Buche De Noel Recipes

YULE LOG CAKE (BûCHE DE NOëL)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 17×12 inch jelly roll sheet pan with parchment paper. Make sure the parchment paper sticks up at least an inch above the sides of the pan on all sides. You'll use the parchment paper later to lift the cake out of the pan and roll it up. 2.
• Whisk the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt together in a medium bowl and set aside. 3
• In a large bowl, combine the egg yolks and sugar and whisk together until well combined. 4
• Add the sour cream, melted butter and vanilla extract and whisk together until well combined. 5
• Add the dry ingredients and gently whisk together until well combined, then set aside. 6
• Add the egg whites to a large mixer bowl and whip on high speed until stiff peaks form. 7
• Gently fold about 1/3 of the whipped egg whites into the chocolate mixture to loosen up the batter. 8
• Add the remaining egg whites and gently fold together until well combined. 9
• Spread the cake batter evenly into the prepared pan and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the top of the cake springs back when toughed and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. 1
• . Remove the cake from the oven and immediately lift the cake out of the pan using the parchment paper and place it on the counter. 1
• . While the cake is hot, use the parchment paper the cake was baked in and start at the shorter end of the cake to slowly roll the cake up. Set the cake aside to cool completely. 1
• . When the cake has cooled and is ready to be filled, make the filling. Add the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, vanilla extract and salt to a large mixer bowl and whip on high speed until soft peaks form. 1
• . Add the mascarpone cheese to the whipped cream and whip until stiff peaks form. It will happen fairly quickly. 1
• . Unroll the cake roll very carefully, looking out for areas where it may be sticking to release it. You can use an offset spatula or something similar and run it along the parchment paper as you unroll the cake to help release it as it unrolls. 1
• . Spread the filling evenly onto the unrolled cake, then roll it back up without the parchment paper. 1
• . Wrap it up in plastic wrap with the seam side down and refrigerate for at least an hour to firm up. 1
• . When you're read to decorate the cake, make the chocolate ganache. Add the chocolate to a medium sized bowl and set aside. Heat the cream in the microwave just until it begins to boil, then pour it over the chocolate. 1
• . Allow the chocolate and cream to sit for a few minutes, then whisk until smooth. Let the ganache cool to about room temperature (or cooler, you don't want it too warm/thin), then transfer to a large mixer bowl. 19.
• Whip on high speed until lightened in color and thick enough to spread. 20.
• To decorate the cake, use a large serrated knife to gently cut off a piece of the log about 3 inches in length. Make the cut with a slight diagonal. 21.
• Use some of the chocolate ganache to attache the small log to the side of the larger log. 22.
• Spread the remaining chocolate ganache all over the cake, then use a fork to create bark-like lines all over it. Decorate with sugared cranberries and rosemary (instructions in notes), if desired. 23.
• Refrigerate the cake until ready to serve.

BûCHE DE NOëL (YULE LOG)

Steps:

