-->
Categories
Managed By: ssmacd
Managed Since: 06/18/2009
Views: 47
Money Earned: M$0.05
Page revenue is subject to change as we obtain data from our partners
Managed Since: 06/18/2009
Views: 47
Money Earned: M$0.05
Page revenue is subject to change as we obtain data from our partners
- View History
- Discuss on the Message Board
- Embed this Page
-
Share this page
-
-
-
Introduction
- Christmas is coming, which means it's time to start baking cakes shaped like logs! The Yule log or Bûche de Noël is a traditional French dessert served during the holiday season. The log typically consists of a yellow sponge cake filled with chocolate buttercream. There are several popular variations, but you can feel confident knowing that whichever you choose, your cake will be nothing but delicious.
-
Step 1: Make the Sponge Cake
- The cake part of the yule log is typically made from either a sponge or genoise cake. Both require the use of a shallow jelly roll pan.
Equipment You'll Need
- Jelly roll pan (approximately 15 x 10 x 1)
- Wax or parchment paper
- Electric mixer
- 2 mixing bowls
- Rubber spatula or wire whisk
- Clean tea towel
- Cooling rack
- </td>
- </tr>
- </table>
Sponge Cake Directions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Grease the bottom of the jelly roll pan.
- Line the pan with wax or parchment paper.
- Grease the paper.
- Using the electric mixer, beat the egg whites at a high speed until soft peaks form.
- Add 1/4 cup of sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time. Beat until stiff beaks form. Set aside bowl.
- In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks at a high speed while adding 1/2 cup of sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time. Beat until mixture is very thick. Approximately 4 minutes.
- At a low speed, beat the cocoa, vanilla and salt into the egg yolk mixture. Mix until smooth.
- With a wire whisk or rubber spatula, gently fold the cocoa mixture into egg whites until blended.
- Spread mixture evenly into the pan.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes or just until the surface springs back when pressed gently.
- Sift confectioners' sugar in a 15 x 10 inch rectangle on a clean tea or linen towel.
- Turn cake out of the pan and onto the sugar-covered towel.
- Peel the wax or parchment paper off the cake.
- Starting with the short end, roll the cake with the towel up like a jelly roll.
- The towel is used to prevent the cake from sticking to itself while it cools. You will unroll the cake later to insert the filling.
- Let the rolled-up cake cool completely seam side down on a cooling rack.
Step 2: Make the Filling
- The filling is the easy part. Usually a butter or whipped cream, it can be made before or after the cake has been put in the oven. Just be sure that your cake has had time to cool before coating it with the filling.
Equipment You'll Need
- Electric mixer
- Mixing bowl
- </td>
- </tr>
- </table>
Step 3: Assemble the Yule Log
- Your cake is cooled. Your filling is chilled. Now, it's time to assemble the log!
- Unroll the cake.
- Spread the filling over the cake stopping 1 inch from each edge.
- Re-roll the cake. (No towel this time!)
- Place seam side down on a plate.
- Cover loosely with foil or plastic wrap.
- Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
- You can make and freeze your yule log for up to one week before serving. Wrap tightly in foil before freezing, and allow to thaw for at least 1 hour before serving.
How To Make A Yule Log Step 4: Decorate the Cake
- There are a number of ways to decorate your yule log. Some recipes simply call for a light dusting of confectioners' sugar. Others suggest creating a chocolate icing, which more closely resembles bark, or making marzipan mushrooms to dot along the side of your log. Here are a few decorating suggestions from the experts:
- Food Network: Chocolate Yule Log with Forest Mushrooms
- This recipe suggests using chocolate candy kisses and mini-marshmallows as mushrooms growing around your log.
- MarthaStewart.com: Meringue Mushrooms and Chocolate Ganache Icing
- Martha Stewart recommends making mushrooms out of meringue and using a small spatula to create bark-like etchings in a thin layer of ganache icing.
- Epicurious.com: Caramel-Orange Bûche de Noël
- This recipe calls for candied cranberries and actual pine twigs as garnish.
Resources for How to Make a Yule Log
- Mahalo's Guide to Yule Logs
- Wikipedia: Yule Log - Bûche de Noël
- RecipeZaar: Yule Log Recipe - Black Forest Yule Log Recipe - Gingerbread Yule Log Recipe
- All Recipes: Bûche de Noël Recipe - Chocolate Yule Log Recipe - Classic Yule Log Recipe
- Food Network: Chocolate Yule Log Recipe - Emeril's Yule Log Recipe
- JoyofBaking.com: Yule Log Recipe
- KraftFoods.com: Festive Yule Log Recipe
- BBC Foods: Yule Log Recipe
- MarthaStewart.com: Bûche de Noël Recipe
- Epicurious.com: Caramel-Orange Bûche de Noël Recipe - Bûche de Noël with Marzipan Mushrooms Recipe
- Taste of Home: Yule Log Recipe - Chocolate Yule Log Recipe
- VideoJug: How to Make a Yule Job (Video) (Time: 7:37)
