Chez Us

This is quick – as we are jumping on a flight soon. Wanted to share our December Challenge with the Daring Bakers – one of my favorite holiday desserts that I have not had in a while, Buches de Noel or otherwise known as the Yule Log.

I have more to write about this challenge and the comedy that took place making it but I will have to write more this week. In the meantime – Happy Holidays to each and everyone of you!

If you are inclined to make this for the holidays, here is the recipe (a little secret, it is very easy!!)!

Well, here I am as promised to write about the Challenge of the Yule Log. Now, I love Yule Logs but do not think I have had one in years let alone attempted to bake one. Remember … I do not consider myself a “baker”. Anyhow, I am definitely more comfortable behind my trusty and much loved kitchen aid lately and have been embracing the challenges. Unfortunately, I did not get to put the love I wanted into the Buches de Noel. I had all these visions of making a deep chocolate filling, or maybe one made of burnt caramel and bergamont or maybe a nice deep blood orange one, etc… then time took over our or my life. So, I followed the recipe, which is fine but I always like to add a twist when I am allowed.

The next part of the challenge for me was to do it at my sister’s house. You say to yourself, what is that problem? Well, my sister D. does not cook, let alone bake, so I had to bring along pans, parchment paper, etc….and keep this a secret. You see we have been keeping this little blog a secret from our families and friends, and were waiting to do the unveiling over the holidays. So, my family could not understand my obsession with this Yule Log. I kept saying I joined this group and had to test the recipe – they went along with it as they are always eager to eat whatever I whip up.

The recipe was going along nicely … batter was mixing up perfectly, tasted marvelous, I was super excited! Put it in the oven and forgot about high altitude. Fortunately, I remembered towards the end and got it out just in time. A bit crunchy but soft enough to roll – there is a god! The butter cream was Divine – could not keep the fingers out of the bowl – L. was yucked out about this! While, everything was chilling, I poured myself a glass of Christmas Vino and started on my marzipan mushrooms. I have to say – I was NOT happy about doing these, how the heck am I going to make this blob of stuff look like a mushroom. Well, it worked out fantastically! I was super excited, they looked great! Maybe a little to brown but they looked damn good! So, I set everything aside to put the log together in the morning for the big photo shoot – my family would clearly find me crazy once I started shooing pictures of a Yule Log!

Next morning I woke up, put the coffee on, laid out the rolled up cake and took the extra butter cream out of the fridge. Ahh, a hot cup of coffee and enough time to put this project together and just in time for the wonderful morning light to shine through for the photo shoot! “WHERE ARE THE MUSHROOMS?” I ask a few times. My sisters standing there – “I did not do anything with them.” I am going crazy by now! Then my sister D. says, “the ones on the plate last night; I threw them away, why would you want old mushrooms for a cake?” Needless to say, it was back to the drawing board and time to make the marzipan over and make new mushrooms – at least I had that practice run! As L. said, “I guess we can tell who does not get enough time in the kitchen, to be able to tell a real one from a fake” (hee hee ha ha).

So, we came clean and shared our little blog with everyone. I told the passionate story of the Daring Bakers and how I have come to love this group of talented bakers and welcome and grasp every new challenge with eagerness! That is our story of how the log became the Christmas Yule Log!

Recipe:  Buches de Noel

Yule Log

Plain Genoise:
3 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
pinch of salt
3/4 cup/150 g of sugar
1/2 cup/60 g cake flour – spoon flour into dry-measure cup and level off (also known as cake & pastry flour)
1/4 cup/30 g 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.

9.While the cake is baking, begin making the buttercream.

10.Once the cake is done (a tester will come out clean and if you press the cake lightly it will spring back), remove it from the oven and let it cool on a rack.

Coffee Buttercream:
4 large egg whites
1 cup/200 g sugar
24 tablespoons (3 sticks or 1-1/2 cups)/345g 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.

Filling and frosting the log:
1.Run a sharp knife around the edges of the genoise to loosen it from the pan.

2.Turn the genoise layer over (unmolding it from the sheet pan onto a flat surface) and peel away the paper.

3.Carefully invert your genoise onto a fresh piece of parchment paper.

4.Spread with half the coffee buttercream (or whatever filling you’re using).

5.Use the parchment paper to help you roll the cake into a tight cylinder.

6.Transfer back to the baking sheet and refrigerate for several hours.

7.Unwrap the cake. Trim the ends on the diagonal, starting the cuts about 2 inches away from each end.

8.Position the larger cut piece on each log about 2/3 across the top.

9.Cover the log with the reserved buttercream, making sure to curve around the protruding stump.

10.Streak the buttercream with a fork or decorating comb to resemble bark.

11.Transfer the log to a platter and decorate with your mushrooms and whatever other decorations you’ve chosen.

Meringue Mushrooms:
3 large egg whites, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 cup (3-1/2 ounces/105 g./105 g granulated sugar
1/3 cup (1-1/3 ounces/40 g.) icing sugar
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. Sift the icing sugar over the whites and, using a rubber spatula, fold in until well blended.

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. Reserve the remaining meringue.

3.Bake until dry and firm enough to lift off the paper, 50-55 minutes. Set the pans on the counter and turn the mounds flat side up. With the tip of a knife, carefully make a small hole in the flat side of each mound. Pipe small dabs of the remaining meringue into the holes and insert the stems tip first. Return to the oven until completely dry, about 15 minutes longer. Let cool completely on the sheets.

4.Garnish your Yule Log with the mushrooms.

Marzipan Mushrooms:
8 ounces almond paste
2 cups icing sugar
3 to 5 tablespoons light corn syrup
Cocoa powder

1.To make the marzipan combine the almond paste and 1 cup of the icing sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat with the paddle attachment on low speed until sugar is almost absorbed.

2.Add the remaining 1 cup of sugar and mix until the mixture resembles fine crumbs.

3.Add half the corn syrup, then continue mixing until a bit of the marzipan holds together when squeezed, adding additional corn syrup a little at a time, as necessary: the marzipan in the bowl will still appear crumbly.

4.Transfer the marzipan to a work surface and knead until smooth.

5.Roll one-third of the marzipan into a 6 inches long cylinder and cut into 1-inch lengths.

6.Roll half the lengths into balls. Press the remaining cylindrical lengths (stems) into the balls (caps) to make mushrooms.

7.Smudge with cocoa powder.