Vegan Chocolate Praline Yule Log

Step 1

Add the water and sugar to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 2-3 minutes or until it has slightly thickened. Transfer to a bowl and let cool, the syrup will thicken a bit as it cools down. Set aside.

Step 2

Place the chopped dark chocolate in a medium mixing bowl.

Step 3

Heat the almond milk over medium heat and bring it to a boil. As soon as it comes to a boil, remove from heat and pour it over the chopped dark chocolate. Stir to melt the chocolate.

Step 4

Once the chocolate has fully melted, add the praline paste and stir to combine. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or until it has thickened. It should have the consistency of a thick ganache (a bit thicker than Nutella). Remove from the refrigerator once it has thickened, as you don't want it to harden too much.

Step 5

Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Slightly grease the parchment paper.

Step 6

Add the aquafaba to a stand-mixer and whip until it reaches stiff peaks, about 10 minutes.

Step 7

In the meantime, whisk together the flour, powdered sugar, cornstarch, baking powder, and baking soda. Pour in the almond milk, applesauce, oil, and vanilla, and stir using a wooden spoon until you get a smooth dough. The batter will be very thick, that is normal.

Step 8

Add 1/4 of the whipped aquafaba to the batter and stir using a spatula. Once combined, fold in another 1/4 of the aquafaba into the batter. Fold in the remaining aquafaba and stop as soon as it is fully combined and no white aquafaba part remains.

Step 9

Transfer the batter to the prepared baking sheet and carefully spread it into a rectangle of about 13x9-inch (33x23cm). Try to make the thickness as even as possible.

Step 10

Bake the cake for about 9 minutes. You do not want to over-bake it otherwise it will break while rolling and will not be moist. Remove from the oven and transfer the cake (still on the parchment paper, do not flip it) on a clean wet kitchen towel. Dust with powdered sugar and cover with another slightly wet towel. This must be done while the cake is still warm, it will allow the cake to stay moist and rollable. Let the cake cool for 20-30 minutes.

Step 11

Cut off the edges of the cake to get a nice rectangle. Brush the cake with the syrup using a pastry brush. Wait for 1 minute to let the cake absorb it.

Step 12

Filling: Spread the praline chocolate filling all over the cake. Carefully roll the filled cake, using the bottom sheet of parchment paper to help rolling it up. Keep it wrapped in the parchment paper and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, in the meantime prepare the chocolate frosting.

Step 13

Once the chocolate frosting is ready, cut about 2.5 inches of the cake roll from one end and place it on the side to create a branch. At this point, you can brush the cake with more syrup, this is optional.

Step 14

Frosting: Using a knife or spatula, cover the whole roll with a thin layer of chocolate frosting. Use a knife or fork to create a bark texture. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

Step 15

Top with shaved chocolate or sprinkles before serving!

Step 16

Add the chopped dark chocolate to a mixing bowl. Bring the almond milk to a boil and immediately pour it over the dark chocolate. Whisk until the dark chocolate has fully melted. Refrigerate 30-60 minutes, or until it has thickened.