Chocolate on your holiday tables with this 3 chocolate log ! A very gourmet dessert composed of cocoa sponge cake, crunchy praline, 3 melting chocolate mousses (white, milk and dark), topped with a cocoa mirror glaze. Surprise your guests with the gradient of mousses when cutting...
What you will like about this 3 chocolate log
- flavors : an ideal log for chocolate lovers...
- texture : the softness of the 3 mousses, the crispiness of the lace pancakes and the softness of the cocoa sponge cake!
- difficulty level : no problem if you do it in advance! To make it, I use my favorite log mold from Silikomart.
Details on choosing your ingredients
- cocoa : for the sponge cake and the mirror glaze, you need bitter cocoa. I often buy the Van Houten brand in the supermarket.
- chocolate pastry : to make this 3 chocolate log, take good quality chocolates (white, milk and dark). If you really want a superior taste, I recommend for example the brand Callebaut.
- cream : to make the mousses, take very cold 30% mg liquid cream, this is important.
How to make a 3 chocolate log?
- Cocoa sponge cake : very soft, it is prepared and cooked in a sponge cake mold, then left to cool before cutting it to the size of the log mold.
- Crunchy praline : we prepare it and place it in the refrigerator to harden before cutting it to the size of the log mold.
- Foams : white chocolate + milk chocolate + dark chocolate made one after the other with freezing in the freezer between each so that they do not mix.
- Cocoa mirror glaze : we prepare it and pour it onto a well-frozen log.
NB: the complete list of ingredients and the detailed recipe are given at the bottom of the page.
My tips for making a successful Yule log at home
- Get ahead, don't do everything at the last minute : you can make the sponge cake and the crispy topping in advance. However, the mousses must be made on the day of assembly since they contain gelatin.
- It is absolutely necessary to freeze the 3 chocolate log to be able to make the mirror glaze. : it is thanks to the frozen cold that it quickly sets on the log.
- Allow enough time for defrosting afterwards., in the refrigerator, to defrost slowly until mealtime.
How to store the 3 chocolate log?
Once completely made, the 3 chocolate log must be placed in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours so that it defrosts gently. You can keep it like this until tasting.
In total, it can be kept in the refrigerator for around 4 days, ideally in an airtight container to prevent it from taking on fridge odours...
Can the 3 chocolate log be frozen?
Yes! This log keeps very good in the freezer if you want to make it in advance. Please note: the mirror glaze is made on a frozen log and once defrosted, a log cannot be put back in the freezer.
I therefore advise you to take it out of the freezer on the big day (or the day before the tasting) to make the icing and then defrost it gently in the refrigerator for about 4 hours.
Other recipes to try
If you like making homemade logs, then take a look at these other recipes from the blog:
- Vanilla caramel pecan nut log
- Crispy chocolate pear speculoos log
- Mango passion coconut log
- Lemon meringue log
- Nutella crunchy chocolate praline log
- Chocolate mascarpone pastry log
If you make this 3 chocolate log, don't hesitate to rate the recipe below and tag @liliebakery on Instagram so I can see your beautiful logs!
3 Chocolate Log, The Easy Recipe
Three melting mousses in an irresistible all-chocolate log, with crunchy praline, cocoa sponge cake and cocoa mirror glaze.
Home
Ingredients
Cocoa sponge cake
- 2 medium size eggs
- 50 g granulated sugar
- 30 g all-purpose flour
- 10 g bitter cocoa
- 15 g hazelnut powder
Crunchy praline
- 90 g praline tablets ex: Poulain brand
- 55 g lace pancakes
- 30 g milk chocolate
White chocolate mousse
- 100 g quality white pastry chocolate
- 50 g whole milk
- 1 gelatin sheet Vahine (1,90 grams per leaf – 200 blooms)
- 100 g whole liquid cream 30% mg very cold
Milk chocolate mousse
- 75 g quality baking milk chocolate
- 45 g whole milk
- 1 gelatin sheet Vahine (1,90 grams per leaf – 200 blooms)
- 90 g whole liquid cream 30% mg very cold
Dark chocolate mousse
- 80 g quality dark baking chocolate between 54% and 70% cocoa according to your tastes
- 45 g whole milk
- 1 gelatin sheet Vahine (1,90 grams per leaf – 200 blooms)
- 90 g whole liquid cream 30% mg very cold
Cocoa mirror glaze
- 180 g granulated sugar
- 65 g bitter cocoa
- 120 g water
- 115 g whole liquid cream 30% mg
- 6 gelatin sheets Vahine (1,90 grams per leaf – 200 blooms)
Décor
- Nougatine shards
- White chocolate stars to melt, then cut out shapes.
