by Lorraine Gibson.

Need to whip up a quick festive dessert? My go-to option is my old-school yule log, it’s really simple and quick to make, yet it looks and tastes divine. There’s no baking required, so it’s perfect for when you’re busy… and at this time of year, who isn’t?
Decadent, indulgent and booze infused, just like the perfect Christmas.
10 servings, 10 minutes (ish)
You’ll need two bowls, a whish and a long, flat plate or board.

Ingredients
50ml medium white wine
50g caster sugar
50ml brandy (or alcohol-free alternative such as apple juice)
200ml extra thick double cream
1 pack of ginger nut biscuits
50ml fresh orange juice
Icing sugar (for decorating)

Method 
Take a bowl and mix together the wine, sugar and half the brandy. Gradually whisk in the cream until it looks like fluffy, snowy peaks (festive, eh?).
Pour the remaining brandy into a separate bowl and add the orange juice. Mix. This is your biscuit dip.
Next, construct the log. You’ll only need a small amount of the whipped cream for this, the rest will smother the log like snow.
Take your plate/board and run a smear of cream along the centre, this is the ‘glue’ that helps your log stay put.
Dunk a biscuit, very briefly or it will disintegrate, into the brandy and orange mixture, add a smear of cream to one side and place (cream-side up) at the start of the ‘glue’ strip.
Take another biscuit and repeat the process, sandwiching it with the first, then take another and dip, cream and repeat to build an upright tower about half the length of the plate/board.
Gently lower your ‘tower’ on its side onto the ‘glued’ plate, then continue to add more soaked and creamed biscuits all along until you have the right length log – or run out of biscuits!
If you do have any leftover cream/biscuits – create a second, small log to jut out the side.

Log built, take the remaining cream and smother the entire thing, roughing it up a bit to give a bark-like appearance. Pop in an airtight tub and leave in the fridge for a couple of hours/overnight, by which time the brandy-soaked gingernuts will have turned to a moist sponge and the cream will have set.
When ready to serve, add a garnish of chocolate curls, raspberries, a simple sprig of holly, or whatever floats your boat.
To serve, cut on a slant for a lovely stripy pattern, then stand back and take a bow!