• If you want to decorate the cake with sugared cranberries and rosemary, start them the night before because they need to sit for several hours. Place cranberries and rosemary in a large bowl; set aside. In a medium saucepan, bring 1 cup of sugar and the water to a boil and whisk until the sugar has dissolved. Remove pan from the heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Pour sugar syrup over the cranberries and rosemary and stir to combine. Let the cranberries and rosemary sit at room temperature or in the refrigerator (lightly covered) for 6 hours or overnight. You'll notice the sugar syrup is quite thick after this amount of time. Drain the cranberries and rosemary from the syrup and pour 1 cup of sugar on top. Toss to coat. Pour the sugared cranberries and rosemary on a parchment paper or silicone baking mat-lined baking sheet and let them dry for at least 2 hours at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
• Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Spray a 12×17 inch baking pan with nonstick spray or grease with butter, so the parchment paper sticks. Then line it with parchment paper so the cake seamlessly releases. Spray or grease the parchment paper too. We want an extremely nonstick surface for this cake roll.
• Whisk the cake flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside until the next step. Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and 1/2 cup (100g) sugar together on high speed for 4-5 minutes or until stiff peaks form. Transfer to another bowl. Using the same mixing bowl you just had the egg whites in (no need to clean it), add the egg yolks, remaining sugar, oil, and vanilla extract. Beat together on high speed for 3-4 minutes or until thickened and light in color.
• Add half of the whipped egg whites into the egg yolk mixture. Beat on low speed for 10 seconds. Repeat with remaining egg whites and beat on low for 10 seconds. Add half of the flour mixture and beat on low or fold with a rubber spatula until combined. Repeat with remaining flour mixture. Avoid over-mixing and deflating those egg whites. Batter will be very light.
• Spread batter evenly into prepared pan. Gently bang the pan on the counter a couple times to pop any air bubbles. Bake for 18-19 minutes or until the cake springs back when lightly poked with your finger. Cake will look a little bubbly on top when it's done. That's ok. Avoid over-baking cake because it will crack if over-baked. As the cake bakes, get started on the next step.
• As the cake bakes, place a piece of parchment paper (larger than the cake) or a thin kitchen/tea towel flat on the counter. (Note: I find a kitchen towel is better to help prevent cracking.) Using a fine mesh sieve, dust parchment/towel with 3 Tablespoons (15g) of cocoa powder. Once the cake comes out of the oven, quickly run a knife around the edges to loosen it. Immediately invert it onto the parchment/towel. Peel off the parchment paper that was on the bottom of the cake as it baked. Starting with the narrow end, begin tightly rolling the hot cake up with the parchment/towel. Do this slowly and gently. The cake will be warm. Allow the cake to cool completely rolled up in the parchment/towel. Feel free to place it in the refrigerator to speed it up, about 3 hours and up to 1 day.
• Preheat oven to 200°F (93°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. In a completely clean residue-free large glass or metal mixing bowl, using a handheld mixer or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the egg white, cream of tartar, and salt together on high speed until foamy, about 2 minutes- this is a small amount and the whisk on a stand mixer might not reach it, so whisk by hand until foamy if needed. With the mixer running on high speed, slowly add the sugar and beat until stiff glossy peaks form, about 2 more minutes. Snip off the end of a plastic bag or fit a round piping tip in a piping bag. I use and recommend Wilton 2A piping tip or any tip with around a 1/2 inch opening. Pipe quarter-sized circles (these will be the round mushroom tops) and 1-inch tall cones (these will be the stems). You will have enough meringue batter for about 16 mushrooms. I usually only make 8-12 and discard leftovers, but feel free to make all 16. Using a moistened finger (just a dab of water is fine), smooth down any peaks. If desired, lightly dust mushroom tops with cocoa powder using a fine mesh sieve. Bake for 2 hours. Do not open the oven as the meringues bake. Turn off the oven after 2 hours and let the meringues sit inside the cooling oven for 20 minutes. Remove meringues from the oven and cool completely. When they're just about cool, melt the 1 ounce of chocolate in a double boiler or use the microwave. If using the microwave, melt in 15 second increments, stopping and stirring between each until melted and smooth. Cool for 5-10 minutes. (Easier to adhere mushrooms if the melted chocolate is a bit cool.) Once meringues have cooled, use a flat spatula to remove them from the baking sheets. Dot a bit of chocolate onto the center of the bottom of a mushroom top. Adhere a mushroom stem to it. Place back on the baking sheet to set. If stems or tops still have a little peak, scrape off with a knife or your spatula, as you see me do in the video above. Leaning them against the rim is helpful if they keep toppling over. Repeat with remaining tops and stems to form mushrooms. Let chocolate cool and harden, about 1 hour.
• Remove the cake roll from the refrigerator and allow to sit on the counter for a few minutes to warm up as you prepare the whipped cream.
• Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream, Frangelico, confectioners' sugar, and cocoa powder on medium-high speed until medium to stiff peaks form, about 2-3 minutes.
• Gently and very slowly unroll the cake. Spread whipped cream evenly on top, leaving about a 1/2 inch border around the cake. I like using a large or small offset spatula to spread. Sprinkle chopped hazelnuts on top. Gently roll the cake back up, without the parchment/towel this time. Roll it slowly. This part is messy. Carefully place on a cutting board. If the exterior of the cake looks moist, dust with a little cocoa powder. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 days before shaping and topping with ganache.
• Place chopped chocolate in a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan until it begins to simmer. (Do not let it come to a rapid boil- that's too hot.) Pour over chocolate, then let it sit for 2-3 minutes to gently soften the chocolate. Slowly stir until completely combined and chocolate has melted. Ganache will be thin, so it has to thicken before using. Refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour to thicken.
• Remove rolled cake from the refrigerator. Diagonally slice a 3-4 inch section off one end. At this point, I usually place the cake on a serving platter. Place the angled side against a side of the roll, forming a branch. Slowly pour and spread thickened ganache all over the top and sides of cake. Feel free to leave the cut ends exposed (as you see in these photos) or spread ganache over the ends- there should be plenty of ganache to use. Use a fork to make textured lines resembling tree bark. Feel free to wipe the serving plate if ganache dripped all over.
• Decorate with meringue mushrooms, sugared cranberries and rosemary, and a dusting of confectioners' sugar just before serving.
• Cover leftover cake and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

BûCHE DE NOëL

Steps:

