Wonderful Weymouth - December 2022

Dear Residents,

December 2022! Here at Modern Magazines we have had a good year and are determined that 2023 will go well. We moved location this last year and are settled in new offices. Plus, we bought a new business too. It has been busy and pretty exciting really. There are always challenges and we have faced them head on. We have two new staff who are doing great. Beth, who has been our graphic designer for the past twelve months is going off to have her first baby! We can’t wait to meet him. Pippa has created a whole new magazine in Weymouth with us, and we are very glad she joined the team.

Mel has worked with us for over 13 years now! Julie is into her 10th year of working with us, and Steph is into her 2nd year. We are a fantastic team. Chris the distribution Manager stays chirpy cheerful and is a real asset too!

All of our loyal advertisers are doing well and really want to thank you for your calls, bookings and purchases.

In fact all of us at Modern Magazines Wish you a Wonderful Christmas. Relax, enjoy time with family, friends and colleagues or indeed take some time out on your own and go for a long walk and take in the scenery. Wishing you all the Very Best, Debbie, Stephen & the Gang!

Printed on Carbon Balanced Paper by Pensord Press Ltd. Certified by the World Land Trust. Helping the planet one page at a time...

DISCLAIMER: Whilst every care has been taken to ensure the data in this publication is accurate, the publisher cannot accept any liability to any party to loss or damaged caused by errors or omissions resulting from negligence, accident or any other cause. Wonderful Weymouth does not officially endorse any advertising material included within the publication. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval systems or transmitted in any form, without prior permission of the publisher.

Stocking Fillers and Murder Mystery rillers

This month, four cracking reads for the busiest book-buying time of the year.

Grannysaurus is a roar-some picture book about unpredictable grannies, dinosaur discos and staying up late.

A boisterously funny new festive release from the duo, this is perfect for young dinosaur fans! Published by Harper Collins on December 8th

Never Give In: The 12 Commando Rules for Life by Scotty Mills

Pinch of Nom by Kate and Kay Allinson

The healthy eating phenomenon that is Pinch of Nom returns with another hundred scrumptious recipes – from fakeaways to desserts – that are both tantalising to the taste buds and good for the waistline.

Enjoy more of the food you love. Never feel like you’re missing out, from all-day breakfasts to scrumptious desserts, with crowd-pleasing foody fests so satisfying and delicious you’d never guess they are also slimming-friendly.

Published by Pan Macmillan on December 8th

Grannysaurus

by David Walliams

Bursting with David Walliams’ anarchic sense of fun and blessed with Adam Stower’s vibrant illustrations,

A sudden downpour while Scotty Mills was walking down a street in South London sent him diving for cover into the nearest shop. It turned out to be a recruitment centre for the Royal Marines and, after a few minutes’ conversation while waiting for the rain to stop, Scotty was hooked and signed up to join the elite force. It changed his life and set him on a new direction that would end up with him leading the Marines on operations around the world, becoming an Olympic flag bearer in 2012 and dining at Buckingham Palace with the Queen and the royal family.

Scotty shares his lessons of performance and resilience with the reader, inviting them into the secrets of elite culture. His compelling story is one that combines tragedy with remarkable insight about the

Wild Women: A Collection of First-Hand Accounts from Female Explorers by Mariella Frostrup

A collection of the greatest women’s travel writing selected by journalist and presenter Mariella Frostrup.

From Constantinople to Crimea; from Antarctica to the Andesthroughout history, adventurous women have made epic, record-breaking journeys under perilous circumstances.

In curating this collection of first-hand accounts, broadcaster, writer and traveller Mariella Frostrup puts female explorers back on the map. Her selection includes explorers from the 1700s to the present day, from iconic heroines to lesser-known eccentrics, celebrating 300 years of wild women and their amazing adventures over land, sea and air. Published by Head of Zeus on December 8th

power of human inspiration. Published by Simon & Schuster on December 8th

Day opportunities for people with disabilities and additional needs

Dorset Abilities Group (DAG) are an independent activities provider for people with disabilities and additional needs.

Based in Weymouth, DAG has been providing much needed, valuable and person-centred support for Group Members since 2015.

Mobile Dog Grooming

Sing When You’re Winning

Make no mistake, Gareth Malone is the national face (and bow tie) of choir singing. Through his television show, and its spin-offs, Malone has made the noble art of breaking into song cool again for everybody from shy school children to moody teenage boys, with emotionally charged and heart-warming explorations of how giving the vocal chords a workout can change lives for the better.

