Chocolate-praline yule log by Laurent Mariotte

water, maple syrup, agar-agar, heavy cream, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, hazelnuts, sugar

Where the calories come from

6 servings

1
Bring the water, maple syrup, and agar-agar to a boil.
2
Put the sugar and water in another saucepan to make a syrup.
3
When it thickens, add the hazelnuts and coat them, then cook while stirring until caramelized.
4
Remove the hazelnuts onto a sheet of parchment paper, separating them as much as possible.
5
Take a few hazelnuts for decoration and blend the rest in a food processor.
6
Bring the cream to a boil and pour over the two chocolates combined in a bowl. Mix with a spatula to create an emulsion (you can add a small pinch of salt).
7
Stretch plastic wrap on your work surface at least 40cm*30cm and double it. Soak the biscuits in the syrup, press them, and arrange them in rows of 6 on three levels to make a rectangle.
8
Cover everything with plastic wrap and gently run a rolling pin over the biscuits to flatten them slightly.
9
Pour 4/5 of your cooled ganache over the biscuits and spread with a spatula. Cover with the homemade praline. Fold the bottom edge of your log using the plastic wrap to form a roll.
10
Roll everything up, tighten the ends, and store in a cool place for at least two hours.
11
Remove the film, mask the log with the remaining ganache, and decorate with the whole caramelized hazelnuts and a few small meringues if you have them.