Vanilla & Hazelnut Praline Yule Log
19 November 2025
Difficulty:
We are slowly approaching the Christmas season, and so it was time to post my first log recipe, a light and indulgent log with vanilla and hazelnut, one of my favorite combinations. The recipe includes praline, which you can make at home or buy commercially (in mine I added vanilla for even more flavor) but also several vanilla pods; if needed, you can use just one, split in two between the insert and the mousse, to be complemented with vanilla extract that you can also use in the namelaka. The recipe has quite a few elements but nothing very complicated, and as almost always with logs, you can make it in small pieces of 15 or 30 minutes a day.
Ingredients :
I used Madagascar vanilla, Norohy vanilla extract & the Ivory chocolate from Valrhona: code ILETAITUNGATEAU for 20% off the entire site (affiliate).
I used hazelnut puree and hazelnut powder from Koro: code ILETAITUNGATEAU for 5% off the entire site (non-affiliate).
Equipment :
My log mold and insert mold (as well as my piping bags) come from Guy Demarle: referral code FLAVIE10 to be indicated at registration for €10 off (affiliate).
10mm nozzle
Preparation time: 1h30 + freezing & defrosting time + 15 minutes of cooking
For a 28cm log:
Vanilla disk insert (Christophe Felder):
35g whole milk
270g heavy cream
1 vanilla pod
1.2g NH pectin
35g sugar
60g egg yolks (3 to 4 yolks)
Bring the milk to a boil with the cream and the seeds from the vanilla pod. In a bowl, mix the pectin with the sugar, then sprinkle the mixture over the hot milk. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
Then pour over the egg yolks, mixing well to avoid cooking them.
Pour into the insert mold and place in the freezer until completely set.
Hazelnut creamy insert:
22g egg yolks
22g sugar
125g heavy cream
1.2g gelatin
63g hazelnut puree
Rehydrate the gelatin in cold water.
Heat the heavy cream.
Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar. Pour the hot cream over the egg yolks, then cook to a nappe (83°C) while stirring constantly.
Then add the rehydrated gelatin (and squeezed if you are using gelatin sheets) and the hazelnut puree. Mix well, if needed with an immersion blender.
Pour into the insert mold and place in the freezer until completely set.
Hazelnut biscuit:
2 eggs
70g sugar
125g hazelnut powder
3g baking powder
QS chopped hazelnuts
Separate the eggs. Whisk the egg yolks with half of the sugar, then add the hazelnut powder and baking powder.
Whisk the egg whites with the second half of the sugar. When they are well whipped and the sugar dissolved, gently fold them into the first preparation.
When the batter is homogeneous, pour it into your mold, add some chopped hazelnuts on top, then bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 15 minutes.
Let the biscuit cool, then cut it to the right size.
Praline crunch:
50g milk chocolate
60g hazelnut praline
45g feuilletine
Melt the chocolate, add the praline, then the feuilletine.
Spread the crunch over the hazelnut biscuit and place everything in the freezer for the crunch to crystallize.
Vanilla mousse:
58g whole milk
12g heavy cream
1 vanilla pod
20g egg yolks
20g sugar
2.3g gelatin
250g heavy cream
Rehydrate the gelatin in cold water.
Heat the milk with the small amount of heavy cream and the seeds from the vanilla pod.
Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar.
Pour the hot liquid over, then return everything to the saucepan and cook to a nappe (83°C) while stirring constantly. Then add the rehydrated gelatin (and squeezed if you are using gelatin sheets).
When the vanilla custard reaches 35°C, whip the heavy cream until not too firm.
Gently fold it into the vanilla custard at 28-30°C, then immediately proceed to assembly.
Assembly:
About 60g of praline
Line the bottom of your log mold with vanilla mousse.
Add one of the two inserts, dome side down, then the pure praline.
Add the second insert, dome side up.
Cover with the mousse, then finish with the biscuit/crunch.
Namelaka vanilla & finishing touches:
Note, the namelaka should be prepared the day before its use.
50g whole milk
1 vanilla pod
1g gelatin
85g white chocolate
100g heavy cream
Rehydrate the gelatin in cold water.
Heat the milk with the vanilla seeds, then add the rehydrated gelatin and pour it over the previously melted white chocolate. Mix well to obtain a smooth and shiny ganache, then add the cold heavy cream and blend with an immersion blender. Cover with plastic wrap and let crystallize for 1 night in the refrigerator.
