Yule Oatcakes Recipes

OATCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a heavy baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Mix oats, whole wheat flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda together in a bowl. Rub in butter with your fingers until mixture is chunky. Pour in enough water to form a thick dough.
• Spread a thin layer of oats and whole wheat flour on a flat work surface. Turn out dough and pat to an even thickness. Cut into circles using the rim of a drinking glass. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, 20 to 30 minutes.

NOVA SCOTIA OATCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Dissolve baking soda in hot water (add a little more water if needed).
• Combine dry ingredients with butter, then add dissolved baking soda.
• Mold into a dough ball, then press it out onto a baking sheet. You can roll it out with a dough pin to make it thin as you want it to be (I recommend about 1/4 inch thick.)
• Cover and chill for 10-15 minutes to firm up the dough, then remove the oatcakes and score down the middle and across to make 8-10 squares (you'll use these lines for clean cuts after it's done baking).
• Bake for 12-15 minutes until they are golden brown. They should be crisp and crunchy, not chewy.
• Separate the cakes along the score lines with a thin knife and then allow them to cool.
• Enjoy with your favorite coffee or tea or add them to your day pack for some quick energy during a hike or a long road trip.

FLAMING YULE LOG CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray two 11-by-10-by-1-inch jelly roll pans with nonstick spray. Line each with parchment, then spray the parchment.
• In a large heatproof glass bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, vanilla, salt and eggs. Place the bowl over a saucepan with 1 inch of simmering water. Cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture is warmed through, about 2 minutes. Pour the mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer (or use a hand mixer) and beat until tripled in volume, about 12 minutes.
• Meanwhile, add the chocolate and butter to a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 15-second intervals, stirring in between each, until melted. Set aside to cool slightly.
• Add the flour and 1/2 cup of the cocoa powder to a sifter or fine-mesh sieve and sift into the egg mixture, then fold to combine. Pour the chocolate mixture into the batter and fold until it is completely combined, being careful not to overmix.
• Divide the batter between the prepared pans (about 5 1/2 cups per pan). Use an offset or rubber spatula to smooth the tops. Bake until the cakes are set and a tester comes out clean, 15 to 18 minutes.
• While the cakes are baking, sift the confectioners' sugar and remaining 2 tablespoons cocoa powder onto 2 clean kitchen towels that are as least as large as the cake pans.
• For the filling: To make the ganache, add the chocolate to a medium heatproof bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until it comes to a simmer. Pour the cream over the chocolate and let sit for 5 minutes. Stir together until completely smooth.
• Transfer the ganache to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whip attachment. Whip on medium-high until lighter in color and slightly aerated, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer 2 tablespoons to a small bowl and reserve.
• When the cakes are done, immediately run a butter knife around the edges to loosen them from the pans. Invert each cake onto a prepared towel. Remove the pans and peel off the parchment. Roll up each cake starting with one long side and using the towel as an aid. Transfer the cakes in the towels to a wire rack until mostly cool, 20 to 30 minutes.
• When cool, unroll one of the cakes. Spread half of the ganache over the cake. Reroll the cake, using the towel to help. Remove the towel, place the cake on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze. Repeat with the remaining cake and ganache, adding it to the same baking sheet in the freezer. Freeze for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
• For the topping: Stir together the gelatin and 1/3 cup cold water in the bowl of stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment.
• Combine the granulated sugar, corn syrup, salt and 2/3 cup water in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is completely dissolved. (If any granules of sugar stick to the side of the pan, brush them back into the sugar-water mixture with a wet pastry brush.) Attach a candy thermometer to the pan and increase the heat to medium high. Cook until the mixture reaches 240 degrees F, about 5 minutes.
• With the mixer on low, slowly pour the sugar syrup into the softened gelatin. Once all the syrup is added, increase the speed to high and whisk until the mixture is very thick and holds stiff peaks, about 20 minutes. Stir in the vanilla.
• Remove the cakes from the freezer. Cut a 2- to 3-inch diagonal piece from the top end of one of the logs and place it on top of the log at an angle, using the reserved ganache to attach it; this will be a branch.
• Transfer the topping to a piping bag with a long flat tip and pipe the topping onto each cake in lengthwise lines, covering the entire cake. Smooth out the lines with a small offset spatula. (You can also spread the icing straight on the cake instead of piping.) Use the back side of a fork to make small patches of lines and swirls across the length of each log, mimicking the pattern of bark. Return to the freezer for at least 2 hours and up to 4 hours.
• For the decorations: Meanwhile, prepare your fireplace. Place a roasting rack on a cast-iron griddle or large metal serving platter. Sprinkle the chocolate graham cracker crumbs underneath the rack and add a little confectioners' sugar to make the crumbs look like ash. Arrange the candy coal in the ash and add the gummies to resemble hot coals.
• When ready to serve: Remove the logs from the freezer and trim the ends to reveal the swirls. Place one frozen log in the roasting rack with the un-frosted bottom hidden. Use a kitchen blowtorch to char the marshmallow topping until it is deep brown. Place the second log on top of the first at an angle to look like logs in a fireplace and char with the kitchen blowtorch.
• Heat the brandy in a small saucepan over high heat until warm, about 30 seconds. Carefully carry the saucepan over to the Yule logs and light the brandy on fire using a long stick lighter. Pour the flaming brandy over the Yule logs and watch them burn. Slice and serve immediately.