Prepare in advance
Cocoa sponge cake
- Preheat the oven to 180° conventional heat. Beat the egg yolks and 30g of sugar until lightened.
- Sift together the flour, cocoa and hazelnut powder.
- Beat the egg whites until stiff, and as soon as they are foamy, add the remaining 20g of sugar. They should remain soft.
- Fold the egg whites into the yolks using a spatula/rubber spatula. Finally, gently fold in the dry ingredients, still using the spatula.
- Pour the batter onto a silicone sponge cake tray and bake for about 12 minutes (this depends on your oven). Leave to cool, unmold, then leave to cool completely. Cut to the size of the log mold.
Crunchy praline
- Melt the milk chocolate and pralinoise in the microwave or bain-marie. Crumble the lace pancakes then add to the melted mixture.
- Press this mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, making a strip the size of the log mold. Refrigerate before cutting to the exact size if necessary.
White chocolate mousse
- To save time: prepare the whipped cream for the 3 mousses at once. Whip the 3 doses of cream (= 280g) at medium speed in the bowl of the food processor or with an electric mixer to obtain a soft whipped cream. Keep in the refrigerator between each mousse.
- Soften the gelatin in cold water.
- In a small saucepan, melt together the white chocolate and milk. Smooth. Off the heat, add the drained gelatin.
- Pour this mixture into a bowl. When the temperature has dropped to about 39 degrees, add 100g of whipped cream, starting with a tablespoon, then gently fold in the rest with a spatula.
- Pour into the bottom of the log mold. Place in the freezer for 30 minutes.
Milk chocolate mousse
- Soften the gelatin in cold water.
- In a small saucepan, melt together the milk chocolate and milk. Smooth. Off the heat, add the drained gelatin.
- Pour this mixture into a bowl. When the temperature has dropped to about 39 degrees, add 90g of whipped cream, starting with a tablespoon, then gently fold in the rest with a spatula.
- Carefully pour over the white chocolate layer in the log mold. Place in the freezer for 30 minutes.
Dark chocolate mousse
- Soften the gelatin in cold water.
- In a small saucepan, melt together the dark chocolate and milk. Smooth. Off the heat, add the drained gelatin.
- Pour this mixture into a bowl. When the temperature has dropped to about 39 degrees, add 90g of whipped cream, starting with a tablespoon, then gently fold in the rest with a spatula.
- Carefully pour over the milk chocolate layer in the log mold.
Operating manual
- Add the crispy layer on the dark chocolate mousse, pressing to release a little mousse on the sides.
- Finally add the cocoa sponge cake on the crispy layer, pressing lightly. Smooth the mousse that comes out on the sides.
- Freeze for 8 hours (overnight).
Cocoa mirror glaze
- Soften the gelatin in cold water. In a saucepan, heat the water, sugar, cocoa and cream. As soon as it boils, melt the softened and drained gelatin. Pass the mixture through a Chinese then put it in a measuring glass. Mix it with a hand blender (without lifting it to avoid bubbles).
- Let cool. To use the topping it must be at 35 ° (use a thermometer). Pour over the frozen log, it freezes very quickly. Place in the refrigerator until tasting.
- Add your little decorations on top before tasting: nougatine pieces, chocolate decorations... As you wish!
Notes
Do you want to make the log in advance? It's possible! As long as it stays in the freezer, it's perfect. You take it out to make the mirror glaze and then let it defrost gently in the refrigerator until ready to eat for about 4 hours.
How to adapt the ingredients to the size of your mold? The volume calculation is mandatory…
- Calculate the volume of my mold (dimensions given in my recipe)
- Calculate the volume of your mold
- Divide the volume of your mold by the volume of my mold
Hello,
I have a few questions, the log mold you use has a smooth shape and a shape with designs, can I use that one or should I take the smooth one so that the icing is prettier? And second question I saw that I could start the log in advance, so I can start the weekend of December 7/8, 2024 and leave it in the freezer until the end of the day on December 23 in order to make my icing and put it in the fridge to taste on the evening of the 24th? I let it freeze in my mold and wrap it in cling film? Or what do you advise me to store it well in the freezer?
Thank you for taking the time to answer me, I love your recipes, last year I made the pear one, a delight
Hello Manon, you can use the log sole you want :) The mirror is better on smooth. The good conservation in the freezer is well wrapped in cling film + aluminum foil to counteract the humidity of the freezer as much as possible. See you soon :)
Hello, thank you for this recipe, it looks delicious! I'm going to try it for Christmas. Once the yule log is finished, can I freeze it directly in the mold and take it out when I'm ready to glaze it?
