A rich chocolate Bûche de Noël , also known as a Yule Log, is a popular Christmas cake.
This recipe was originally published in Yankee Magazine in December, 1983.
Yield:
10 servingsFor the Cake
Ingredients
1 cup sifted cake flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cups sugar
4 eggs, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
Sift the flour with salt and 1/2 cup sugar. Beat egg whites until foamy. Then gradually add 1/2 cup sugar and beat until stiff. Beat egg yolks with 1/3 cup sugar until lemony. Fold vanilla into egg yolks and then fold egg yolks into egg whites. Lastly, fold in flour/sugar, 3 tablespoons at a time. Spread evenly in a greased, lined, and greased 15″ by 10″ jelly roll pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Turn cake onto linen towel that has been sprinkled with confectioner’s sugar. Remove paper and roll up cake with towel inside. Cool 30 minutes.
To assemble cake, unroll and spread filling (recipes for filling and frosting follow) to 1″ from edge. Re-roll and place on a serving dish or wrap in heavy-duty aluminum foil for the freezer. If cake is being done ahead, do not frost until ready to use. Otherwise, spread frosting all over cake (don’t forget ends) and make indentations along entire cake with sharp fork to make it look like tree bark. Decorate with red and green candied cherries.
If you do not want to use frosting at all, just sprinkle entire cake liberally with confectioners’ sugar and decorate with cherries.
For the Filling
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
2 teaspoons instant coffee
1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
Measure everything into mixing bowl. Mix well and chill for 15 minutes or so. Beat until thick and chill until needed.
For the Frosting (Optional)
Ingredients
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (melted and cooled)
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
3 ounces cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
dash of salt
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup whipping cream (whipped)
Instructions
Melt chocolate chips in a double boiler. Beat together sugar, cream cheese, vanilla, salt, and egg yolk untiol smooth and fluffy. Beat in chocolate, then fold in whipped cream. Chill until ready to use, but at least one hour.
