For the chocolate sponge

Ingredients

75g golden caster sugar
65g self raising flour
10g unsweetened vegan cocoa powder
½ tsp baking powder
25g rapeseed oil
75g water

Method

Preheat the oven 175C/Gas mark 4.
In a bowl, whisk all the ingredients together.
Pour the sponge mix in a pre-lined baking tray, spread evenly - 8mm thick - with a palette knife and bake at 175 C for 20 mins.
Check if a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Allow to cool down.

For the chocolate mousse

Ingredients

220g vegan dark chocolate
6 Tbsp thick coconut milk*
1 ripe crushed avocado
8 Tbsp maple syrup or agave nectar
30g oat cream
60g reduced aquafaba**

Method

Melt the chocolate slowly in a microwave, medium power - 350W- 15 sec at a time (temperature should not exceed 45 degrees). Add the cream and stir until velvety consistency.
In a food processor, whizz together the melted chocolate, the coconut milk, the crushed avocado and the syrup. Blend until smooth, making sure the mix doesn’t go lumpy.
Beat the aquafaba until stiff peaks. Delicately, with a spatula, fold in the chocolate mix. Use straight away.

Assembling

Slightly grease a yule log mould and line with cling film. Pipe the mousse until half of the mould. Place a layer of chocolate sponge on top of the mousse, the sponge should be slightly smaller than the mould. Fill the log with the rest of the mousse till the top of the mould and cover with a last layer of chocolate sponge, same size as the mould.
Transfer to the freezer, let it set for 2 hours at least. Use a warm wet tea towel to unmould.
To give a wooden effect, randomly pass a fork over the cream.Decorate with coconut, homemade marzipan snowmen, dark chocolate, golden leaves, edible Christmas decorations, whatever you fancy.

Chef’s tips

If the mousse in getting hard during the building of the cake, just put in the microwave for a few seconds.

*Chill the coconut milk in the fridge overnight.
The next day: Open the coconut milk tin, taking care not to shake it. After thorough chilling, the coconut cream will solidify and separate from the milk. Scoop out the solid coconut cream.

Makes: 1 log 26 cm long
Preparation time: 40 mins
Cooking time: 20 mins

**Aquafaba is the water from a chickpea can. To work properly as egg white substitute, it has to be reduced: Pour the water of a chickpea can in a saucepan, gently simmer on medium heat till it has reduced for about 40% (if the water of a chickpea can has an average weight of 180g, it should be reduced till +/- 100g).
Reduced aquafaba can be stored in the fridge or the freezer.

Recipe from Vegans Deserve Better than a Fruit Salad by Danielle Maupertuis – Olympia Publishers
Danielle Maupertuis, Vegan Executive Pastry Chef
www.freefromdesserts.com
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