Hello, yes. See you soon :)
Hello,
What a joy all this chocolate is!
but if I want to dip the log in white chocolate to have a crunchy shell I don't know how to do it: do you have any ideas?
Thank you for all these shares.
beautiful day
Annie
Hello Annie, I advise you to take the white chocolate coating from this recipe: https://liliebakery.fr/buche-framboise-chocolat-blanc-pistache/
Goodbye :)
many thanks
It's decided, it will be the 2024 log. However, I can't find pralinoise in Switzerland, what can I replace it with?
I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for spoiling us every day with your delicious recipes. Whenever I have a particular craving, I always come here first to get YOUR recipe because I know in advance that I will enjoy it! Happy Holidays a little early
Hello Gaëlle, I advise you to find a bar composed of 50% praline if you can find it. I only use pralinoise to make this kind of crunchy so I can't advise you anything else. Hello to Switzerland!!! See you soon :)
Hello Lilie,
How long can the log be kept in the freezer at most?
Hello Clémence, fifteen days/a month is already not bad. Beyond that I fear that it will lose a little flavor, because we are still on homemade, without preservatives :) See you soon!
How thick is the sponge cake approximately?
do we need to use a special mold?
Thank you for your help.
Hello Virginie, I communicate my equipment in the recipe sheet, in this case it is this mold that I use: https://www.amazon.fr/Zeller-44736-Plaque-Gâteau-Silicone/dp/B01JRXRSYG?__mk_fr_FR=ÅMÅŽÕÑ&crid=17NUVKDV89NW6&keywords=plaque+à+genoise+37+silicone&qid=1701335028&sprefix=plaque+à+genoise+37+silicon,aps,212&sr=8-11&linkCode=sl1&tag=lilibake-21&linkId=23eab70e13e504c6026f126dec99114d&language=fr_FR&ref_=as_li_ss_tl
Very nice log... I will try it. Thank you.
Thank you Astride!
Hi,
I chose the 3 chocolate log for Christmas.
But impossible to find a log mold..
What do you think I could use as a replacement?
Thank you
Good night
Hello Florence, it is not possible, as you can well imagine, to make a log without a log mold (wanting to have the same result as me). Here is the Amazon link to buy the same mold as me: https://amzn.to/3DnrjAD
Hello, can I make the log on Monday 23rd to eat it on the 25th at lunchtime if I keep it in the fridge? Because I don't know if I'm going to make the topping
Hello Gabrielle, yes it should be fine. See you soon :)
Hello
I made the first 2 steps, sponge cake and crispy cake, and I want to freeze them to make the next step at the end of the week.
How do you proceed for freezing, do I put film on it?
Thank you very much for your delicious logs.
Hello Annie, you can wrap them individually in cling film and already cut to the size of your log mold. Think about the defrosting time before using them. See you soon :)
Bonsoir
I usually use semi-skimmed milk in my cooking.
In your recipe you use whole milk. Is this essential?
I want to try this log which looks excellent.
Thank you for sharing and happy holidays.
Nadine
Hello Nadine, in baking it is whole milk that is preferred because it is creamier (more fatty). It is the key to good desserts! See you soon :)
Hello,
I would like to know if your log recipes also work for iced logs? If I take the log out at the last minute, will I get a good result?
Thank you ;)
Hello Marine, it's a dessert log (mousse) not an ice cream log. See you soon :)
Hello,
I don't have a log mold... can a cake mold (like a Tefal) do the trick? Do you think I should line it with baking paper to make it easier to unmold? Thanks!
Hello Emmanuelle, without a log mold it is very risky. I would not do it personally. I only use silicone molds to unmold them well. See you soon :)
Hello, I made the log and froze it :) can the mirror glaze also be frozen or is it really last minute?
Thank you in any case, I made 3 of your logs for Christmas this year, I will let you know my impressions with tastings :)
Hello Manon, as it contains gelatin, the mirror glaze must be done at the last minute and then you have to let the covered log defrost in the refrigerator. See you soon :)
Hello
For the sponge cake, when you say to add the dry ingredients after the whites, what ingredients are you talking about?
Thank you for your reply, I can't wait to test it.
Virginie
Hello Virginie, the dry ingredients are clearly specified in the recipe, two lines above: flour, cocoa and hazelnut powder. See you soon :)
Hello,
Thank you for this great recipe.
Can I defrost the log the night before to make the icing and leave it in the fridge overnight? It's for tasting at noon on the 25th. Or is it better to take it out and ice it the same morning? Thanks in advance.
Hi Julia, it keeps in the fridge for several days once it's completely finished, so no problem for your first option. See you soon :)
Hello Lilie,
The 3 chocolate log was a sensation at New Year's Eve. It is delicious. The result was not as perfect as in the photos but I am still proud of myself. Thank you for the special log mold. For my part, I missed a little explanation for the mirror glaze.