SCOTTISH OATCAKES

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Mix together the oats, flour, salt, sugar and bicarbonate of soda. Add the butter, then rub together until it's the consistency of large breadcrumbs.
• Gradually pour in 60-90ml water from a recently boiled kettle, stirring until it forms a thick dough.
• Sprinkle some extra flour on a work surface and roll out the dough to about ½cm thickness. Use a cookie cutter to cut out about 16 rounds (the final number of oatcakes depends on the size of cutter you use).
• Place the oatcakes on a baking tray and bake for 20 mins or until golden.

YULE LOG CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 355 degrees F (180 degrees C). Grease a jelly roll pan. Line it with parchment paper, and grease the paper.
• Beat 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar and egg yolks until light and fluffy. Add 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoons flour, butter, lukewarm water, and baking powder; beat until well combined.
• Beat egg whites and salt in a glass, metal, or ceramic bowl until stiff. Transfer 1/3 of the whites to the cake batter and gently fold in. Repeat with remaining whites. Spoon batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly.
• Bake in the preheated oven until it springs back when pressed gently in the middle, about 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit in the pan for 3 minutes, before carefully turning the cake out onto a large piece of parchment paper. Roll the parchment and cake from one short end to the other and let cool.
• While the cake is cooling, place chocolate for buttercream in the top of a double boiler over simmering water. Stir frequently, scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula to avoid scorching, until chocolate is melted, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
• Beat softened butter in a bowl until light and creamy. Add powdered sugar in small increments, beating between each addition. Add melted chocolate and beat until well combined.
• Carefully unroll the cooled sponge cake. Spread a thin layer of buttercream across the top to the edges. Firmly roll back up, using parchment to help you, into a tight roll.
• At one end of the roll, cut off a diagonal slice to represent a branch, about 2 inches in length at the longest side. Frost the entire roll with buttercream. Use a palette knife to create uneven ridges to represent tree bark. Position the branch somewhere near the center of the log and cover with buttercream.
• Drag the tines of a fork lengthwise across the buttercream to create an extra bark effect. Dust the entire log with cocoa powder.

OATCAKES

Steps:

• Put oats into an electric blender and grind to a coarse flour consistency (more or less, according to your preference).
• Mix oats with baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl.
• Rub in butter until mixture is the texture of coarse crumbs.
• Stir in water to form a stiff dough.
• Pat dough evenly into a greased 9x13-inch pan (about 1/4 inch thick).
• Using a table knife, cut into 16 rectangular pieces. Prick all over with a fork, if desired. (Alternatively, chill, roll out, and cut into rounds.).
• Bake at 325 degrees for one hour.
• Cool in pan and break apart. Store in airtight container.