Buche de Noel

Its that time of year again when I make my annual Buche De Noel. Also known as a Yule Log. Whatever you call it, Its Christmas to me. But this year, there's a new recipe in town. The Daring Bakers Challenge is a yule log. The recipe was picked by our hostesses Lis and Ivonne.

We have a little bit of freedom with the recipe.
We can flavor the cake with any flavor as long as we use the original recipe.
I chose chocolate!
We may also fill it with anything we want.
I choose coffee cream filling!
We must use mushrooms to decorate, whether meringue or marzipan.
I choose almond flavored meringue!

So lets get started, shall we?
I made the mushrooms first. I always feel better if I can get those out of the way. I just put the cap and stems, unassembled in Tupperware till I'm ready for them. Now, I'm ahead of the game. At least in my mind!
Next came the cake. It always seems intimidating whenever I see eggs over hot water and heat till warm, but all went well. I added a big spoonful of unsweetened cocoa into the flour mixture but wasn't sure how much to add without drying the cake out. I was Conservative! I also rolled my warm cake in a dish towel covered in powdered sugar to cool. Once cooled, I wrapped it in cling wrap. That way, I could finish the next day. I usually always make the cake over a two day period. That way, I can fill and frost it the day I serve it. So far, Success is knocking at my door

Now comes the filling. Easy peasy! Just whip up some heavy cream with instant coffee crystals and powdered sugar till stiff. Unroll the cooled cake and gently spread cream evenly over the surface. Reroll cake.

If it breaks a little, don't stress! Once you put the frosting on, its glued back together. No one will ever know and you look good

The buttercream. I've never made a buttercream like this. Again, there is that putting eggs over hot water again. I guess sometimes you just have to look fear in the face and laugh. Hope I'm laughing after I finish this buttercream.

A few people have had problems at this stage of the game. If you let the eggs cool to much before adding the butter, it can curdle.



A.O.K. Everything went fine with the buttercream. Ya Whooo!!!
Home run for the ball team. Score!

Now for the funnest part. Frosting and decorating. I always cut a little bit of my Christmas tree in the back where no one will notice. I use these few branches to decorate. They also help nestle the mushrooms and keep them upright. A bird and a sprinkle of snow (powdered sugar) finish off my Christmas yule log.








Sources: Perfect Cakes by Nick Malgieri and The Williams-Sonoma Collection: Dessert

Plain Genoise:

3 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
pinch of salt
¾ cup of sugar
½ cup cake flour - spoon flour into dry-measure cup and level off (also known as cake & pastry flour)
¼ cup cornstarch
one 10 x 15 inch jelly-roll pan that has been buttered and lined with parchment paper and then buttered again
1.Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F.
2.Half-fill a medium saucepan with water and bring it to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat so the water is simmering.
3.Whisk the eggs, egg yolks, salt and sugar together in the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer. Place over the pan of simmering water and whisk gently until the mixture is just lukewarm, about 100 degrees if you have a thermometer (or test with your finger - it should be warm to the touch).
4.Attach the bowl to the mixer and, with the whisk attachment, whip on medium-high speed until the egg mixture is cooled (touch the outside of the bowl to tell) and tripled in volume. The egg foam will be thick and will form a slowly dissolving ribbon falling back onto the bowl of whipped eggs when the whisk is lifted.
5.While the eggs are whipping, stir together the flour and cornstarch.
6.Sift one-third of the flour mixture over the beaten eggs. Use a rubber spatula to fold in the flour mixture, making sure to scrape all the way to the bottom of the bowl on every pass through the batter to prevent the flour mixture from accumulating there and making lumps. Repeat with another third of the flour mixture and finally with the remainder.
7.Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
8.Bake the genoise for about 10 to 12 minutes. Make sure the cake doesn’t overbake and become too dry or it will not roll properly

Coffee Cream Filling

combine:

1 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon instant coffee

1/2 cup powdered sugar

Beat till stiff with an electric mixer at medium speed

Coffee Buttercream:

4 large egg whites

1 cup sugar

24 tablespoons (3 sticks or 1-1/2 cups) unsalted butter, softened

2 tablespoons instant espresso powder

2 tablespoons rum or brandy

1.Whisk the egg whites and sugar together in the bowl of an electric mixer. Set the bowl over simmering water and whisk gently until the sugar is dissolved and the egg whites are hot. 2.Attach the bowl to the mixer and whip with the whisk on medium speed until cooled. Switch to the paddle and beat in the softened butter and continue beating until the buttercream is smooth. Dissolve the instant coffee in the liquor and beat into the buttercream.

Meringue Mushrooms

3 large egg whites, at room temperature

¼ teaspoon cream of tartar

2/3cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup melted semi-sweet chocolate pieces

Unsweetened cocoa powder for dusting

1.Preheat the oven to 225 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Have ready a pastry bag fitted with a small (no. 6) plain tip.

In a bowl, using a mixer on medium-low speed, beat together the egg whites and cream of tartar until very foamy. Slowly add the granulated sugar while beating. Increase the speed to high and beat until soft peaks form when the beaters are lifted. Continue until the whites hold stiff, shiny peaks.

2.Scoop the mixture into the bag. On one baking sheet, pipe 48 stems, each ½ inch (12 mm.) wide at the base and tapering off to a point at the top, ¾ inch (2 cm.) tall, and spaced about ½ inch (12 mm.) apart. On the other sheet, pipe 48 mounds for the tops, each about 1-1/4 inches (3 cm.) wide and ¾ inch (2 cm.) high, also spaced ½ inch (12 mm.) apart. With a damp fingertip, gently smooth any pointy tips. Dust with cocoa.

3.Bake until dry and firm enough to lift off the paper, 50-55 minutes.

4.male a small hole in the underside of each cap. Add a dab of the melted chocolate and press the stem into the hole. Let stand till chocolate is set.

5.Garnish your Yule Log with the mushrooms.

For folks who have half sheet pans (12 x 17) instead of jelly roll pans (10 x 15) like me, I adjust recipes by multiplying by 4/3--this works out well for the provided recipe

4 eggs

4 yolks

pinch of salt

1cup sugar

1 cup flour or flour and cornstarch mixture

for the buttercream

6 whites

1 pound butter

1 1/3 cups sugar