Snow Island: The world’s largest yule log

What a whirlwind it was at the Snow Island cake factory that day! Since the crack of dawn, the region’s best pastry chefs had been hard at work trying to break the world record for the largest yule log. Their goal: to make a vanilla cake with chocolate frosting almost the size of a house. It seemed like an outrageously ambitious challenge, but the Snow Island bakers and their many assistants were confident that their talent and determination would help them succeed.

Sitting on bleachers set up for the occasion, several people watched the scene unfold with great interest.

“Look, Capella,” Orion said to his twin sister. “The container for mixing the frosting is as big as the public pool!”

“Yum! Chocolate is so tasty,” the gluttonous girl replied.
“I would love to just swim in it!”

Walking around the factory floor was the top journalist from the Snow Island Gazette, who didn’t want to miss a minute of the momentous occasion. With his camera in hand and a gleam in his eye, Gregory Slifer intended to capture the action from every angle.

To get the perfect shot of the vat of chocolate frosting, he climbed into a basket on the end of a nearby forklift. An experienced worker used the machine to carefully raise him above the massive tank.

“What an incredible view,” Gregory said, leaning a little too far forward.

At that very moment, the strap around his neck meant to hold the camera snapped. Wide-eyed, Gregory watched as his prized equipment plummeted to the chocolatey surface below and sunk into the frosting.

Orion and Capella rushed to the reporter’s side.

“Mr. Slifer, is your camera waterproof?” Orion asked.

“It is indeed! Waterproof and extremely durable,” Gregory replied. “I often use it outdoors when I cover blizzards and ice storms. I’ve always been able to count on it.”

“Well, we can fish it out for you, no problem,” Capella declared.

“And clean it off, too,” her brother added.

After getting permission from the factory’s health and safety director, Capella embarked on the tricky mission. After putting on her scuba gear (which her parents had quickly brought from home), the young girl was strapped to the end of the forklift with a sturdy harness. Unable to contain her excitement, Capella was then lowered into the vat of creamy chocolate.

A few minutes later, the eight-year-old girl emerged. Covered in frosting, she held up the camera for all to see. “Got it,” she cried out.

The grateful reporter rushed to her side to thank Capella and retrieve his equipment. Wiping the lens, he was relieved to discover that the camera still worked.

After carefully purifying the vat of frosting, the Snow Island culinary crew completed their challenge. The panel of judges was duly impressed. Once a picture was taken for the Book of World Records, the giant dessert was sliced up and shared among all the residents of the region — much to the delight of Capella and her brother.

THE END

By Johannie Dufour and Sarah Beauregard
Translated by Katya Teague