With Christmas only 6 weeks away we have asked our chef, Ben Halliday, for his ‘Countdown to Christmas’ cookery tips.

The first recipe Ben has done for us is his fabulous Chocolate Log:-

Sponge:

4 large eggs

4oz caster sugar

2oz unsalted butter – melted

3oz plain flour – sifted

1 oz cocoa powder – sifted

Filling:

1 pint double cream

1 tin cherries in syrup

1 double measure of brandy

zest & juice of 2 oranges

4oz plain chocolate drops

3 tbsp caster sugar

Topping:

Chocolate shavings

Icing sugar

Sponge - method:

Pre-heat the oven to 180c/350f/gas 4 & line a 10″x 14″ tin with greaseproof paper

Whisk eggs and sugar until pale, thickened and trebbled in size

Slowly whisk in the butter

Gently fold in the flour and cocoa powder

Place mixture into prepared tin and cook for 15 minutes

Once cooked remove from the tray leaving on the greaseproof paper

Once cooled cover with a clean tea towel and roll up keeping the tea towel against the sponge

Wrap in cling film and freeze ready for Christmas

The day before you plan to make the roulade remove from the freezer and defrost at room temperature.

Filling:

Strain the cherry juice into a medium sauce pan and put the cherries aside

Add the orange juice, zest, sugar and brandy to the cherry juice in the sauce pan

Reduce until thickened and syrupy and remove from the pan

Take 100ml of the double cream and add to the empty cherry sauce pot along with the chocolate drops and stir over a gentle heat until melted

Whisk the remaining cream to soft peaks

Un-roll the sponge and brush with the cherry syrup all over

Spread the chocolate cream, whipped cream and finally the cherries evenly over the sponge allowing a two inch gap around the edge

Roll the roulade by holding the greaseproof at either end and roll away from you onto a serving plate

Top with chocolate shavings and icing sugar and serve

Delicious….