I used to make this every Christmas when I had a big kitchen and family: It's complicated but not difficult and really spectacular
BUCHE DE NOEL
(French Yule Log)
10 to 12 servings
1 cup sifted cake flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs, separated
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Rum syrup (see recipe following)
Mocha cream (see recipe following)
Decorative frosting (see recipe following)(or use cake decorator
frosting in a tube)
1. Line a 10 1/2 by 13 1/2 inch jelly roll pan with wax paper.
2. Preheat oven to 400*
3. Mix the flour, salt and half the sugar. Sift together 3 times.
4. Beat the egg whites until stiff. Gradually beat in the remaining
sugar. Fold in the vanilla and the egg yolks, which have also been
stiffly beaten. Fold in the flour-sugar mixture, about 3 tablespoons
at a time.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan in parallel strips running
lengthwise of the pan. Spread evenly and bake until firm in the center,
about 15 minutes.
6. Turn the cake out onto wax paper, or a towel that has been
sprinkled with confectioners sugar. Remove the pan lining and cut
off the hard edges of the cake. Roll the cake as for jelly roll,
without removing the paper or towel. Cool and chill briefly (The paper
or towel will be on the inside of the roll.)
7. Unroll, brush with half the rum syrup and spread with mocha cream
frosting. Roll as a jelly roll, this time removing the paper or
towel. Wrap tightly in wax paper and chill thoroughly, or until the
frosting becomes firm.
8. Remove the wax paper and cut off the ends of the cake diagonally
for use as "branches."
9. Brush the outside of the cake and the "branches" with the remainder
of the rum syrup. Set "branches" aside. Frost cake with mocha cream,
using a pastry bag and notched tip and running the strips lengthwise
of the cake to give the appearance of bark.
10. Attach the "branches" to the "log" and press into the frosting.
Frost "branches" with mocha cream.
11. Frost the ends of the "branches" and "log" with alternating
rings of mocha cream and yellow decorative frosting, forcing them
through pastry tubes. Chill the "log" until frosting is firm.
12. Decorate the "log" as desired with "holly," "Noel," etc., using colored decorative frostings and pastry tubes. Refrigerate cake until
serving time.
RUM SYRUP
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 tablespoons rum
Boil the sugar and water together until syrupy, or about three minutes.
Cool and add the rum.
MOCHA CREAM FROSTING
2/3 cups granulated sugar
1/3 cup water
2 egg yolks
1 cup soft unsalted butter
1 1/2 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted
1 tablespoon very strong coffee
1 1/2 tablespoons rum
1. Boil the sugar and water together to 240* (syrup forms a soft
ball in cold water.)
2. Beat the egg yolks until fluffy. Add the syrup GRADUALLY, while
beating, and continue beating until mixture is cool.
3. Add the butter, bit by bit, until it all has been beaten in.
Beat in the chocolate, coffee and rum.
DECORATIVE FROSTING (About 1 cup)
2 tablespoons softened butter
1 cup confectioners sugar
Dash of salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon or more milk or cream
Food coloring
1. Cream the butter, add about half the sugar. Cream
until fluffy.
2. Add the salt and vanilla. Add remaining sugar and
the milk alternately, using enough liquid to give
a good spreading consistency. Beat until the frosting
stands in sharp peaks.
3. Divide the frosting into three portions: color one
yellow, another red and the third green. Apply with
pastry decorating tubes.
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