Pineapple Coconut Buche de Noel Yule Log Cake

We start with the pineapple purée, because it needs to set in the fridge for at least 2 hours. Cut the fresh pineapple into pieces; you need 250 g in total. Put 200 g of it in a pot with 50 g of water and let everything simmer over medium heat until all the water has evaporated. Set the remaining 50 g aside for later.

In the meantime, mix 1.5 g Agar-Agar with 20 g sugar. This way there will be no lumps later. Weigh the agar agar very precisely, ideally with a measuring spoon scale: it gels about four times as strongly as gelatine, and just 1 to 2 g too much will change the whole texture.

Once the pineapple is soft from cooking, purée it with the immersion blender as finely as possible.

Return the purée to the hob and add the agar-sugar mixture.

Let the purée boil for about 2 minutes while stirring constantly. Agar-Agar needs to boil for 2 to 3 minutes; only then does it develop its gelling power. Pour the purée into a bowl, cover it directly on the surface with cling film, and place it in the fridge for about 2 hours.

Mix 200 g plant-based coconut yoghurt with 50 g coconut milk in a bowl and add 1 tsp apple cider vinegar. The vinegar makes your sponge wonderfully airy. You can also use lemon juice instead of apple cider vinegar.

Add 1 tsp vanilla liquid aroma, stir everything together and let the mixture rest at room temperature for about 5 minutes.

Put 200 g flour, 120 g sugar, 50 g desiccated coconut and 7 g baking powder into a bowl.

Finally, add 1 pinch of salt. Stir everything well.

Pour the yoghurt mixture over the dry ingredients and mix everything into a batter with the dough scraper.

Preheat the oven to 180 °C fan. Place a silicone mat on a perforated baking tray and spray it with non-stick spray so the sponge does not stick after baking. Spread the batter onto the mat.

Spread the batter evenly with an angled spatula and bake the sponge in the middle of the oven for 12 to 14 minutes. Then turn it out onto baking paper.

Peel off the silicone mat and let the sponge cool. Then cut two rectangles: 6 × 34 cm and 16.5 × 34 cm. If you don't need it straight away, wrap it in cling film.

The sponge is ready and the pineapple purée is well chilled. Whisk the purée with the whisk to loosen it.

Cut the 50 g of fresh pineapple you set aside into small cubes and mix them with 1/2 tsp of lemon juice. The lemon juice keeps the pineapple from turning dark.

Add the pineapple cubes to the purée and mix everything well. The pieces give the filling a bit of bite.

Fill the pineapple purée into a piping bag, pipe it onto the narrow sponge (6 × 34 cm) and spread it evenly with a small angled spatula.

Set the adjustable stainless steel yule log mould to 34 cm. Place the two included acetate sheets inside and trim off the overhanging edges. If you handle them carefully, you can reuse the sheets.

Carefully place the large sponge (16.5 × 34 cm) into the mould, with the nice side facing outwards. This is the side you will see after unmoulding.

Aquafaba is the liquid from a can of chickpeas, and it's a wonderful egg white replacement in vegan recipes. And the chickpeas? They become our sweet potato hummus. Put 65 g aquafaba into the bowl of the stand mixer and whisk it for about 10 minutes, until it looks like a meringue.

In the meantime, stir 2.5 g Agar-Agar into 33 g sugar. Weigh this very precisely too: 1 to 2 g too much or too little will completely change the texture and hold of the bûche.

Add the sugar and agar-agar mixture to 245 g coconut milk and bring everything to the boil while stirring. Then let it simmer for another 2 minutes so the Agar-Agar can develop its gelling power.

Pour the hot mixture into a large bowl, add 80 g plant-based coconut yoghurt and stir everything well. The aquafaba should now form nice, firm peaks, just like a meringue.

It is very important that the aquafaba goes into the mixture while it is still warm. Agar-Agar sets very quickly as it cools, otherwise you'll end up with lumps in the mousse. Don't worry, the aquafaba won't collapse from the heat. Add it in three portions, first gently with the whisk, then with the dough scraper. Take a look at this crazy texture!

Pour the coconut cloud directly into the mould lined with sponge, until it is three-quarters full. Use a small angled spatula to push the mousse up along the edges.

Place the sponge, pineapple side down, onto the mousse and press it down gently until the mousse rises up the edges. It should sit level with the first sponge. Scrape off the excess mousse with the small angled spatula and place the bûche in the fridge for 12 hours.

Decorate the Bûche no more than 3 hours before serving. Put 50 g of plant-based cream for whipping and 20 g of desiccated coconut into a measuring cup and whisk everything until stiff.

Fill the coconut cream into a piping bag fitted with a 12 mm star tip.

Place a nice Bûche base on the mould and turn everything over together.

First remove the mould, then carefully pull away the acetate sheets. Pipe coconut dots onto the Bûche and place a few fresh pineapple pieces on top.

Scatter a few coconut chips and finally place a few strips of edible gold leaf on top. Use a cooking tweezer or the tip of a knife, never your fingers, or the gold will stick. Keep the Bûche in the fridge until serving. Your vegan pineapple coconut Bûche is ready!