Featured Recipe
Raspberry White Chocolate Log
By Kate
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A raspberry log featuring a white chocolate chantilly infused with elderflower, a raspberry jelly set with carrageenan instead of agar-agar, and a nut-free crumble enriched with freeze-dried raspberry powder and coconut sugar. Uses an airy sponge cake rolled with a tart-sweet raspberry filling, topped with a whipped creamy ganache and crunchy crumble. Adapted for a subtle floral note and a softer jelly texture. Timing adjusted to give room for chilling and better texture. Serves 10 to 12 portions in a classic roulade style dessert.
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Prep:
Cook:
20 min
Total:
Serves:
10 to 12 servings
dessert
roulade
fruit desserts
chocolate
Introduction
Bûche aux framboises reimagined. Floral note — elderflower over vanilla; jelly supple but set firm with carrageenan, not agar. Texture contrast: crunchy crumble with coconut sugar and white chocolate, softened by airy sponge. Egg foam whipped to triple volume. Folding flour in gently, no rush, no deflate. Rolling warm sponge leads to cracks — patience. Chill chantilly long. White chocolate ganache whipped not firm butter; ribbons, not grain. Jelly pureed smooth, not chunky; sweetened subtly with coconut sugar. Chill times adjusted. This isn’t a cake for speeding through—sensory cues lead. Crumble optional but adds texture contrast and visual pop. Fresh raspberries dot the top. Expect rustic beauty with complex textures and flavors.
Ingredients
White Chocolate Elderflower Chantilly
- 280 g chopped white chocolate
- 500 ml heavy cream 35%
- 10 ml elderflower essence or vanilla extract
- 70 g coconut sugar
- 4 ml carrageenan powder
- 250 ml raspberry purée (fresh or thawed frozen)
- 25 ml softened unsalted butter
- 25 ml all-purpose flour
- 25 ml powdered milk
- 25 ml coconut sugar
- 1 pinch fleur de sel
- 85 g melted white chocolate
- 25 ml freeze-dried raspberry powder (optional)
- 120 g all-purpose flour
- 5 ml baking powder
- 1 ml fine sea salt
- 6 large eggs, room temperature
- 110 g granulated sugar
- Fresh raspberries (optional)
Raspberry Jelly
Raspberry Crumble (optional)
Sponge Cake
Garnish
About the ingredients
Chopped white chocolate needs to be fine for smooth melting. Use good-quality cream 35% or heavier for stable whip. Elderflower essence delicate but impacts aroma; adjust per brand strength. Coconut sugar lends caramel flavor and moisture to crumble; you may substitute brown sugar or fine granulated sugar but expect less depth. Freeze-dried raspberry powder adds color and tartness but is optional — lemon zest works as a substitute. Egg temperature essential; too cold and volume suffers. Flour must be sifted fine and folded carefully to preserve air — rushing leads to dense sponge. Use silicone mats to prevent sticking in crumble and for easy cleanup. Parchment overhang on jelly roll pan helps peel sponge easily. Chill times vary depending on fridge; aim for jelly that yields slightly to pressure, not hard like rock or too soft to spread.
Method
White Chocolate Elderflower Chantilly
- 1. Place chopped white chocolate in a medium bowl.
- 2. Heat cream and elderflower essence until bubbling at edges, just boiling. Immediately pour over chocolate. No stirring for 2 minutes—let heat melt chips completely.
- 3. Whisk gently until mixture is uniform and glossy. Cover tightly and chill in fridge at least 7 hours, ideally overnight. Don't rush. Texture develops better fat crystallization and flavor melding.
- 4. Stir coconut sugar with carrageenan powder until blended.
- 5. Bring raspberry purée to rolling boil. Whisk in sugar-carrageenan mixture in a steady stream to avoid clumps. Boil 1.5 minutes while stirring constantly.
- 6. Pour into shallow container, cover, refrigerate 2.5 hours until firm but still yielding slightly to pressure—should not be rock hard.
- 7. Puree jelly with immersion blender to a smooth consistency without chunks or fibers. Set aside.
- 8. Preheat oven 175 °C (345 °F). Center rack. Line baking sheet with silicone mat.
- 9. Mix butter, flour, powdered milk, coconut sugar, and fleur de sel just until moistened. Avoid overmixing or you get tough bits.
- 10. Crumble mixture with fingers directly on mat, small and medium chunks for texture variation.
- 11. Bake 7 to 9 minutes. Listen for crackling and watch for golden edges, not brown. Stir halfway through for even baking.
- 12. Cool fully. Drizzle with warm white chocolate, toss to coat quickly, spread out to set on a fresh mat.
- 13. Sprinkle with freeze-dried raspberry powder for tart aroma and color punch.
- 14. Line 33 x 20 cm (13 x 8 in) jelly roll pan with parchment. Extend paper over short edges. Butter pan sides and parchment top.
