The Maltese Christmas Log is very different than the Yule log, popular throughout Europe. Instead of sponge cake, the Maltese one is made with crushed biscuits and a variety of nuts, fruit and sometimes chocolate chips. It is very popular during the festive season, and besides it being sooo delicious it is very simple to make. It is basically a fridge cake and therefore no baking is involved. If you have kids around, this is also a fun way to get them involved in the preparation of this cake.
When we were kids, both my brother and I were eager to roll up our sleeves and help out with the making of the Christmas log. Our favourite part was the bashing and smashing of the biscuits and we would take it in turns to pass the packets of biscuits between us until they are all turned into fine crumbs. It was so much fun! 🙂
We would then add the other ingredients… hazelnuts, glazed cherries and chocolate chips were our favourite and we would steal some of them before they even reach the mixing bowl. Sometimes mum would prepare other Christmas logs with raisins, sultanas, almonds, walnuts and candied peel. Most ingredients are traditionally found in the Christmas fruit cake.
The cake is held together by a can of condensed milk, which also adds the sweetness. Once everything is combined it is formed into a log… hence the name… and left in the fridge for a couple of hours to set. This is then covered in melted chocolate and left to set again.
The waiting time was always torture for us as we would have wanted to be rewarded for our efforts there and then. However, we were always proud when the log was cut and shared, telling everyone that it was our job to prepare it.
If you are invited over to your family/friends this festive season, I suggest you consider taking one of these Christmas Logs with you! It is great to serve with a cup of tea/coffee or a hot cup of mulled wine!
Merry Christmas everyone! 🎅🤶🎄🎁🎅🤶🎄🎁
Maltese Christmas Log
Great to serve with a warm cup of tea or mulled wine!
Ingredients
- 350g semi-sweet biscuits (I used Morning Coffee)
- 250g mixed fruit (including sultanas, raisins, glazed cherries and candied peel)
- 150g almonds, chopped
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground cloves
- 1 can (397g) condensed milk
- 1 shot Amaretto liqueur (optional)
- 150g dark chocolate, melted
Directions
- Crush the biscuits until they are crumbs.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the biscuit crumbs, mixed fruit, chopped almonds, cinnamon and ground cloves. Add the condensed milk and liqueur and mix well.
- Using your hands, combine together until the mixture starts to get clumpy.
- Divide the mixture into 3 roughly equal amounts and form each one into a log shape.
- Wrap each log in a greaseproof paper and place in the fridge for a couple of hours or preferably overnight.
- Cover the logs generously with melted chocolate and decorate as if they were a tree log.
- Let it set completely before slicing into it.
