Yule Log

Notes

I highly recommend using a scale to measure your flour. However, if you don’t have a scale, be sure to fluff your flour with a spoon and then spoon it into your cups before leveling it off with a knife. This method is the best way to measure flour without overpacking the measuring cup.

Avoid over-mixing as you risk over-developing the gluten in the batter leading to a tough, dry, and dense cake.

When folding in the egg whites, turn the mixture in on itself with a cutting motion, not stirring. This way, you do not deflate the egg whites.

When whipping the egg whites, make sure there’s no water or liquid in the mixer as it’ll prevent the egg whites from forming peaks.

As the cake is thin, keep a close eye on it to prevent it from overbaking. When overbaked, the cake will be dry, and you risk cracking it as you roll it.

Don’t wait long to roll the chocolate cake. The cake needs to be warm as when the cake cools in the rolled shape, it will make rolling the cake with the filling inside much more manageable and decrease the chances of the cake cracking.

The cake will be sticky, so do not skip dusting the cake and tea towel with confectioners’ sugar.

The meringue mushroom recipe makes about 20 mushrooms. These add a festive touch served in a bowl next to the Buche de Noel. When slicing and serving the cake, place one or two on everyone’s plate.

Vanilla bean paste or the scrapings of half a vanilla bean is a great visual addition to the filling.

Want to add some flair? Mix 2 tablespoons of simple syrup with 2 tablespoons of liquor such as Frangelico, Grand Marnier, or brandy. Brush the mixture onto the cooled chocolate cake before topping with the filling and rolling up. off the cookies.

	* For the Meringue Mushrooms *
	2 egg whites (room temperature)
	⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar
	6 tbsp Superfine Sugar
	cocoa powder for dusting
	60g Semi-Sweet Chocolate - Melted
	*** For the Chocolate Cake
	80 All-Purpost Flour
	33g Cocoa Powder
	½ teaspoon salt
	▢7 large eggs room (temperature and separated)
	200g Sugar
	Powdered Sugar for Dusting
	* For the Filling *
	300ml COld Heavy Whipping Cream
	40g Powdered Sugar
	½ tsp vanilla extract
	* For the Frosting *
	284g Butter - Softened
	¼ teaspoon salt
	48 Cocoa Powder
	330g Powdered Sugar
	1 tsp Vanilla Extract
	2-3 Tbsp Heavy Wipping Cream

1.	* For the Meringue Mushroom *
2.	Reduce the oven temperature to 95C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3.	In a large mixing bowl, combine the egg whites and cream of tartar. Beat on medium speed until frothy and doubled in volume. With the mixer running, slowly sprinkle in the sugar. Once all of the sugar is added, continue beating until stiff and glossy peaks form, about 5 minutes. Place the meringue in a piping bag fitting with a large round tip. (I used a Wilton 2A tip.)
4.	Pipe half of the meringue into stems by placing the piping tip on the parchment and squeezing the piping bag while slowly moving the tip up, creating a column of meringue, about 1-inch tall. Pipe round tops about two times wider than your stems by placing the piping tip about ½-inch above the parchment and squeezing the bag until the desired size. Dust the tops and stems very lightly with cocoa powder, if desired.
5.	Bake for about 2 hours or until the meringues easily release from the paper. Turn the oven off and let cool completely in the oven.
6.	Once cool, use a sharp knife to remove any points on the tops of the stems if needed. Dip the flat bottom of the mushroom tops in melted chocolate and place on top of a stem. Set aside until set, about 1 hour.
7.	* For the Chocolate Cake *
8.	Preheat the oven to 175C. Lightly spray a 30x43 cm (12x17in) rimmed baking pan with baking spray. Fully line with parchment paper and lightly spray the paper.
9.	In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt.
10.	In a large mixing bowl, add the egg yolks. Beat on medium speed until about doubled in volume and velvety. Add 3/4 cup sugar and continue beating until very pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle in the flour mixture and beat just until combined. (Mixture will get very thick.)
11.	In another large bowl with clean beaters, beat the egg whites on medium speed until light and frothy. With the mixer running, slowly add the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar. Continue beating until stiff, about 4 minutes. Fold the beaten egg whites into the yolk mixture in three batches, folding just until no white streaks remain. Spread the batter in an even layer in the prepared pan.
12.	Bake for 20 minutes or until the cake springs back when gently pressed in the center. Dust a clean tea towel with confectioners’ sugar. Immediately invert the hot cake onto the towel. Remove the pan and carefully peel off the parchment paper. Starting at a long end, somewhat tightly roll up the cake with the tea towel. Place on the counter seam side down to keep it from unrolling, and cool completely, about 1 hour.
13.	* For the Filling *
14.	In a large bowl, beat the heavy cream on medium speed until thickened. Add the sugar and vanilla. Continue beating until stiff. (Be careful not to go too far and curdle it.)
15.	Unroll the cooled cake, leaving it on the tea towel. Spread the whipped cream over the cake leaving a 1-inch border. Using the tea towel to help, roll the cake up again, starting from the same long end. If any excess cream squeezes out the seam, scrape it off, and place the cake roll seam-side down on a tray. Place in the fridge.
16.	* For the Frosting *
17.	Place the butter and salt in a mixing bowl and beat on medium speed until smooth. Add the cocoa powder and beat until well combined, stopping to scrape down the bowl a few times, about 2 minutes. With the mixer on low, beat in the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla. Slowly stream in the heavy cream while beating. Increase mixer speed to medium and beat until fluffy and easily spreadable, about 2 minutes.
18.	Remove the cake log from the fridge. Cutting at a diagonal, cut about two inches off of one end. Place the log on a serving plate. Spread a few tablespoons of frosting onto the end of the cut-off and stick to the side of the log. (The diagonal cut should be facing out.) Spread the remaining frosting all over the cake roll, leaving the ends exposed.
19.	Run fork tines through frosting in one direction to give the appearance of bark. Trim the un-cut end of the log to expose a perfect swirl. Refrigerate the cake until ready to serve.
20.	Just before serving, decorate the log with a few of the meringue mushrooms, sugared cranberry and rosemary, and dust lightly with confectioners’ sugar.

Preppy Kitchen

Total Time

Rating

Ingredients

Notes I highly recommend using a scale to measure your flour. However, if you don’t have a scale, be sure to fluff your flour with a spoon and then spoon...

Instructions

Notes

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