...

... then combine with a whisk until the chocolate is completely melted.

Drain the soft gelatin and leave on paper towel to extract as much water as possible.

Combine until homogeneous.

Add 1/3 of the whipped cream to warm preparation (it should be roughly 30°C)...

... and combine with a whisk.

Add the rest of the whipped cream...

... and fold gently with a rubber spatula.

The preparation should be homogeneous. Finish by a couple of whisk motions to avoid lumps.

Pour the milk chocolate into the mould and cover the mango confit.

You will need precisely 280 grams of chocolate mousse. Pour carefully to create an even layer.

Add a strip of biscuit on top, cut to a length of 35 cm and to the same width as the mould.

Press on the biscuit a little so it sticks to the mousse. Refrigerate.

For the crunchy cinnamon base: Organise all the necessary ingredients.

Place the milk chocolate and the butter in a bowl. Melt in the microwave.

Add the crushed speculoos biscuits.

Combine well with a rubber spatula. The consistency should be smooth.

Spread the crunchy base over the whole surface of the mould to a thickness of 0.5 cm.

Spread with a cranked spatula into a regular layer. Place in the freezer.

For the finish: Remove the log from the freezer and slide the blade of a knife at both ends...

... to facilitate the release.

Remove the log from the mould onto flat surface or a chopping board. This operation should be really easy thanks to the sheet of greaseproof paper used to line the mould.

Gently detach the baking parchment...

... to reveal the printed biscuit...

... on the surface of the log.

Trim one end of the log with a knife...

... to reveal all the different layers inside the log.

Trim the other end of the log.

Melt some clear mirror glaze in the microwave. Apply with a pastry brush over the surface of the log. This will protect the biscuit from drying.

Transfer the log...

Gently arrange a milk chocolate disc...

... on one end of the log.

Stick a yule log tip at the other end.

Arrange a few milk chocolate discs over the surface of the log...

Sprinkle a few gold flakes over the surface for a festive touch. Refrigerate until the log is completely defrosted. This should take between 5 and 6 hours.
Enjoy this delicious Christmas dessert!