• Mushrooms and buttercream:
• Preheat oven to 225°F. Whisk egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar, and salt in a large heatproof bowl set over a medium saucepan of simmering water (bowl should not touch water) until egg whites are very liquid (mixture will be warm to the touch) and sugar is dissolved (rub between your fingers to check), about 5 minutes. Remove bowl from heat and beat with an electric mixer until stiff, glossy peaks form (bowl will feel cool), about 5 minutes.
• Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and dust very lightly with cocoa powder. Scoop out 1 cup meringue. Dollop heaping teaspoonfuls of meringue onto prepared baking sheet, spacing at least 1 1/2" apart.
• Lightly dust meringue with more cocoa powder and place a sheet of parchment over top. Use an offset spatula or your hands to flatten meringue into irregularly shaped disks about 1/8" thick. Bake until lightly browned and parchment peels away easily, 75-90 minutes (meringue will be soft when it first comes out of the oven but will dry and crisp as it cools).
• Meanwhile, with mixer on medium speed, beat butter into remaining meringue, adding a piece at a time and waiting until incorporated before adding more. Beat until mixture is very smooth. (If it looks very loose or curdled, just keep beating; buttercream will come back together.) Add vanilla extract and scrape in vanilla seeds; beat to combine.
• Do Ahead
• Mushrooms and buttercream can be made 2 days ahead. Store mushrooms airtight at room temperature. Cover and chill buttercream; bring to room temperature, then beat until smooth before using.
• Sponge Cake:
• Increase oven to 400°F. Coat a 26x18" rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray and line with parchment paper, leaving overhang on long sides. Spray parchment. Whisk flour, cornstarch, and ⅓ cup cocoa powder in a small bowl.
• Bring milk, butter, oil, vanilla, and salt to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Keep warm over low heat.
• Meanwhile, beat eggs and egg yolks with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Increase speed to high; beat until doubled in volume. With motor running, gradually add sugar; beat until very light and fluffy and mixture falls back on itself in a slowly dissolving ribbon (it should be at least quadrupled in volume), about 5 minutes.
• Reduce speed to medium and gradually stream in milk mixture. Sift one-third of dry ingredients over top; gently fold in until only a few streaks remain. Working in 2 additions, repeat with remaining dry ingredients, scraping bottom of bowl and using as few strokes as possible to keep eggs from deflating (a few streaks are fine). Scrape batter into prepared baking sheet and gently spread to edges of pan. Tap sheet lightly on counter to pop any large air bubbles.
• Bake cake until surface is puffed and springy to the touch, 10-12 minutes.
• Let cake cool in pan 2 minutes, then run a knife along short edges to loosen. Invert onto a wire rack and carefully peel away parchment. Using a fine-mesh sieve, dust cake with cocoa powder. Cover with a large kitchen towel. Place another wire rack on top and flip cake over so towel side is underneath. Remove top rack; dust exposed side with cocoa powder. Starting at one of the long sides, gently roll up warm cake inside towel. Let cake cool, seam side down, 30-35 minutes.
• Do Ahead
• Cake can be baked 1 day ahead. Store tightly wrapped in plastic at room temperature.
• Assembly:
• Carefully unroll towel and cake on a flat surface (cake will curl at the ends and may have a few small cracks but should stay in 1 piece). Position cake so the end that was in innermost part of spiral is closest to you; brush off any excess cocoa.
• Using a pastry brush, gently dab cocoa syrup over entire surface of cake; you may not use it all. Dollop bittersweet ganache over top and smooth with an offset spatula to create an even layer.
• Dollop mascarpone filling over ganache; carefully spread over surface, trying not to blend with ganache and avoiding last inch of cake along long side farthest from you.
• Using towel to lift edge nearest you, reroll cake, keeping towel on exterior. Chill, seam side down, until filling is set, about 30 minutes.
• Transfer filled cake to a baking sheet. Set aside 1/2 cup buttercream for attaching branches. Evenly spread remaining buttercream over cake with an offset spatula.
• Using a long serrated knife, trim 1/2" of cake from each end to create clean edges; discard (or eat!). Slice off a 4" piece of cake. Starting 1" from end, divide 4" piece in half, cutting at a 45° angle, leaving 1" at opposite end. Transfer log to a platter.
• Place angled side of each small piece of cake against roll to create branches, positioning one on top and the other on the side using a large dab of buttercream to secure. Cover any exposed cake on sides with more buttercream but leave cut ends exposed.
• Use spatula to create textured lines in buttercream to look like birch bark.
• Knead together marzipan and cocoa powder on a surface until smooth. Roll out on a sheet of parchment paper to less than 1/8" thick, then cut out wavy strips to look like tree knots; drape over buttercream and press gently to adhere.
• Using either a pastry bag fitted with a very small round tip or a disposable plastic bag with one corner snipped off, drizzle melted chocolate over log to mimic birch bark striations. Chill Bûche de Noël, uncovered, until ready to serve.
• Just before serving, press mushrooms perpendicularly into log in groups of 2 or 3.
• Do Ahead
• Bûche de Noël (without meringue mushrooms) can be assembled 1 day ahead. Wrap in plastic and chill. Attach mushrooms just before serving.

