Chocolate yule log

I've never made a yule log or a swiss roll before, but was commissioned by a work colleague, Kara, to try it as she wanted a cake to share with the team on her last day in her job before she takes up a promotion.  I scoured the internet and found this brilliant Guardian guide to how to cook a perfect yule log - I like it because it shows the process I often go through in developing my recipes, researching classic recipes and combining the best bits of several to come up with what I was looking for.  In the end, this recipe is basically my favourite Delia Smith black forest gateau mixture - eggs, sugar, cocoa (it's a flourless recipe so great for those who can't eat wheat), but with Christmassy spices of cinnamon and nutmeg, and soft brown sugar instead of caster for a more caramel/ fudgy taste.  The ganache is made with a mixture of Galaxy milk chocolate and a little dark chocolate, so it's not too dark and rich.   Rolling it really isn't difficult either - just follow the steps in the recipe below...

Ingredients

6 large eggs, separated
5 oz soft brown sugar
3 tbsp cocoa powder
Pinch of salt
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ground nutmeg
1 tbsp caster sugar (for sprinkling)

For the filling
8 fl. oz double cream

3 tbsp icing sugar
1 tbsp brandy

For the icing
8 fl. oz double cream
6 oz Galaxy milk chocolate, chopped
2 oz dark chocolate, chopped

Pinch of sea salt

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C and grease and line a 30x20cm swiss roll tin.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks and soft brown sugar until you have a smooth, thick mixture.
3. Sift in the cooca, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg, then beat to combine.
4. In a separate, large bowl, whisk the egg whites to soft peaks.
5. Fold the egg whites into the rest of the mixture.
6. Pour the mixture into the tin, spread out evenly, and bake for 30 minutes until springy to touch.
7. Place a clean tea towel on a wire cooling rack and cover with a piece of greaseproof paper. Sprinkle this with caster sugar.
8. As soon as the cake is out of the oven, run a knife around the edges, then shake it out on to the greaseproof paper. Peel off the lining paper, and then, using the tea towel to help, roll it up tightly and leave to cool on the rack.
9. Meanwhile, place the cream, icing sugar and brandy in a mixing bowl and whip into soft peaks.
10. Make the ganache by heating the cream to a bare simmer, then take off the heat and add the chocolate pieces and salt. Leave for a minute or so, then stir to a smooth paste, and allow to cool to room temperature.
11. Once the roll is barely warm, unroll it on a board, remove the paper, and spread with the brandy cream. Roll up again, and place on the serving plate.
12. Spread with the ganache, and, as it cools, use the tines of a fork to create a bark effect – you can add more ganache for a thicker coating once the first layer has cooled if you like.
13. Dust with icing sugar for a snowy effect before serving.