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RECIPES > ENTERTAINING

BECKY EXCELL’S BLACK FOREST YULE LOG TRIFLE

Now this is a dessert to impress a crowd: loaded with chocolate, custard and cherries, this is one decadent Christmas trifle.

By Becky Excell
A Christmas trifle with layers of chocolate yule log cake, custard, cream and plump cherries on top
Photography: Hannah Hughes

I use a medium-sized trifle dish with flat, vertical sides, which lets you press the Yule log right up against the glass for extra style points. 

  

SERVES 8-10; TAKES 1 HOUR

Ingredients

    For the sponge layer

  • 1 gluten-free chocolate Yule log

  • ½ quantity of chocolate icing OR 300ml (1¼ cups) double cream whipped with 2 tbsp gluten-free icing sugar

  • 50ml (3½ tbsp) Kirsch

    For the custard layer

  • 500ml (generous 2 cups) shop-bought custard (ensure gluten free)

  • 100g dark chocolate, broken into small pieces

  • For the whipped cream layer

  • 600ml (2½ cups) double cream

  • 2 tbsp gluten-free icing sugar

  • 2–3 tbsp Kirsch

  • For the cherry filling layer

  • 1 x 400g tin of cherry pie filling, ensure gluten free

  • 2 tbsp Kirsch

  • To finish

  • 30g dark chocolate, grated 

  • 8 fresh cherries

Method

STEP 1

Unroll the Yule log sponge and spread with either the chocolate icing or the whipped cream and re-roll tightly. Leave the outside uncovered. 

STEP 2

For the chocolate custard layer, place the custard and chocolate in a saucepan over a low heat. Heat gently and stir until the chocolate has melted and it’s well combined. Remove from the heat and transfer to a bowl, then cover with cling film and allow to fully cool. 

STEP 3

For the whipped cream layer, pour the cream into a large mixing bowl and whisk until it reaches soft peaks. Add the icing sugar and mix until well combined, then add the Kirsch and gently fold in. 

STEP 4

For the cherry filling layer, mix together the tin of cherry pie filling with the Kirsch.  

STEP 5

To assemble the trifle, slice the Yule log into rounds and place slices all around the sides of a trifle dish, as well as in the base as a flat layer. Pour over the Kirsch and allow it to soak into the sponge. 

STEP 6

Spread a layer of the cherry filling on top of the log layer, then cover with a layer of chocolate custard. Follow this with a layer of the whipped cream, then repeat the layers. Finish with the grated chocolate and cherries as a garnish. Allow to set and chill in the fridge until ready to serve. 

About the author

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Becky Excell is a bestselling author, gluten-free food writer and Coeliac UK ambassador with a following of over one million on her social media channels. Gluten free for more than 10 years, she’s written recipes for numerous magazines and online publications, and is a familiar face on UK TV and at major foodie events. Becky’s mission is to develop recipes that reunite her and her followers with the foods they can no longer eat. 

Recipe from Gluten Free Christmas by Becky Excell (Quadrille, $45). Photography: Hannah Hughes.

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