BÛCHE DE NOËL

No French Canadian Christmas would be complete without a Bûche de Noël; a chocolate Yule log that is a Christmas dessert tradition. Serves 10

Chocolate Cake Roll
1/2 cup All-purpose flour 125 mL
1/4 cup Unsweetened cocoa powder 50 mL
1 tsp Baking powder 5 mL
1/4 tsp Salt 1 mL
4 Egg yolks 4
1/2 tsp Vanilla 2 mL
1/3 cup Granulated Sugar 75 mL
4 Egg whites 4
1/2 cup Granulated sugar 125 mL

FILLING
1-1/2 cups Whipping cream 375 mL
1/2 cup Powdered sugar 125 mL
1 tsp Vanilla 5 mL
2 tsp Instant coffee 10 mL
1/4 cup Unsweetend Cocoa powder 50 mL

Frost with your favorite chocolate frosting

Preheat oven 375°F [190°C].Grease a jelly roll pan, 15 by 10 inches [38-1/2 by 25 cm.] Spread with wax paper, grease paper, then sprinkle with flour.

Chocolate Cake Roll
Stir together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt; set aside.

In a small mixing bowl beat egg yolks and vanilla with an electric mixer on high speed about 5 minutes or till thick and lemon colored. Gradually add the 1/3 cup [75 mL]sugar, beat till sugar dissolves. Thoroughly wash beaters.

In a large mixing bowl beat egg whites with electric mixer on medium speed till soft peaks form {tips curl}. Gradually add the 1/2 cup [125 mL] sugar, beating till stiff peaks form {tips stand straight}. Fold egg yolk mixture into beaten egg whites. Sprinkle flour mixture over egg mixture; fold in gently. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake until cake springs back when pressed with finger, 12- 15 minutes.

Sprinkle tea towel with icing sugar; turn cake out onto tea towel, gently remove wax paper. Starting with long end, carefully roll the warm cake and towel up together. Cool cake, seam side down, on a wire rack.

Filling
Beat cream till soft peaks form; add remaining ingredients and beat till stiff.

Unroll cake; spread the filling to within 1 inch [2-1/2 cm] of the edges. Roll up cake and filling using towel as aid.

Assemble
Trim to make ends of roll even. Cut 2 inches [5 cm] off each end of roll at 45° angle. Transfer roll to platter and arrange seam side down. Spread some frosting on cut ends of the 2 inch [5 cm] pieces. With frosting touching cake, place one piece atop cake just off center and the second on one long side of cake to resemble tree stumps. Frost the entire cake, ends as well. Run fork tines through frosting to resemble bark; and in a ring pattern on ends.

Ideas for Decorating: Meringue Mushrooms, available in gourmet food stores,dusted with a bit of cocoa, maraschino cherries with stems, Holly and cranberries. Sprinkle the log with powdered sugar for snow.

Notes:

  • Let egg whites warm to room temperature - about 1 hour.
  • Powder instant coffee by placing in plastic bag and crushing with rolling pin.
  • You can make the Bûche de Noël a week ahead, then freeze it, wrapped in foil. Let stand at room temperature to thaw for about 1 hour before serving.

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