Would it be possible in the next recipes to give the agar-agar equivalent instead of gelatin sheets please?
Thank you Lilie.
Hello Elisabeth, glad you liked it! No, I only work with gelatin, never with agar agar, too complicated to measure. See you soon :)
Hello,
I am currently making the log but I am having difficulty with the whipped cream stage.
Impossible to get a "whipped cream" texture despite having put everything in the freezer for 10 minutes before making it. This is the second time I've tried but I can't do it. What texture should it have? Should it hold together like whipped egg whites?
Good night
Hello Eve, to answer you, your cream must be extra cold and you can put your whisks in the freezer too. It must have a classic whipped cream consistency, that is to say soft, it is clearly specified in the recipe. See you soon :)
Excellent! Everyone really liked it.
It has its effect.
I just need to review the thickness of the crunch.
I didn't have the right log mold (mine was triangular), I had quite a bit of mirror glaze left over.
Thanks again for sharing.
Three chocolate log with raspberry Bavarian cream that I succeeded in making thanks to your detailed and illustrated explanations. Thank you. I would have liked to send you the corresponding photos but I don't know how to do it. Too bad.
Thank you Madeleine! See you soon :)
Hello, I would like to start making my Christmas logs.
I'm going to start this week and freeze my yule logs until Christmas, and I'm wondering when I make the icing, can I take it out of the freezer, make the icing and put it back in the freezer? Or do I have to do all the icing the day before Christmas?
Thank you
Hi Manon, yes it's possible as long as the yule log doesn't have time to defrost. I prefer to do it at the last minute to keep the decoration intact in the refrigerator. See you soon :)
Hello Lilie,
I'm going to try this yule log recipe this year.
Just a question: at certain stages, it needs to be put in the freezer for 30 minutes. Is it okay if, once it's finished before icing, I put it back in the freezer for several days?
Thank you
Hi Stéphanie, no, it's not a problem as long as it doesn't have time to defrost in the meantime. See you soon :)
Hello,
I'm going to make this yule log, I really like it, and thank you for this very detailed recipe.
Since the praline crisp is harder than the cocoa sponge which is softer and fluffier, I would have been inclined to put the crisp at the bottom of the log and the sponge on top, so as not to crush the latter when cutting it.
What do you think ?
Thank you!
Hi François, all the yule logs have a sponge cake layer underneath the crunchy layer to prevent it from slipping when cutting and to avoid any moisture from the mousse. I recommend you follow my recipe. See you soon :)
Hello Lilie,
Thank you so much for all your wonderful recipes.
Quick question about the icing. Is it possible to replace it with flocking when taking it out of the freezer?
Thank you in advance,
See you soon,
Hi Emeline, thank you, yes absolutely, it's possible! See you soon :)
Thank you for sharing your recipe. I'm wondering why gelatin is used in chocolate mousses? It's never in a Royal Chocolate mousse. Is it for even better stability? But doesn't that make it too gelatinous? Thank you very much for your reply.
Hello Sylvie, follow my recipe, it has been validated by many readers.
Hello,
I have a quick question about unmolding. Do you need to put something in the bottom of the mold, or is it easy to unmold with this mold (I have the same one as you)?
Thank you very much in advance :)
Hi Maéva, unmold it onto a wire rack. See you soon :)
Very good, even delicious! My whole family loved them. The chocolates are very good. Well done! I recommend them.
Thanks Caroline! Goodbye :)
Hello, between the different mousses, we put them in the freezer, but should we wrap them in cling film or not?
Thank you for the recipe
Hi Gaëlle, no film needed since your yule log is in a silicone mold. See you soon :)
Hello, can it be eaten frozen? Thank you for your reply.
Hi Christelle, no, it's not an ice cream log. See you soon :)
Hello,
I want to thank you and congratulate you on this recipe. I followed it to the letter, down to the gram and the degree.
Thank you for your professionalism and talents.
I wish you a sweet, joyful and delicious holiday season.
Thank you so much, Dominique! See you soon :)
This yule log is so good with its crunchy topping and chocolate glaze, and it's easy to make. I made the glaze two days in advance, put it in the fridge, and then warmed it in a bain-marie until it reached the right temperature, and it was perfect.
Everyone liked it.
Thank you Martine! See you soon :)
Hello and best wishes.
Thank you, the yule log was delicious.
I think I had a small problem with the glaze, it was sticky :/ do you know what the problem came from?
Thank you ☺️
Hi Amélie, it's not supposed to be creamy; the gelatin helps it set around the log. See you soon :)