Returning recently in The Great Celebrity Bake Off and Celebrity MasterChef has given the choirmaster and presenter, 47 in November, an appetite for an alternative existence, even though his true passion is to exhale rather than inhale!

“I’ve never thought of it like that,” he laughs. “I’ve definitely enjoyed getting back into the reality TV side of things. I find it totally inspiring to see normal people do things that are

fantastically big and grand.

“And I count myself in that – in cooking terms I am very normal, so to challenge myself and try to do something impressive, which is exactly what we ask of people with music, has been a nice shift.”

Malone is of course best renowned for his work with The Choir, and the associated biproduct, The Military Wives, whereby he recorded with widows of British soldiers who had served in Afghanistan. The idea became such a touchstone that it spawned a number one single, Wherever You Are.

“As a choirmaster you are only ever a guide,” he says. “You have the energy and the persuasion and the techniques to pull the very best out of people, but none of those things are actually what makes a project work – it is all about the people who stand up and sing.”

What’s fair to say is Malone’s success has been hard fought. There have been no booming PR campaigns, no ‘kiss and tells’, and he certainly never felt the need to stand up in front of Simon Cowell for approval.

Malone was anointed with an OBE from the late

Queen Elizabeth II in 2013, a remarkable recognition for his work. “I truly appreciate my work being referenced in this way, and it was a great honour.

“I view the Military Wives project as the peak of that, because the national impact was so great. Sometimes, you can affect the life of one person in a seemingly small way and that can be powerful, but there is something so universal about that too. And there was a whole generation of widows who no-one was really thinking about.

“And that’s the great power of music - it goes beyond words. People who hadn’t even seen the series found out about it. It was life-changing for them and for me.”

Gareth Malone, the choirmaster who championed the voices of everyday people.

VOICE ACTIVATION MOTORISED BLINDS

Want to control your electric blinds using just your voice? All you need is an Alexa enabled device. Using this, we set up your electric blinds to open or close in response to simple voice commands. ese could be ‘open the blinds in the kitchen,’ or ‘close the blinds in the bedroom.’ You can also ask Alexa to open your electric blinds at sunrise to help you wake up naturally, or close the blinds when it gets dark to protect your home, even if you’re not there. Alexa controlled blinds are the ultimate convenience in home automation, allowing you to enjoy a more relaxed ambience, whatever level of window coverage you require.

Many people are concerned about the cost of care later in life and are worried that they might lose their homes to pay for that care meaning their children could inherit next to nothing.

If you own your property Jointly with your spouse then a Care Home could use the equity in your property to fund your care after your spouse has passed away, this doesn’t have to be the case, please call us and we’ll be able to explain what you can do to reduce the risk of that happening.

In order to protect your property for your loved ones, you need to own your property as Tenants in Common and have Protective Property Trusts in your Wills.

We can do this for you for very little cost, and give you the peace of mind that you’ve done the best you can for your loved ones.

MW Legal Services is a well established Legal Services and Will Writing company, operating for 17 years we have over 12,500 clients worldwide all serviced from our office in Weymouth.

For our clients’ peace of mind, we are Members of the Society of Will Writers and have £2.5 million Professional Indemnity Insurance.

We specialise in all forms of Will Writing, Estate Planning and Tenants in Common transactions. We only charge fixed fees for our work, regardless of how complex or complicated your affairs may be. This way, our clients always know how much a service costs in advance.

Home visits are available which means our prices are much lower than “High Street” charges for similar work. We can even return all your documents back to you personally, and can be present while they are signed and witnessed. We take the worry out of legal work.

• Single Basic Will £139

• Single Trust Wills £199

• Joint Basic Wills £159

• Joint Protective Property Trust Wills £339

• Lasting Power of Attorney per person £199 (for both LPAs, registration fees may apply) MW

Happy Home Mortgages News

The fall-out from the mini-budget initially led to a slump in the value of the pound, as traders expected a sharper increase in interest rates by the Bank of England than previously anticipated. That prompted mortgage providers to rapidly pull hundreds of deals from the market. Last month (October), the availability of products started to pick up again. However, mortgages are now more expensive. This is affecting about 100,000 homeowners each month who remortgage and first-time buyers getting a new home loan. Lenders are ‘playing safe’ with interest rates amid the current economic uncertainties, but hopefully costs will soon start to dip. A few lenders who increased their interest rates have already started to reduce them again. If your fixed rate or discounted/tracker mortgage deal is coming to an end in

the next 6 months or you want to move or buy your first home, don’t despair talk to one of our experts today. We have access to hundreds of mortgages under one roof and we can help you find a new mortgage deal to suit your circumstances, for fee-free advice please call 01305 782855 or email karis@ happyhomemortgages.co.uk and you can find us at: hhmortgages.co.uk

A mortgage is a loan secured against your home. Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage or any debt secured on it. You may have to pay an early repayment charge to your existing lender if you remortgage.

