BUCHE DE NOEL (FRANCE)
The Christmas Yule Log is a traditional and symbolic cake for the festive
season. Bake at 375 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes. Makes 12 servings. 1 tsp.
baking powder 1/4 tsp. salt 3 eggs 3/4 c. sugar 1/3 c. water 1 tsp. vanilla 10x
(confectioners') sugar Mocha Cream filling and frosting (recipe follows)
Chocolate bark (recipe follows) Marzipan mushrooms (recipe follows)
Grease a 15 x 10 x 1 inch jelly roll pan; line bottom with waxed paper;
grease paper. Sift flour, baking powder and salt onto waxed paper. Beat eggs
until thick and creamy, in a medium size bowl with electric mixer. Add sugar
gradually, beating constantly until mixture is very thick. Stir in water and
vanilla. Fold in flour mixture. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake in
moderate oven (375 degrees) 12 minutes, or until center springs back when
lightly pressed with fingertip. Loosen cake around edges with a knife; invert
pan onto a clean towel dusted with 10x sugar; peel off waxed paper. Trim 1/4
inch from all 4 edges for easy rolling. Starting at short end, roll up cake and
towel jelly roll fashion with seam underneath. Cool completely on wire rack.
Prepare Mocha cream filling and frosting, Chocolate Bark and Marzipan
mushrooms while cake cools. Unroll cake carefully; spread with about 1/2 of
Mocha cream filling; reroll, lifting end of towel to start rolling. Place seam
side down, on a serving plate. Cut a 2 inch diagonal slice from one end. Press
slice to side of roll with a little filling to resemble the stub of a tree
branch. Frost stub and top and side of cake with remaining filling, but do not
frost ends. Press Chocolate Bark lengthwise into frosting to resemble bark.
Decorate plate and log with Marzipan Mushrooms and leaves. Chill until serving
time, several hours or overnight. To serve, cut crosswise into thick slices.
MOCHA CREAM FILLING AND FROSTING:
1 c. sugar
1/3 c. water
3 egg yolks
1/2 c. butter
2 sq. unsweetened chocolate, melted
1 tbsp. instant coffee, dissolved in 1 tbsp. water
Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan; bring to boiling, stirring
constantly. Boil 5 minutes, or until mixture registers 240 degrees on candy
thermometer. Beat egg yolks in medium size bowl with electric mixer until light
and fluffy. Pour hot syrup slowly, in a thin stream, into yolks, beating
constantly. Continue beating until cooled, about 5 minutes. Add butter, 1
tablespoon at a time, beating after each addition until butter is absorbed.
Beat in chocolate and coffee mixture. If too soft, chill just until firm enough
to hold its shape.
CHOCOLATE BARK:
Melt 3 squares semisweet chocolate in a small bowl over hot water; pour
out onto a small cookie sheet. Refrigerate until firm. Pull a thin bladed knife
at slight angle across chocolate to make curls or shavings to resemble bark.
Place curls on waxed paper; keep refrigerated until ready to use. (If there are
any chocolate leftovers, re-melt and use in cakes, if you wish).
MARZIPAN MUSHROOMS:
1/2 (4 oz.) can almond paste
1/2 c. 10x (confectioners') sugar
1 tbsp. light corn syrup
Green food coloring
Cocoa
Break almond paste into smaller pieces; gradually knead in sugar and corn
syrup. Tint 1/4 of marzipan a light green by kneading in a few drops green food
coloring. Roll out on surface dusted lightly with 10x sugar; cut into leaf
shapes with cookie cutter. Make 8 to 10 small balls of different sizes from
remaining marzipan; flatten on side to shape "mushroom caps"; brush flat
underside with cocoa. Make stems by rolling small balls of marzipan into
cylindrical shapes. Attach stems to caps with drop of water or corn syrup.
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