Yule Log Christmas Cake
A few years ago I was introduced to the Buche de Noel from a very good friend of mine who is from France. The Buche, is a cake that resembles a log, it is traditionally served in France and other European countries as a dessert for Christmas. The Buche is a sponge cake that is rolled much like a jelly roll to resemble a Yule Log that families burnt for centuries during the holiday season. The cake is a strong part of the French heritage and many families have their own spin on the cake.
If you are looking to do something a little different for the holiday season, try out this recipe. It is quite easy to make and can easily be stored in the refrigerator for two days before service (it is actually better when it sits for two days).
Chocolate Sponge Cake (Makes 2 half sheet trays)
- 8oz Egg Yolks
- 4oz Sugar
- 8oz Egg Whites
- 4oz Sugar
- 2oz Cake Flour
- 2oz Cocoa Powder
Method
- Preheat oven at 425 degrees F.
- Sift flour and cocoa powder
- Whip egg yolks and 4oz sugar until still and thick, pale yellow
- In a separate bowl: Whip egg whites and remaining sugar until medium still peaks
- Gradually fold yolks and whites together, next fold in sifted dry ingredients
- Spread on a half sheet tray lined with parchment paper
- Bake for 10 minutes or until set, remove from sheet tray immediately when still warm and cool.
***Hint, brush the cake with simple syrup when cooling to ensure the cake will be ultra moist***
Italian Butter Cream (Makes 6# 9oz)
Step 1
- 1C Egg Whites
- 1# Sugar
- 8oz Water
Step 2
- 1 ½ # Soft Butter
- 3oz Shortening, emulsified
- ½ oz Vanilla Extract
Method
- Cream butter and shortening until smooth and light (about 10 minutes)
- Combine ¼ of the sugar with the egg whites in a separate mixing bowl
- Combine the water and rest of sugar in a sauce pan and cook until “softball” stage or 242 Degrees F. (simple translation of this fancy term “Soft ball stage”. Let the water and sugar boil for about five minutes, at this time take a spoon, dip it into the sugar and water mixture and drop it directly into a bowl of ice water. If the sugar mixture is easily made into a ball between your two fingers and is soft, you got soft ball stage. If it does not, continue cooking it until it does and repeat the step with placing the mixture into the cold ice water).
- Whip Egg whites and sugar until stiff peaks, slowly drizzle in the Sugar syrup at soft ball stage into stiff peaks. Whip until cold.
- Add butter in parts to the mixture and whip until smooth.
** Hint, I like to tint my frosting a bit with cocoa powder after it is all whipped until smooth to give it a more bark look (about ½-¾ C)**
To make the cake, take the chocolate sponge cake and place it on wax or parchment paper. Spread the icing about 1/8 inch thick along the cake leaving about 1 inch of un-iced cake around the edges.
Using the parchment paper to support the cake, roll the cake like a jelly roll, making sure to keep it tight. Refrigerate for about 1 hr after you roll the cake up.
After the hour wait, place the additional icing on the outside of the cake (about ¼ inch think), rustically, to resemble a log. If you want to give it a true textured look, use a fork to drag it along the icing to make it look like chunks of bark. Refridgerate the cake once again, next cut the end off of the cake at a 45 degree angle (about 4 inches long) and place it on top of the cake, fill in the space between the two sections of cake with icing and serve. (see photo)
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TAGS
buche de noel, cake, dessert, christmas, recipe, chocolate, sponge cake, yule log, scott bova |
