Buche de Noel
"I know there are several Buche de Noel recipes on the 'Zaar, but none are as elaborate as my mom's - maybe I'll take a picture of it this year and post it. The effect is a log with mushrooms - this is a "new classic" family Christmas recipe. Prep time is just a guess, because this is a dessert I make part at a time."
- Ready In:
- 2hrs 8mins
- Ingredients:
- 16
- Yields:
-
1 log
ingredients
-
Filling
- 1⁄2 lb butter
- 4 pasteurized egg yolks
- 1 1⁄2 cups sugar
- 3⁄4 cup water
- 8 ounces semisweet chocolate (or 1 1/3 cup chips)
- 2 tablespoons rum
- 2 teaspoons instant coffee crystals
- 1 tablespoon hot water
- 1 cup powdered sugar
-
Cake
- 1⁄2 cup flour
- 1 1⁄2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 2 1⁄2 cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3 eggs
- 1 1⁄2 cups sugar
- powdered sugar
directions
- In addition to the ingredients, you will need a 10x15 inch jellyroll pan, parchment paper, and a clean white flour-sack towel.
- Put the jellyroll pan on a flat countertop and make sure that it is not warped; if you can wiggle it, bend it flat, otherwise the cake will burn.
- Starting with the filling, cream the 2 sticks of butter until light and fluffy.
- In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks until they are pale in color.
- Combine the 1 1/2 cup sugar with the 3/4 cup water in a medium saucepan.
- Stir to dissolve, then cook without stirring until it reaches 230 degrees (or until it forms a small thread off of a spoon).
- While beating the yolks, slowly pour the hot sugar syrup in and beat until thick and cool (~5minutes).
- Beat the eggs into the creamed butter until smooth and uniform, then add the rum (You can replace the rum with 1/2 tbs almond extract and 1 1/2 tbs water).
- Set aside 1/4 cup of the buttercream mixture in a small bowl.
- Blend the instant coffee with the hot water, and stir into the 1/4 cup of buttercream.
- Add the cup of powdered sugar slowly until the coffee buttercream is spreadable and not runny.
- Melt the chocolate and blend it into the large bowl of buttercream.
- Put both the chocolate and the coffee buttercreams in the refridgerator to chill.
- Now, on to the cake!
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
- Line the jelly roll pan with parchment paper; use a little butter to stick it to the pan and lightly grease the paper.
- Sift the flour, cocoa, and cornstarch together.
- Melt the butter.
- Beat the 3 eggs briefly, then add the sugar.
- Continue to beat for about 5 minutes, until the mixture is thick, pale yellow, and forms a ribbon when the beaters are lifted from the mixture.
- Gently fold in the flour first, then the butter (Don't try to make it perfectly smooth; you want some air still in the mixture).
- Pour into the jelly roll pan and spread to the edges.
- Bake for 5-8 minutes; the top should spring back when pressed with a finger.
- Spread the flour-sack towel on the counter and sprinkle with powdered sugar.
- Run a sharp knife around the edges of the cake, then invert it onto the towel.
- Remove the pan and the parchment paper.
- Fold the towel up over the cake and roll the cake along the long side (you want a long, thin roll instead of a short fat one).
- Set it seam side down to cool.
- When the cake is cool (~30minutes) unroll it gently, remove the towel from the inside surface, and spread half of the cooled chocolate buttercream over the inside surface.
- Roll the cake up tightly (without the towel), wrap it in tin foil, and refrigerate for at least an hour.
- Slide waxed or parchment paper over a serving platter and place the cake on the paper (the paper prevents frosting smudges on the platter).
- Slice off both ends of the cake and reserve.
- Frost the cake with most of the remaining chocolate buttercream.
- Do not frost the ends.
- Use a fork to add"bark ridges.
- "Put the ends of the cake somewhere along the long axis and frost the sides (the idea is to look like stubs of branches).
- Use the coffee buttercream to frost the ends of the log and branches.
- If you really want to get fancy, make mushrooms.
- Use my meringues recipe (#33411).
- In addition to domed meringues, make small pillars to be the"stems.
- "When cooked, push"stems" into"caps.
- "Dust with cinnamon and push into the frosting.
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Reviews
-
The filling(s) were VERY good, made exactly as given in the instructions. However, since the specific amount of cornstarch is not given, I guessed at 2 1/2 tablespoons--the cake ended up stiff and flat, even before it was completely cooled, and it fell apart when I unrolled it. I broke it into bits and served it as "fondue" to dip in the filling. Tasted good, but looked nothing like a Buche de Noel.
RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
ChrisMc
Honolulu, Hawaii