Money on my mind... the Martin Lewis column

He’s the UK’s leading money saving expert - a journalist and presenter who has kept millions of pounds in people’s pockets as well as lifting the lid on the threats and dangers we need to be aware of as consumers.

In this month’s column, Martin Lewis looks at taking back control when creditors come calling.

I’ll come straight to the point this month - there is nothing more precious or valuable than our mental wellbeing, and there is no bill or invoice that should come before it.

I have worked with mental health charities and the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute to ensure people who find themselves in difficult situations are able to access not just financial assistance, but practical and emotional support too.

The truth is when people have existing mental health problems, the administration anxiety that comes with

bills, debt demands and ongoing financial commitments, can be very difficult to handle, to the point that they’re simply unable to deal with what’s in front of them. Even when in a good place mentally and financially, so many of us find processing everyday matters exhausting, so imagine the added difficulty when starting from a place of weakness.

Remember, we have the right to determine how we are approached and contacted by those we do business with. For some people receiving a text message informing them of something may represent a nightmare. For others, a text is the only way they wish to communicate; while some prefer to converse over the phone, or even face to face.

It’s essential we stand up and state our preferences, and organisations have to adhere

to these. That won’t necessarily mean the problem will go away… if you are behind on a bill, for instance; but it will bring back control to you and, from the outset, allow you to determine how you want to go about tackling a problem.

It was reported that 44% of people with mental health problems who fell behind on payments during the pandemic considered or attempted suicide; and if you macro that up to the UK population that would be two-and-a-half million people.

I’ll be honest and say that when I heard that figure, I didn’t find it surprising; but it does surprise and disappoint me that people still don’t feel they have the tools to fight back and retake control.

From recovery space to payment holidays, to freezes on interest or repayment plans, speak to your creditors in a way that is firm and fair, and you will likely get the result you want.

Green ngers… the Alan Titchmarsh column

He’s a brilliant presenter, accomplished gardener, talented novelist, and allround horticultural inspiration. This month, Alan Titchmarsh discusses how our gardens can become carbon sinks.

We know how effective plants are at drawing CO2 out of the atmosphere. That means that while our gardens are wonderful spaces for our sensual pleasure, they brilliantly counteract global warming and our fight against climate change. In other words, they become ‘carbon sinks’.

I was recently asked how our green spaces might change if the planet continues to hot up. Certainly, I am not a climate change denier, but I think for our own peace of mind we need to keep things realistic, and it’s not as if within 50 years we’re going to be growing bananas in Northumberland or anything like that!

What we can of course do in the short-term is style and

shape garden space to ensure we help the planet as much as we can. After all, the most basic way to

prevent greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere (and warming up the climate) is by growing plants. And as gardeners, that’s what we do!

The best way to achieve this is by growing native plants. Non-native varieties can really take hold of a space, requiring harmful chemicals to control them, and leading to them being pulled up, exposing soil and releasing carbon.

We can also compost – it’s a great way of stopping carbon getting out in the first place.

It’s for this same reason that turning over soil is actually bad for your garden. Not only does it interrupt nature’s ability to let your earth matter settle into an organised pattern that benefits both plants and the creatures living in the soil, but turning over, or tilling, releases more carbon.

Beyond this, we can be more environmentally friendly by using organic fertilisers; and never be afraid to let your outdoor space ‘go wild’. Rustic gardens are the ultimate lowcarbon spaces, and that makes sense, because wild areas such as forests, wetlands and mangroves are the very best at protecting against the risks posed by climate change.

carbon

The same applies to mulching, too. When you consider that over 80% of the carbon in your garden is released from the soil, by adding a layer of wood bark chippings, for instance, you are holding the carbon in the soil.

As ever, our gardens hold within them the power not just to transform our own lives, but the welfare of the planet too, and that is why we love them so much.

Friary Care’s Wonderful Art for ‘Art in Care Homes Week’!

