Christmas is served by m’lady!
From turkey and trifle to this luscious yule log, Lady Carnarvon of the real life Downton Abbey shares her favourite festive recipes
This is fun to make, and if you do so with children it will create rather a mess! Use redcurrants, blueberries and sprigs of holly to decorate, but make sure the holly or any other garden plant you use has no berries at all as they can be toxic.
Serves 10-12
For the cake l 6 large eggs, separated l 150g (5½oz) caster sugar l 1tsp ground cinnamon l 120g (4oz) plain flour l 50g (2oz) good-quality cocoa powder, sifted
For the filling and icing l 150ml (5fl oz) double cream, whipped
l 1tbsp vanilla extract
l 75g (2¾oz) dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), broken into chunks l 225g (8oz) soft butter
l 250g (9oz) icing sugar, sifted, plus extra for dusting
l Green holly, redcurrants and blueberries, to decorate
Preheat the oven to 180°C/ fan 160°C/gas 4. Use an electric whisk to beat the egg whites in a large glass bowl until they are thick and standing up. Sprinkle in 50g of the caster sugar and whisk again.
In another bowl, whisk the egg yolks and the remaining caster sugar until creamy and thick. Add the cinnamon and fold the flour and cocoa powder in. Use a large metal spoon and fold the egg whites into the yolks in stages.
Line a Swiss roll tin with baking paper, but do not trim too tightly.
Pour the cake mixture in and bake for 20-22 minutes, until just cooked through and springy to the touch. Let the cake cool a little before turning it out onto a piece of baking paper. Cover with a clean tea towel to keep it soft.
Stir the vanilla into the whipped cream. Melt the chocolate in a bain-marie, then take off the heat. In another bowl, beat the butter with a mixer until pale, then gradually add the icing sugar and cooled melted chocolate. Spoon a thin covering of the chocolate icing over the cake, then spoon the whipped cream across. Roll the cake up carefully and leave the paper wrapped around it as it settles.
Sprinkle a board with icing sugar, unwrap the cake and set it down. Cut off a small diagonal at one end. Cover the cake with the remaining chocolate icing and score carefully with a fork so it resembles tree bark. Arrange the diagonal piece at an angle to the main log and cover with icing. Place some holly around the board and cake and use redcurrants and blueberries to look like berries.