- 15. Sift flour, baking powder, salt into a bowl. Set aside.
- 16. In large bowl, whisk eggs and sugar at high speed 9 to 11 minutes until volume triples, ribbons form when whisk raised. Go a bit longer if batter lacks lightness. Key step. Avoid rushing or underwhipping.
- 17. Fold sifted dry ingredients gently with a silicone spatula in 3 parts. Use careful folding strokes to avoid deflating batter. No overmixing.
- 18. Spread batter swiftly and evenly into pan using offset spatula. Smooth surface but do not press down.
- 19. Bake 14 to 16 minutes. Test doneness with touch: surface should spring back gently but not stick. Wooden skewer inserted should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Avoid drying out sponge.
- 20. Cool on wire rack 45 to 55 minutes until just warm or room temp before handling. Too hot breaks sponge while rolling.
- 21. Lift cake from pan holding parchment edges. Trim 2 cm off long edges to remove uneven crusts and get straight sides.
- 22. Spread raspberry jelly evenly over sponge. Should coat fully but no excess pooling.
- 23. Whip white chocolate chantilly to soft peaks. Should hold shape but still ribbon softly. Reserve 60 ml (1/4 cup) for piping.
- 24. Spread half of chantilly over jelly layer in a smooth layer.
- 25. Roll cake tightly from shorter edge using parchment to guide and prevent cracks. Don’t fret if small cracks appear – normal for delicate sponge.
- 26. Discard parchment, place roll seam-side down on serving dish.
- 27. Cover roll with remaining chantilly, using spatula strokes or leave some spots uncovered for rustic effect.
- 28. Pipe rosettes or dots of reserved chantilly decoratively along surface.
- 29. Sprinkle crumble generously over top, pressing lightly to adhere. Garnish with fresh raspberries if using.
- 30. Chill at least 3 hours to set flavors and texture. Remove from fridge 30 minutes prior to serving for best mouthfeel.
- 31. Slice with sharp serrated knife wiped clean between cuts. Serve with spare crumble on side.
- - Elderflower essence can be swapped for lemon zest or a splash of rosewater – floral but subtle. Avoid overpowering scraps. Vanilla extract is fine fallback.
- - Carrageenan replaces agar for silkier gel and cleaner flavor; use as per powdered substitution notes. Alternative: gelatin—but texture differs.
- - Coconut sugar in crumble adds caramel notes and moisture. Brown sugar works but watch for clumping.
- - Freeze-dried raspberry powder optional but adds punch. Replace with lemon zest or omit if unavailable.
- - Room temperature eggs whip better—separate whites for stiffer sponge if desired.
- - Chill chantilly fully before whipping. Overwhipping turns to butter; stop once soft peaks appear.
- - Rolling sponge warm causes cracks: patience pays here.
- - Crumble can be doubled for extra crunch or served on side if preferred.
Raspberry Jelly
Raspberry Crumble (optional)
Sponge Cake
Assembly
Substitutions & Tips
Technique Tips
Heat cream just to boil — not simmer — for proper chocolate melt. No stirring for 2 minutes after pouring cream preserves emulsion and prevents graininess. Whisk smoothly to fuse mixture fully. For jelly, boiling is crucial to activate carrageenan properly; stirring prevents lumps. Puree jelly once set to avoid chunks in filling. Crumble should brown lightly; listen for faint crackles and watch edges carefully — burnt bits ruin texture and flavor. White chocolate melt should be warm, pourable but not hot or grainy before tossing crumble. Sponge requires full whipping until tripled volume; check by lifting whisk—ribbon falling slowly, holding shape. Fold flour gently to retain foam. Test sponge doneness via toothpick and bounce-back surface, not just baking time. Cool sponge fully but not cold before rolling—warm sponge cracks easy. Roll with parchment for ease. Don’t over-whip ganache or it turns too stiff; soft peaks give richness without dryness. Pipe reserved cream for decoration and structure. Chill entire log to marry flavors and firm textures, then let temper before slicing for best cut and mouthfeel.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 Use high-quality white chocolate. Cheap chocolate leads to grainy ganache. Chop finely for even melting. Always check heat before adding.
- 💡 Elderflower essence can be swapped for subtle lemon zest. Vanilla also works in a pinch. Fine adjustments matter in aroma. Use sparingly.
- 💡 Carrageenan can be tricky. Bring raspberry purée to a rapid boil. Stir in sugar-carrageenan mix steadily. Avoid lumps for smooth jelly texture.
- 💡 Cool sponge fully before rolling. Too hot? Cracks happen. If you roll warm, patience prevents breaks. A baking towel can help with rolling.
- 💡 For the crumble, watch closely. Bake until just golden, listen for crackles. Mix gently with white chocolate, but don’t overcoat. Keep it crunchy.