For this year’s ‘Arts in Care Homes’ week, the residents of Friary House have created amazing paintings on the theme of ‘Nature Inside’

A selection of nature based items (shells, stones, feathers, rosemary, autumn leaves, bay leaves, pine cone, driftwood and twigs) were displayed on the table for residents to choose from. Residents then assembled their art using the items as their ‘paint’, with either singular or multiple objects grouped together. We all had a really wonderful time, and very much enjoyed getting in touch with our artistic selves, and we hope you enjoy our art too!

Come and join us and make your home in one of our care homes in Weymouth, call the owner of Friary Care, Peter Fry, on 01305 78 78 11 or visit www.friarycare.co.uk

Or

The artwork that’s been created has beenvivid and full of movement. Artist Sarah Jane Ross, who led the session, said:“Residents responded really well to the still life objects there is visibly a lively feel totheir work as a result ofpainting directly from nature.”

Come and join our staff team, our pay rates are in line with the Real Living wage, we offer a comprehensive pension scheme and operate as an inclusive team, come and talk to our staff to learn more.

Our two care homes in Weymouth are Kingsley Court and Friary House

Christmas Menu

2 Courses £25 • 3 Courses £30

STARTER

Black Pudding Bon Bons, with Pea Puree and Parma Ham Crisp Prawn & Crayfish Cocktail, Served on a Little Gem, with a Spiced Marie Rose Sauce Duck Livers and Orange Pate, Served with Toasted Bloomer & Leafy Garnish Curried Parsnip Soup, Served with Warmed Mini Loaves Camembert Bites, Served with Cranberry Sauce

MAIN COURSE

*Aged Sirloin of Beef *Slow Roasted Turkey Crown

*Maple Glazed Gammon

*Nut Roast

Baked Cod with Lemon and Thyme, Served with our Seasonal Veggies Vegan Spicy Jack Pie, Served with our Seasonal Veggies and Gravy

*All Roasts Served with: Roast Potatoes, Maple Glazed Parsnips, Seasonal Veggies, Meat Stuffing (Vegetarian Available), Yorkshire Pudding, Home Made Pigs in Blankets

DESSERT

Christmas Pudding/Mince Pie, Served with either Brandy Sauce or Custard Chocolate & Orange Bread & Butter Pudding, Served with either Ice Cream or Custard Lemon Cheesecake with Seasonal Berries Trio of Ice Cream

Dorset Cheese Plate: Cheddar, Blue Vinny Cheese, Served with Biscuit, Celery & Chutney

A Design for Life… e Kevin McCloud Column

Designer, writer and television presenter, Kevin McCloud leapt into our consciousness with his vastly successful Grand Designs show on Channel 4. This month, the affable architectural business owner returns to the subject of sustainability, both in terms of what we make our homes with, and what we place inside them.

To me, the relationship between making things and sustainability is essential, and I fear, as Western society, we’ve lost touch with the value of made things… with the value of raw materials, of the energy required. I don’t just mean fossil fuel energy, but also the human energy that goes into the process.

I’m very struck by seeing people producing lighting out of bits of recycled industrial stuff, or those who can put together and sell furniture they’ve handcrafted in small workshops all over the country.

A fabulous trend in the past couple of decades has been the

encouraging of home production creation –

everything from picture frames to jewellery – and how the internet has given these people a platform that is truly global.

When you meet someone who has made something in their workshop, you get the opportunity to sample their passion, influences, their own inspiration for doing what they do.

People talk a lot about sustainability using words like carbon and energy consumption – all that technical stuff – yet sustainability also comes in the form of the value of the objects we place inside our homes too.

After all, we are five times less likely to

throw away something we have made compared to something we have bought.

It’s also true that the longer we have something the less likely we are to bin itthere are records from the Seventies that I’ve still got; there’s a belt I’ve had all my life. We’ve all got stuff we love that we don’t want to let go of!

Sure enough, when we see our friends we talk about these things, we share the stories. I can bore people into infinity talking about my belt, or my old leather chair, and that’s the exciting thing: stuff as it gets older, gets better; it attracts more stories.

What I’m saying is we need to continue to keep creating homes that are rich in their fabric, but that are filed with things of value as well, so that we can share those stories with people, make friends, and embed ourselves into a community. That to me is actually a big part of what sustainability is about.

