Christmas Yule Log (Buche de Noel)

 

Christmas Yule Log

I remember years ago when I was just a wee little girl and it was nearing Christmas time and my mom would be in the kitchen night after night preparing all her baking for the “Big Day”.  I remember the cookies, the cakes and the bars all being stored in the freezer.  I also, remember sneaking down to the freezer when my mom was at work or after school or just about any time, stealing all of the well prepared baking and sharing it with my brother so I would not be the only one in blame.  I always had a well thought out plan 😉

I remember one year my mom was very ambitious and decided that she was going to make Christmas Yule Logs to give out as gifts instead of fruit cakes.  I do not know where she came up with the idea but I really thought it was wonderful.  The cakes were made a few weeks in advanced and stored in the freezer until she was ready to prepare them and hand them out on Christmas Eve to other family members.  I remember helping my mom with all the preparation and it was A LOT of work but I do recall how everyone appreciated all of the work she put into these little master pieces!

If you are feeling ambitious and would like to try making one of these cakes I do so recommend it.  They are worth the time and effort to make.  This is not the recipe my mom used when I was little.  I find this recipe to be a lot more work but it is so tender, delicious, light and fluffy that you will want to make it all the time!

For the Yule Logs

Ingredients for Cake

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons white sugar

7 large eggs, separated

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces

3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Preheat the oven to 325 F.  Butter a 17×12 inch baking sheet.  Line the baking sheet with parchment paper and then butter and flour the parchment paper.

Separate the eggs, place the whites in one bowl and the yolks in another.  Cover and bring to room temperature.  Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pot of simmering water.  Remove from the heat and cool.

In the bowl of your electric mixer place the egg yolks into the bowl with a 1/4 cup of sugar and beat until light and fluffy (about 3-5 minutes).   When you slowly raise the beaters the batter will fall back into the bowl in a ribbon.  Beat in the vanilla.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl.  Add the cooled melted chocolate and beat only to combine.

In a clean mixing bowl, with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until foamy.  Add the cream of tartar and beat at a medium high speed until soft peaks form.  Gradually beat in the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar until stiff peaks form.

Gently fold in a small amount of the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture using a rubber spatula.  Fold in the remaining egg whites just until incorporated.  Do not over mix or the batter will deflate.  Spread the batter evenly over the prepared baking sheet.

Prepared Cake Batter

Bake until the cake is puffed, has lost its shine and springs back when gently pressed.  About 16-18 minutes.  Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool.  Cover the cake with a clean, slightly damp towel.

Chocolate Whipped Cream

Ingredients for Chocolate Whipped Cream

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

3 tablespoons of white sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

In a large mixing bowl place the whipping cream, vanilla, sugar and cocoa powder and stir to combine.  Cover and chill the bowl and beaters in the refrigerator for at least an hour so the cocoa powder has time to dissolve.  Beat the mixture until stiff peaks form.  Once the cake has cooled, spread with the cream (set 2 tablespoons aside) then gently roll the cake, peeling off the parchment paper as you roll (the cake may crack).  Trim off the ends of the cake and set it aside.  Place your cake onto your serving platter seam side down.  Take the slice of reserved cake and, using the whipped cream attach it to the side of your cake.  Cover and chill until serving time.  Cover with chocolate frosting and then dust with icing sugar.

Source:

Beranbaum, Rose Levy.  The Cake Bible.  William Morrow and Company, Inc.  New York:  1988.

For the Chocolate Icing

4 ounces of semisweet chocolate chopped

2/3 cup of butter, room temperature

1 1/3 cup icing sugar

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pot of simmering water.  Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

In the bowl of your electric mixer beat the butter until smooth and creamy about one minute.  Add the sugar and beat until it is light and fluffy about 2 minutes.  Beat in the vanilla.  Add the chocolate and beat on low speed until combined.  Then increase the speed to medium high until the frosting is smooth and glossy about 2-3 minutes.

This particular recipe is a lot of work.  There are a lot of bowl switches and dishes.  Once my mouth was greeted with the first bite of this cake I was in heaven!  It is almost indescribable the taste that this cake gives.  The frosting gives it a slight fudgey taste but then the cake is so light it simply melts in your mouth!  You might think to yourself at first that is a lot of chocolate but it is not overwhelming at all, in our opinion.

Christmas Yule Log

I hope that you give this recipe a try, it would make a wonderful center piece at your Christmas Eve party or for dessert Christmas day!  Whatever you choose, enjoy.

From our kitchen to yours,
Merry Christmas,

Sydney Jones