BUCHE DE NOEL

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease a 12-by-15-inch sheetcake or jelly-roll pan and line it with aluminum foil or baking parchment, leaving an overhang of about an inch on each end. Grease and lightly flour the foil or paper.
• Toast hazelnuts in oven until they turn dark brown, about 7 minutes. If nuts are unblanched rub in a towel to remove skin. Let nuts cool; then grind until fine in a processor with 1/4 cup sugar.
• In bowl of an electric mixer, beat 6 egg yolks with remaining 1/3 cup sugar until pale and stiff, about 5 minutes.
• In a clean, dry copper bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer - or using a hand-held electric beater -whip 7 egg whites slowly until they start to foam. Increase speed to medium. When they are opaque white, add salt and beat at medium speed until stiff white peaks form, about 3 minutes.
• Alternately fold the sifted flour, nuts and half the whites into yolks. The batter will be thick. When all components are incorporated, fold in remaining whites. Remove 1 cup of the mixture and stir the melted butter into it. Fold into the batter.
• Spread batter on prepared sheetcake or jelly-roll pan with a spatula, spreading evenly to corners and along sides; try not to deflate batter. Bake 5 to 6 minutes, until cake just springs back when pressed. It is better to underbake it slightly.
• Remove cake from pan using the overhanging piece of foil or paper. Set on a counter or rack. Turn over onto another baking sheet and carefully peel off foil or paper. Turn over again onto a clean sheet of foil, and cover with towel. With an electric mixer whip the yolks at medium speed until pale, thick and creamy, about 5 minutes.
• In a small saucepan, stir together sugar and water. Boil until you can form a soft ball with a bit of syrup dropped from a spoon into a bowl of cold water; it should register 242 degrees on a candy thermometer. This takes 3 to 4 minutes after the syrup comes to a boil. With mixer running, slowly pour the syrup in a thin stream into the center of the yolks. Beat at slow to medium speed until mixture is cool, about 10 minutes.
• With mixer still running, slowly add the softened butter to the yolks and beat at low speed until completely smooth, about 5 minutes. If even after 5 minutes the cream still has small lumps, remove about a half-cup to a bowl and beat it over hot water until it is smooth; return to the mixer bowl and all of the cream should become smooth, with the consistency of creamed butter. (You can repeat this process several times.) Increase speed to medium and continue beating 10 minutes, until butter cream billows like whipped cream and shows large air holes when a spoon is run through it.
• Beat in dissolved coffee.
• To assemble buche, use a spatula to spread butter cream over the cake. The cream layer should be less than 1/4 inch thick. Crumble all but 3 marrons glaces over the butter cream. Using the foil as a support, roll up the cake by the long end to form a log shape. Trim ends.
• To decorate, place a ruler over length of the log and sift confectioners' sugar over log. Remove ruler and arrange slices of reserved marrons glaces down the length. Transfer to a serving platter. Buche is best left at room temperature and served within 3 to 4 hours, but it can be refrigerated for a day.

BUCHE DE NOEL

Steps:

• Make chocolate genoise and mousse, ganache icing, and meringue mushrooms.
• To assemble cake, carefully unroll genoise on the back side of a baking sheet (discard the plastic wrap and waxed paper, but keep the towel). Spread chocolate mousse evenly on cake to within 1 to 2 inches of one long end. Reroll cake, starting from other long end, using towel to help roll it. Cover with plastic wrap; chill until firm, about 1 hour.
• Place cake, seam side down, on a serving platter; tuck parchment around it to keep platter clean while decorating.
• Whip ganache at medium speed until it has the consistency of soft butter. Cut two wedges off ends of cake at a 45-degree angle; set aside. Ice log with a thin layer of ganache. Attach wedges on diagonally opposite sides of log. Spread ganache all over log, using a small spatula to form barklike ridges. Chill until ganache is firm, about 30 minutes.
• In the top of a double boiler or in a heatproof bowl set over simmering water, melt chocolate until smooth. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Spread melted chocolate 1/8 inch thick over parchment. Refrigerate until cold, 10 to 15 minutes. Roll paper back and forth until chocolate splinters; sprinkle over cake. Chill cake until ready to serve.
• When ready to serve, arrange meringue mushrooms around and on cake, and dust lightly with confectioners' sugar.