The Adventures of Daichi

The Modern Magazines Camper Van

Daichi drove us all the way to Anglesey, that wonderful island off the north coast of Wales, for a family break! How exciting, a week away after a very busy summer working in our new Ice-Cream parlour, Wafflicious in Weymouth. What is funny is that we could not get away… As soon as we opened the doors of the parlour that Friday, ready to show Chris how to use the till, so he could help Emma while we were away, we had wonderful customers wanting waffles, ice-creams, sundaes and milkshakes. Then to top it all we had a Birthday party unexpectedly arrive! A family of seven, as Harry the young boy of nine had enjoyed his waffle so much two days earlier, he could not wait to come back for his treat. Four hours late in setting off, but we were very happy and all smiles as we really do love what we do in the parlour. We arrived on Anglesey at 1am in the morning. We had stopped a couple of times en route of course as we gave up being ‘on time’ and decided to make the most of the journey together. Turning a situation around to one’s advantage can be a game in itself. We were meeting Stephen’s dad and sister and knew it would now be the following day before we would catch up with them. The first day was a little damp, but not wet enough to stop us going out for a walk. The old Menai, iconic bridge was closed just before we arrived. I love this bridge and remember fifty years ago, (oh my goodness – really!) my dad calling out

with delight that we were now on Anglesey! This bridge was opened in 1826 and was the first modern suspension bridge in the world apparently and initially made for cattle traffic as this was Anglesey’s main source of income. This one bridge reduced the time from Anglesey to London by nine hours! Did you know that this bridge is also mentioned by Lewis Carroll in “Through the Looking Glass”, chapter eight? The wind was quite strong that day and my legs did turn to jelly I have to say, when taking some photos looking out to sea across the Menai Straits. Fantastic views but not necessarily for the faint heated. In fact Rachel did wait patiently at the entrance with her lovely dog, Lottie.

Penmon Point in Llangoed, near Puffin Island was day number two. Again, I love this area and it brought back many memories of past days as a child climbing on the rocks and watching the puffins swirling around. This time of year there were none at all and in fact there are now only eight pairs of breeding puffins here. Unfortunately, rats, which swam from a shipwreck in 1816 reduced the size of the colony, from over 50,000 puffins to what they are today. By 1971 there were an estimated 500,000 rodents on the island. Incredible! In 1999 they were removed totally, and the sea birds are slowly coming back. Let’s hope they fully recover and we once again see swirls of ‘grunting’, mating puffins! It is such a great sound.

The Menai Suspension Bridge

Day three was a walk around Maelog Lake. What is fascinating here is that the sea is receding in this area and there are sand dunes inland. The sand dunes actually blocked off the water, which was once part of the sea. After years of fresh water entering, the lake became a freshwater lake and is no longer salty. Though we did not test it ourselves, the bevy of swans bobbing with their heads under the water pretending to be ostriches, seemed to be enjoying it. A meal at Oyster Catcher with fish and chips all round was highly enjoyed… even by Lottie the dog! For the afternoon I had a total trip down memory lane, and we drove to Trearddur Bay. I have spent many a holiday fishing on the rocks there and caught some good mackerel with Dad. The small bays further along were full of memories of rubber dinghies and swimming in cold water. Fun though! The following day we drove to Bodnant Gardens on the mainland. It may not be spring but the reds and yellows of the trees were just delightful. The house is still privately owned by the McLaren family. In 1948 Henry McLaren persuaded the National Trust to take over the running of the gardens which was only their second acquisition after Hidcote Gardens in Gloucestershire. It was a lovely day with afternoon tea in the grounds. After that a visit to Great Orme, the limestone headland on the other side of LLandudno and a trip on the tramway which opened in 1902! The weather

coming back up was hailstones, so a hot chocolate in the café at the top was well deserved. The views would have been magnificent… if it wasn’t raining… We enjoyed ourselves anyway, as we always do. The rest of the holiday was equally interesting with a trip to the Anglesey Transport Museum where there are over a hundred British vehicles from the 1920s! There is even a Hawker Hunter Jet to see… and, oh yes and the breakfast in the café was good too. Following that was a trip to Newborough Warren with the endearing Medieval church, St Eglwys Cwyfan, that gets cut off with the tide and is known as the “Little Church in the Sea”. The Rivals, a group of hills stand majestically opposite and were enshrouded with clouds, blowing around. Beaumaris Gaol created in 1829 was a place I remember well as a child. Visiting only of course. The story of the man hanged in 1862 who always professed his innocence and subsequently cursed the clock, which did not work until very recently. The treadwheel used as a punishment and in most gaols did not have a purpose but here it created running water for the sinks and toilets. It is a very atmospheric place. All in all we did a lot! We also ate, drank, had a swim in the pool as well as a game of air hockey, bar billiards and pool. We came home for a rest! Daichi drove us through the Llanberis Pass and Snowdonia on the way back. This is just awe inspiring. We stopped at the beautiful Swallow Falls where we had fun taking artistic photos of the rushing water. Holidays are definitely about having family fun and we certainly did that. Where will Daichi take us next I wonder…

