Bûche de Noël

Created by: Chef Francois Dionot/L’Academie de Cuisine

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 4 egg yolks
• 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon cake flour
• 4 egg whites
• Vanilla extract for flavoring

• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup water
• 3 egg whites
• 10 ounces (or 2 sticks plus 2 tablespoons) butter, softened
• 1/3 cup sifted cocoa powder

• Simple syrup (1 cup sugar plus 1 cup water) (optional)
• Raspberry jam (optional)
• Buttercream, both chocolate and vanilla
• Meringue mushrooms
• Marzipan holly leaves and berries
• Cocoa powder and confectioners' sugar

• Roulade (Yellow Sponge Cake)
• 1. Butter a 12x16 pan with melted butter and line pan with parchment paper cut to fit. Brush with more butter.
• 2. Place egg yolks in a mixing bowl and add half of the sugar. Beat on high speed until mixture is tripled in volume and very light in color.
• 3. Whip the eggs whites to soft peaks. Add the remaining sugar and fold in 1/2 of mixture into the yolks.
• 4. Fold the flour into the yolk mixture and fold in remaining egg whites.
• 5. Pour into prepared pan (clean edges of pan) and bake at 375° for 8 to 12 minutes or until golden in color and sponge-like texture.
• 6. Place a piece of parchment the size of the roulade on a damp, clean towel and invert the cake over. Use parchment paper to help you roll the cake lengthwise. Cool on a rack.
• Crème au Beurre (Buttercream Frosting)
• 1. Place egg whites in a clean mixing bowl and set aside. Combine sugar and water in small pot. Stir to dissolve sugar and brush down sides of pot with water so no sugar crystals remain.
• 2. Cook sugar to the soft ball stage (238° on a thermometer). Start beating eggs on high speed and carefully pour in syrup down sides of bowl—not over eggs or whisk!)
• 3. Beat on medium speed until bottom of bowl is at room temperature, about 5 minutes. Bottom of bowl should be cool. Do not add butter while eggs are too warm or butter will melt.
• 4. At medium speed, add butter in small pieces, one at a time. Reserve 1/2 cup buttercream for ends of log. Add 1/3 cup of sifted cocoa powder.
• For Assembly
• 1. Unroll roulade and brush with simple syrup (may be flavored with rum, etc.). Spread a thin layer of raspberry jam and roll up tightly.
• 2. Cut two 1"-2" sections at an angle from either end of roulade; these will be the "branches." Attach ends to roulade using buttercream to anchor the pieces.
• 3. Cover cut ends with vanilla buttercream. Pipe or use a fork to create the rings of the wood.
• 4. Cover the rest of the log with chocolate buttercream. Use a fork or an icing comb to create a ribbed bark texture. Decorate with marzipan holly leaves and meringue mushrooms. Dust with confectioners' sugar to imitate snow. Use two long spatulas to gently lift cake and move it onto a plate or into a box.
• 5. Other decorations could include candy canes, stars, wreaths, snowpeople, and pine cones.
• May be stored UNDECORATED in the freezer. The roulade and the buttercream also freeze well.

TIP: * Do not overwhip the buttercream or you will lose the color of the cream. If the cream appears curdled, the butter may have been too cold or the eggs too hot. Continue to beat until consistency smoothes out. * If buttercream has been frozen, thaw and beat slowly at room temperature until it reaches proper consistency. * Always add flavorings to buttercream after the butter has been added. * Meringue mushrooms and marzipan holly leaves and berries may also be purchased at cooking specialty shops.

November & December 2005

Photographer: Marisa Zanganeh

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