On the same day, unmold your log and place it on the serving dish. Let it defrost overnight in the refrigerator. The next day, spread the namelaka over the entire surface of the log, then pipe balls on top. Decorate with praline and hazelnuts, then enjoy!
Ingredients :
I used Madagascar vanilla, Norohy vanilla extract & the Ivory chocolate from Valrhona: code ILETAITUNGATEAU for 20% off the entire site (affiliate).
I used hazelnut puree and hazelnut powder from Koro: code ILETAITUNGATEAU for 5% off the entire site (non-affiliate).
Equipment :
My log mold and insert mold (as well as my piping bags) come from Guy Demarle: referral code FLAVIE10 to be indicated at registration for €10 off (affiliate).
10mm nozzle
Preparation time: 1h30 + freezing & defrosting time + 15 minutes of cooking
For a 28cm log:
Vanilla disk insert (Christophe Felder):
35g whole milk
270g heavy cream
1 vanilla pod
1.2g NH pectin
35g sugar
60g egg yolks (3 to 4 yolks)
Bring the milk to a boil with the cream and the seeds from the vanilla pod. In a bowl, mix the pectin with the sugar, then sprinkle the mixture over the hot milk. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
Then pour over the egg yolks, mixing well to avoid cooking them.
Pour into the insert mold and place in the freezer until completely set.
Hazelnut creamy insert:
22g egg yolks
22g sugar
125g heavy cream
1.2g gelatin
63g hazelnut puree
Rehydrate the gelatin in cold water.
Heat the heavy cream.
Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar. Pour the hot cream over the egg yolks, then cook to a nappe (83°C) while stirring constantly.
Then add the rehydrated gelatin (and squeezed if you are using gelatin sheets) and the hazelnut puree. Mix well, if needed with an immersion blender.
Pour into the insert mold and place in the freezer until completely set.
Hazelnut biscuit:
2 eggs
70g sugar
125g hazelnut powder
3g baking powder
QS chopped hazelnuts
Separate the eggs. Whisk the egg yolks with half of the sugar, then add the hazelnut powder and baking powder.
Whisk the egg whites with the second half of the sugar. When they are well whipped and the sugar dissolved, gently fold them into the first preparation.
When the batter is homogeneous, pour it into your mold, add some chopped hazelnuts on top, then bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 15 minutes.
Let the biscuit cool, then cut it to the right size.
Praline crunch:
50g milk chocolate
60g hazelnut praline
45g feuilletine
Melt the chocolate, add the praline, then the feuilletine.
Spread the crunch over the hazelnut biscuit and place everything in the freezer for the crunch to crystallize.
Vanilla mousse:
58g whole milk
12g heavy cream
1 vanilla pod
20g egg yolks
20g sugar
2.3g gelatin
250g heavy cream
Rehydrate the gelatin in cold water.
Heat the milk with the small amount of heavy cream and the seeds from the vanilla pod.
Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar.
Pour the hot liquid over, then return everything to the saucepan and cook to a nappe (83°C) while stirring constantly. Then add the rehydrated gelatin (and squeezed if you are using gelatin sheets).
When the vanilla custard reaches 35°C, whip the heavy cream until not too firm.
Gently fold it into the vanilla custard at 28-30°C, then immediately proceed to assembly.
Assembly:
About 60g of praline
Line the bottom of your log mold with vanilla mousse.
Add one of the two inserts, dome side down, then the pure praline.
Add the second insert, dome side up.
Cover with the mousse, then finish with the biscuit/crunch.
Namelaka vanilla & finishing touches:
Note, the namelaka should be prepared the day before its use.
50g whole milk
1 vanilla pod
1g gelatin
85g white chocolate
100g heavy cream
Rehydrate the gelatin in cold water.
Heat the milk with the vanilla seeds, then add the rehydrated gelatin and pour it over the previously melted white chocolate. Mix well to obtain a smooth and shiny ganache, then add the cold heavy cream and blend with an immersion blender. Cover with plastic wrap and let crystallize for 1 night in the refrigerator.
On the same day, unmold your log and place it on the serving dish. Let it defrost overnight in the refrigerator. The next day, spread the namelaka over the entire surface of the log, then pipe balls on top. Decorate with praline and hazelnuts, then enjoy!
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