Lemon and buckwheat yule log

Description

Traditional dessert for Christmas, consisting of a sponge cake, a buckwheat praline and a lemon cream.

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Recipe

Step 1 : Joconde rolled sponge cake
Whisk whole eggs with icing sugar and almond powder. Whip the egg whites to stiff peaks and tighten with caster sugar. Gently fold the two mixtures together with a spatula until homogeneous. Sift the flour with the cornstarch, then incorporate into the batter. Finally, add the cooled melted butter.
Spread the batter onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Bake at 210°C. Remove from the tray while hot and cover to prevent the sponge from drying out.

Step 2 : Buckwheat praline
Toast the hazelnuts and buckwheat separately at 170°C. Place the hazelnuts on parchment paper. Make a dry amber caramel with the sugar and pour it over the hazelnuts. Leave to cool. Blend in a food processor until a paste forms. Add the buckwheat and blend again briefly.

Step 3 : Lemon cream
Bring the lemon juice to a boil with half of sugar. Whiten (cream together) the egg yolks and whole eggs with the remaining sugar. Add the cornstarch. Pour in the hot lemon juice, mix, and return to the saucepan. Cook as for pastry cream. Incorporate the cold butter in small pieces. Cover with cling film touching the surface, cool and transfer into a piping bag.

Step 4 : Italian meringue
Cook the syrup to 118°C. Pour in a thin stream over the foamy egg whites and whip the meringue. Beat slowly until cooled. Transfer into a piping bag.