Christmas Yule log cake

1.Preheat oven to 220°C (200°C fan-forced). Grease two 25cm x 30cm (10-inch x 12-inch) swiss roll pans; line bases with baking paper, extending paper 5cm over long sides.

2.Spread chocolate in a thin layer in one of the pans. Refrigerate about 7 minutes or until chocolate is firm but slightly pliable. Tear chocolate into small pieces; refrigerate until required.

3.Meanwhile, sift flour and spices into small bowl. Beat eggs and ½ cup of the sugar in another small bowl with electric mixer about 5 minutes or until thick and creamy. Transfer to large bowl; sift flour mixture over egg mixture, then fold into the egg mixture. Pour into pan; bake about 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 180°C (160°C fan-forced).

4.Place large sheet of baking paper on wire rack; sprinkle paper with remaining sugar. Turn cake onto baking paper, remove lining paper, immediately roll up cake from short side; cool.

5.To make hazelnut filling; beat mascarpone, cream cheese, sifted cocoa, spread and liqueur in small bowl with electric mixer until thick and creamy. Reserve 1½ cups.

6.To make tuile leaves; using a leaf-shaped cutter as a template, trace around cutter on thick cardboard. Cut out the centre of the shape, leaving a stencil. Line oven tray with baking paper. Stir butter and sugar in medium bowl; stir in egg white. Stir in sifted flour until smooth. Drop 1 teaspoon of mixture into leaf cut-out on tray. Spread mixture thinly to make leaf. Carefully lift template from leaf, position on tray about 3cm (1¼ inches) away from the first leaf; make two more leaves. (Make and bake three leaves at a time.) Bake in 180°C (160°C fan-forced) oven about 8 minutes or until browned lightly. Working quickly, slide a spatula under tuile to loosen, then place over a rolling pin to form curved shapes. Cool on rolling pin 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool. Repeat with remaining mixture.

7.Unroll cake, brush with liqueur; spread with remaining filling, leaving a 3cm (1¼-inch) border on one short side. Roll up from opposite short side, using paper as a guide. Transfer to serving platter. Spread reserved filling over cake. Decorate with chocolate pieces. Using a skewer make spiral patterns on each end of log. Refrigerate 1 hour. Dust log with sifted icing sugar just before serving. Decorate log with tuile leaves.