This Yule Log Entremet is a feast of layers and taste. At the base sits a crisp almond shortcrust with a nutty crunchy layer on top. A soft frangipane sponge is paired with a blackberry jelly, all wrapped in smooth blackberry mousse. The glossy mirror glaze gives a festive shine, while baked Swiss meringue adds a sweet crunch. Finished with fresh blackberries, this blackberry mousse cake is a true blackberry entremet that balances nutty richness with bright berry flavour.
Blackberry Yule Log Entremet – Video Tutorial
Before diving into the full recipe, check out the tutorial video below where I show you how to make a very light blackberry mousse, prepare a crunchy almond insert, and glaze the cake to a glossy finish. Watching the process step by step will help you master the textures and techniques that make this Yule Log Entremet truly special.
Blackberry Bûche de Noël Entremet
Ingredients
Frangipane (Almond Cream)
- 60 g salted butter
- 60 g sugar
- 60 g almond meal
- 15 g plain flour
- 60 g egg 1 large
Blackberry Jelly (~250 ml)
- 160 g blackberry purée
- 10 g limoncello
- 45 g sugar
- 8 g cornstarch
- 4 g powdered gelatine
- 20 g cold water for blooming
Light Blackberry Mousse (~700 ml)
- 300 g blackberry purée
- 15 g lemon juice
- 9 g gelatine powder
- 45 g cold water for blooming
- 55 g egg whites
- 55 g sugar
- 230 g heavy cream 33–35%
Almond Crunch
- 65 g white chocolate
- 10 g oil
- 25 g streusel base
- 10 g Swiss meringue
- 25 g almond praline
- 15 g baked almond flakes
Instructions
Frangipane (Almond Cream)
- Whisk room-temperature butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
- Mix in almond meal and flour until fully incorporated.
- Spread the frangipane evenly into a silicone mould or baking tin. For reference, this quantity fills two Silikomart inserts at roughly 2 cm thickness.
- Bake until set and golden on top, usually 25–30 minutes depending on your oven.
- Freeze completely.
Blackberry Jelly
- Bloom the gelatine in cold water and leave it for 5 minutes.
- Mix sugar and cornstarch together, then whisk into the purée with the limoncello.
- Bring to the boil and cook for 1 minute, whisking.
- Pour on top of frangipane sponge.
Light Blackberry Mousse
- Bloom the gelatine in cold water and leave for 5 minutes.
- Semi-whip the heavy cream and refrigerate.
- Prepare a Swiss meringue with the egg whites and sugar and set aside (see notes).
- Transfer 25% of the blackberry purée into a small saucepan, bring to a simmer, add the gelatine mass and stir until fully dissolved.
- Add this warm purée back to the remaining cold purée, then blend with a stick blender. The final temperature should be around 23–25°C (73–77°F); chill briefly if needed.
- Whisk the meringue into the blackberry base, then finish mixing with a spatula.
- Fold in the semi-whipped cream, starting with a whisk, finishing with a spatula.
- Pour into a silicone mould, add the frozen frangipane and blackberry jelly insert, and freeze completely (7 hours or overnight).
Almond Crunch
- Melt the white chocolate and mix in the oil and almond praline.
- Add the streusel crumbs, crushed meringue and baked almond flakes.
- Spread a layer onto the frozen mousse cake.
- Freeze for another 20 min before glazing the cake.
Video
Notes
- Whipping Swiss meringue with only a small quantity of egg whites and sugar can be challenging in a stand mixer. I typically use a smaller mixer to pre-whip the meringue, then switch to the standard whisk attachment to complete the process. Alternatively, a hand blender can be used to achieve similar results.
- You’ll need less blackberry mousse than stated in the recipe if you’re assembling in the same mould. Any extra mousse can be used as an insert for future mousse cakes, or simply spooned into ramekins to set — giving you a light berry dessert ready to enjoy after a few hours in the fridge. Making a smaller amount would be very tricky, as whipping a reduced quantity of meringue is challenging and often leads to unstable texture.
Yule Log Entremet – Jelly and Frangipane Components
For the jelly layer in this Yule Log Entremet, you can follow the full video tutorial here. It’s the same technique I’ve demonstrated with apricot jelly, and you can easily adapt it to blackberries. If you’d like to get more creative, try other berries that complement the blackberry flavour — my favourite choice is blackcurrants for their sharp, rich taste.
The frangipane sponge is very straightforward to prepare, but if you’d like to see the process step by step, I recommend watching my tutorial here. This will guide you through the method and give you confidence in achieving the perfect nutty sponge layer.
When assembling the jelly and frangipane sponge insert for your blackberry mousse cake, aim for a refined finish by trimming the top of the sponge while it is still frozen. Use a serrated knife and take care to keep the cut even. Instead of pouring the jelly directly on top of the sponge, pour it into the silicone mould first, then very gently place the trimmed sponge over it. This method helps the layers bond neatly, though be mindful that many silicone moulds are wider at the top, which can create a less aesthetic look. I made this mistake in my first Bûche de Noël, which you can see here, so taking the time to trim and assemble carefully will give you a much more polished double insert.
Other components of the blackberry entremet recipe
To bring the Yule Log Entremet together, these additional elements add flavour, texture, and a polished finish:
- Almond shortcrust – a crisp, nutty base that provides structure and balance for the layers above.
- Mirror glaze – a glossy, reflective coating that gives the blackberry mousse cake its festive shine.
- Swiss meringue – baked until crunchy, adding a sweet contrast to the smooth mousse and fresh berries.
Swiss Meringue Decoration for the Blackberry Entremet
For the decoration of your blackberry entremet, prepare a Swiss meringue following my tutorial here. You can adjust the texture by controlling the temperature while heating the sugar and egg whites — I recommend working in the range of 65–71 °C (149–160 °F), which produces just the right consistency for baking. To keep the baked meringue perfectly white, bake it at 90 °C (194 °F) or lower. There’s no need to pasteurise the egg whites, as they are already pasteurised; the goal is simply to dehydrate them. Leaving the oven door slightly ajar allows steam to escape, helping the meringue dry evenly. If you’d like to decorate both sides of the Yule Log, use a silicone mat and trace your design onto baking paper, flip the paper over, and pipe the meringue carefully along the outline for a refined finish.
MOULDS USED IN THIS RECIPE
Magic Buche mould – silicone mould designed for smooth, seamless bûche-style entremets with a refined cylindrical finish: https://www.silikomart.com/en/magic-buche
Craving more behind-the-scenes moments, step-by-step videos, and sneak peeks of upcoming recipes? Join me on Instagram @andbonbons for a closer look at the process, pastry tips, and plenty of chocolate inspiration.
