No, I don’t really hate it. It’s just the amount of work required to pull off a Happy Christmas for everyone is always overwhelming. I’m the Elf-In-Chief (and a freaking type A perfectionist) so I feel especially overwhelmed every single year.

I know, I know….just relax and enjoy the spirit of the season. I get it.

That’s why I have increasingly streamlined some of the traditional recipe favorites. I can still spend lots of time singing in my kitchen, but also have time to tackle the other tasks that need doing.

We always have a Yule Log for dessert on Christmas Eve. Today’s recipe is one of the easiest ones out there. It uses packaged brownie mix and canned icing. The whipped cream filling takes hardly anytime at all.

The cream filling is flecked with chocolate and is a lovely, light contrast to the dense brownie. Festive and special. No hate here at all!

Easy Chocolate Yule Log

Ingredients:

1 box brownie mix and the ingredients called for on the box
4 eggs, beaten (This increased the amount of eggs for my brownie mix by 2)
3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
Cream Filling (recipe follows)
1 container chocolate icing
Confectioners’ sugar or holly, for decoration (I used rosemary sprigs and maraschino cherries)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350℉. Grease a 15 x 10 inch jelly roll pan and line with parchment paper. Grease parchment paper.

2. Combine eggs and brownie mix and prepare brownie mix according to package instructions.

3. Spread batter in prepared pan and bake for 15-17 minutes or until the cake springs back when lightly touched.

4. Remove from oven and turn out immediately onto a tea towel that has been generously sprinkled with 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar. Remove parchment paper and, beginning at the narrow end, roll up the cake and the tea towel together. Allow to cool.

5. Unroll the cake when cool and spread the cream filling. Re-roll without the towel.

6. Cut a thick diagonal slice off one end of the cake. Transfer the larger piece of cake to a flat serving plate. Spread a little icing over cut side of the small piece of cake and fix it to the large roll to make a stump. (I was in a rush, so I left my log as a plain old log!)

7. Frost the entire cake with the chocolate icing. Run a fork along the icing so it resembles tree bark.

8. Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar and decorate with holly.

Serves 8

Cream Filling

Ingredients:

3 squares unsweetened chocolate
2 Tbs water
1/2 pint whipping cream
2 Tbs confectioners’ sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:

1. Whip cream until soft peaks form.

2. Stir confectioners’ sugar and vanilla into the whipped cream.

3. Melt chocolate and let cool for 10 minutes.

4. Stir the chocolate into the whipped cream. The warm chocolate forms crisp bits in the cold cream which is absolutely delicious. If you want a smoother chocolate cream filling, allow the chocolate to cool completely before adding to the whipped cream.

Recipes from Yum Food & Fun Magazine

Sure, I shared a recipe for a Yule Log today. But it is, after all, Hanukkah.

A very good reason then to rock out to ‘Latke Man’.

Check out The Yule Logs on the band’s Website, where you can learn of upcoming shows in Chico, CA and buy their music.

Bah Humbug!
Cheers!