Birch De Noël Recipes

BIRCH DE NOëL

Steps:

• Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 375˚. Lightly coat an 11-by-17-inch rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray, then line with parchment paper. Beat the egg yolks, brown sugar and vanilla and almond extracts in a medium bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until thick and pale yellow, about 3 minutes.
• Using clean beaters, beat the egg whites and salt in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 1 minute. Gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar, then increase the speed to medium high and beat until stiff peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes. Fold one-quarter of the beaten egg whites into the egg yolk mixture with a rubber spatula. Gently fold the egg yolk mixture into the remaining egg whites until there are no more white streaks.
• Whisk the two flours in a medium bowl and gently fold into the egg mixture until combined. Spread the batter in the prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 13 to 15 minutes.
• As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, dust with confectioners' sugar. Loosen the edges with a paring knife. Place another baking sheet on top of the cake and invert the cake onto it. Remove the top baking sheet and parchment. Dust more confectioners' sugar on the exposed cake. Cover with a clean kitchen towel (not terry cloth) and place the baking sheet on top. Invert the cake again so it is on the towel and remove the top baking sheet. Starting at a long end, roll up the cake and the towel together to form a log. Place seam-side down on a rack and let cool, about 45 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the frosting: Beat the heavy cream, confectioners' sugar and salt in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Reduce the speed to medium and beat in the mascarpone and vanilla until thickened, about 30 seconds (do not overbeat). Refrigerate the frosting until the cake has cooled.
• Gently unroll the cake with a long side facing you. Spread 1 1/2 cups frosting over the cake, leaving a 1/4-inch border on the two short sides and a 1-inch border on the far long side. Dollop the cherry jam on top and gently spread to cover the frosting. Reroll the cake (without the towel) and place seam-side down on a platter. Trim both ends, then cut off one 3/4-inch-thick slice. Unroll the slice slightly to cut off 3 inches of the spiral; reroll the slice into a spiral (this will be the knot of the log).
• Frost the cake with all but 1/2 cup of the frosting, using a small offset spatula to create a bark-like texture. Place the small cake slice on the side to look like a tree knot; cover with the remaining frosting.
• Put the chocolate in a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring, until smooth. Let cool, then transfer to a small resealable plastic bag and snip a corner. Pipe thin lines of chocolate onto the cake, pressing it into the frosting with the tip of the bag. Refrigerate the cake until ready to serve.

BUCHE DE NOEL

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a 10x15 inch jellyroll pan with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whip cream, 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, 1/2 cup cocoa, and 1 teaspoon vanilla until thick and stiff. Refrigerate.
• In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat egg yolks with 1/2 cup sugar until thick and pale. Blend in 1/3 cup cocoa, 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla, and salt. In large glass bowl, using clean beaters, whip egg whites to soft peaks. Gradually add 1/4 cup sugar, and beat until whites form stiff peaks. Immediately fold the yolk mixture into the whites. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
• Bake for 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the cake springs back when lightly touched. Dust a clean dishtowel with confectioners' sugar. Run a knife around the edge of the pan, and turn the warm cake out onto the towel. Remove and discard parchment paper. Starting at the short edge of the cake, roll the cake up with the towel. Cool for 30 minutes.
• Unroll the cake, and spread the filling to within 1 inch of the edge. Roll the cake up with the filling inside. Place seam side down onto a serving plate, and refrigerate until serving. Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving.

BIRCH DE NOEL

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Test each of the three eyes at stem end of coconut to find softest one. Use an ice pick and a hammer to pierce it, then drain the juice into a glass through a fine sieve and reserve for another use. Tap coconut with hammer until a palm-size piece of shell breaks off. Continue tapping around broken edge until shell begins to break apart. Place broken shell on a baking sheet; bake about 10 min- utes to loosen flesh. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Pry out flesh with a paring knife. With a potato peeler, remove any remaining brown skin from flesh.
• Reduce oven temperature to 250°. Using a vegetable peeler, shave largest pieces of coconut into long curls, place on baking sheet, and bake until just dry but no color has developed, 15 to 20 minutes. Meanwhile, grate smaller coconut pieces on the small holes of a box grater. (You will need about 1/2 cup grated coconut for the filling.)
• Increase oven temperature to 400°. Coat a 12 1/2-by-17 1/2-inch rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. Line with parchment paper; coat with cooking spray. Dust with cocoa; tap out excess. Whisk together cocoa powder, flour, and salt in a bowl. In a heat-proof mixer bowl set over (not in) a pan of simmering water, whisk together eggs, yolks, and granulated sugar until sugar has dissolved and mixture is warm to the touch. Attach bowl to mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on medium-high speed 2 minutes. Raise speed to high; beat until mixture is pale and thick, about 4 minutes more.
• Sift cocoa mixture over egg mixture; carefully fold in with a large rubber spatula. When almost incorporated, pour melted butter down side of bowl; gently fold to combine. Pour batter into prepared sheet, and smooth top with an offset spatula.
• Bake until cake springs back when touched, 9 to 10 minutes. Place a clean kitchen towel on a work surface; dust generously with cocoa. Remove pan from oven and immediately turn cake out onto a wire rack lined with parchment. Invert onto prepared towel; remove parchment.
• While cake is still warm, gently roll, starting from one short side, into a log, incorporating towel. Let rolled cake cool completely. (This will give it a "shape memory," so it will be easier to roll again with filling.)
• Unroll cooled cake and transfer to parchment. Using a pastry brush, coat cake with rum. Using offset spatula, spread mousse over cake. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup reserved grated coconut.
• With a short end of cake facing you, roll carefully into a roulade. Wrap in a kitchen towel; secure with clothespins or large metal binder clips to hold roll in a tight round shape. Place on a baking sheet and refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.
• Remove from refrigerator and unwrap. Use a serrated knife to trim ends of roll, cutting on the bias (starting 1 inch in from end on shorter side, and finishing 2 inches in, to create a wedge). Choose the more presentable trimmed end and place, cut-side up, on log, forming a branch. If desired, use other trimmed end for a second branch.
• Transfer log to a serving platter. Slide strips of parchment under perimeter of log (to keep platter clean). Use offset spatula to coat log with frosting, then attach one or both trimmed ends; coat with frosting. Remove parchment pieces. Decorate with meringue mushrooms, coconut shavings, and rosemary sprigs.