By Debbie Corney

Autumnal colours at Bodnant Gardens

Daichi visits Beaumaris Gaol

MONDAY

Preston

St Andrews Church Rooms, DT3 6BU 5.45pm Call Debbie 07986 709671

Portland

Easton Methodist Church Hall, DT5 1BX 5.30pm & 7.00pm Call Karen 07484 647558

TUESDAY

Portland

Easton Methodist Church Hall, DT5 1BX 9am & 10.30am Call Karen 07484 647558

Upwey

Upwey & Broadway Memorial Hall, DT3 5NG 9.30am & 11.30am

Call Teresa 07854 402259

Wyke

Wyke Working Mens Club, DT4 9AB 4pm, 5.30pm & 7pm

Call Karen 07484 647558

Littlemoor

Littlemoor Community Centre, DT3 6AH 5.45pm & 7.15pm Call Debbie 07986 709671

WEDNESDAY

Portland Islanders Club, DT5 1ES 9.30am Call Anne-Marie 07754 582219

Chickerell Willowbed Hall, DT3 4AJ 5.30pm & 7pm Call Lucy 07884 316063

THURSDAY

Weymouth

St Pauls Church Hall, DT4 0JX 9am & 10.30am Call Anne-Marie 07754 582219

slimmingworld.co.uk

Weymouth

St Pauls Church Hall, DT4 0JX 4.45pm & 6.15pm Call Anne-Marie 07754 582219

Portland Islanders Club, DT5 1ES 5.30pm Call Sue 07810 232016

FRIDAY Weymouth

Radipole United Reformed Chuch, DT3 5EN 7.30am, 9.30am & 11am Call Lucy 07884 316063

SATURDAY Weymouth

St Edmunds Church Hall, DT4 9HZ 8.30am & 10am Call Sue 07810 232016

Top Tip

Don’t expect perfection. Remember that trees are naturally wonky and flawed. Be sure not to over stir the cake mix; you want it light and airy.

Nigella Lawson’s Yule Log

Ingredients

(serves 12)

For the cake

• 6 large eggs (separated)

• 150 grams caster sugar

• 50 grams cocoa powder

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 5 teaspoons icing sugar (to decorate)

For the icing

• 175 grams dark chocolate (chopped)

• 250 grams icing sugar

• 225 grams soft butter

• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

No one does Christmas like Nigella, which is why this glorious yule log is the ideal centrepiece for your festive lunch.

Introduction Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C Fan/gas mark 4/350ºF. In a large, clean bowl whisk the egg whites until thick and peaking, then, still whisking, sprinkle in 50g / ¼ cup of the caster sugar and continue whisking until the whites are holding their peaks but not dry. In another bowl, whisk the egg yolks and the remaining caster sugar until the mixture is moussy, pale and thick. Add the vanilla extract, sieve the cocoa powder over, then fold both in. Finally, gently fold in the egg whites.

2. Line a Swiss roll tin with baking parchment, leaving a generous overhang at the ends and sides, and folding the parchment into the corners to

help the paper stay anchored. Pour in the cake mixture and bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Let the cake cool a little before turning it out onto another piece of baking parchment. If you dust this piece of parchment with a little icing sugar it may help with preventing sticking, but don’t worry too much as any tears or dents will be covered by icing later. Cover loosely with a clean tea towel.

3. To make the icing, melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl suspended over a pan of simmering water, then let it cool. Put the icing sugar into a processor and blitz to remove lumps, add the butter and process until smooth. Add the cooled, melted chocolate and

the tablespoon of vanilla extract and pulse again to make a smooth icing.

4. Sit the flat chocolate cake on a large piece of baking parchment. Trim the edges of the Swiss roll. Spread some of the icing thinly over the sponge, going right out to the edges. Start rolling from the long side facing you, taking care to get a tight roll from the beginning, and roll up to the other side. Pressing against the parchment, rather than the tender cake, makes this easier.

5. Spread the yule log with the remaining icing, covering the cut-o ends. Create a wood-like texture by marking along the length of the log with a skewer or sharp knife and finish with a dusting of icing sugar.