Difficulty: Medium (3/5)
As a professional pastry chef with years of experience crafting elegant desserts, here's how to create this stunning exotic pineapple yule log, blending tropical flavors with classic French technique.
Prepare the biscuit. Preheat the oven to gas mark 7 (210°C). Separate the egg yolks from the whites. Whisk the yolks with 100 g of powdered sugar until the mixture whitens and becomes creamy. Gently fold in the flour, then the stiffly beaten egg whites seasoned with a pinch of salt.
Spread the batter onto a buttered parchment-lined baking sheet. Smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 7-8 minutes until golden. Turn out onto a damp cloth, peel off the parchment, and roll the biscuit widthwise while warm. Let cool completely.
Prepare the mousse. Peel the pineapple and blend its flesh to yield 300 g of purée. Whisk the egg yolks with 75 g caster sugar until pale and doubled in volume. Soften the gelatin sheets in cold water. Dissolve the cornflour in 2 tablespoons water, then add to the egg mixture along with the pineapple purée. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens and coats the spoon. Off the heat, stir in the drained gelatin. Chill until set. Whip the cream with 25 g caster sugar to soft peaks, then fold into the cooled mousse.
Assemble the log. Make a syrup by boiling 10 g sugar, 10 cl water, and the rum. Unroll the cooled biscuit, brush generously with syrup, and spread the pineapple mousse evenly. Re-roll tightly and chill.
Peel the remaining pineapple, slice thinly, and caramelize in a pan with 150 g powdered sugar until golden. Cut into 6 portions. Unwrap the chilled log, brush with warmed honey, and decorate with grated coconut, pomegranate seeds, and pineapple slices.
Serve very cold for the best texture and flavor.
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