Difficulty: Intermediate (3/5)
Preheat the oven to 220°C.
In a bain-marie, whisk 120 g caster sugar with 3 whole eggs and 4 yolks until the mixture doubles in volume and turns pale.
Off the heat, gently fold in the flour, cocoa powder, spices, and vanilla while whisking. Line a dark metal sponge cake tin with buttered parchment paper and smooth the batter with a wet spatula.
Bake for 4-5 minutes, testing doneness by inserting a knife in the center. Invert onto a damp cloth.
Puree 250 g chestnuts with a little milk into a smooth paste. Candy the remaining 100 g chestnuts by cooking them with 1 teaspoon icing sugar.
Mix the chestnut paste with the chestnut cream. Bring 30 g whipping cream to a boil and incorporate into the chestnut mixture.
Whip the remaining cream with the rest of the sugar into stiff peaks. Combine with the chestnut preparation.
Spread the cream on the cooled biscuit, leaving a 1 cm border. Reserve one-third for the exterior. Sprinkle half the candied chestnuts over the cream, then roll tightly using the damp cloth. Chill for 1 hour.
Unroll, trim ends diagonally, and coat with reserved cream using a spatula for texture. Dust with cocoa powder through a sieve.
Decorate with remaining candied chestnuts and your choice of festive toppings.
Created by Chef Hubert, a master of fine pastries.
Happy New Year!
