Yule Log Cake (Bûche de Noël)
This is a cake which requires five different components:
1. Meringue mushrooms (for decoration. See https://bit.ly/2LQDlrs for recipe)
2. Cake
3. Chocolate Ganache
4. Mocha icing
5. Grand Marnier drizzle
Normally, I make this cake over three days. The Meringue featured last week is the first step on Day One as the pieces can be stored in a tin until the cake is assembled. Day Two, I make the cake and wrap it up tightly and store it in the refrigerator. Day Three, it is time to make the Ganache, Mocha icing, and Grand Marnier drizzle and put all the pieces together.
You can do most of these steps in a sequence of your choosing as the cake can freeze and the two icings store beautifully in the refrigerator. The only issue is that the icings need to come to room temperature before you assemble the Bûche.
Traditionally, a Bûche de Noël is a jelly-rolled cake filled with a Ganache. To make it easier, I use a half-moon shaped mold made of stainless steel. ( I know it’s a cheat but a great time safer.) You can purchase one online for $27.00 at https://bit.ly/39s8ZFJ. Check out Matfer 340635 - Bûche Cake Mold (13-3/4'L x 2-3/8'W x 1-3/16'H, rounded bottom.)
Let’s get started with the cake.
For the cake:
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour (not self-rising)
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 ½ teaspoon vanilla
2/3 cup shortening (half unsalted butter)
1 1/3 cup sugar
6 egg yolks
Cooking instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 ⁰F.
1. Butter and flour two pans: a Bûche de Noël pan and a (5 ½ “ X 3 “) mini- loaf pan. Tap out any excess flour. Line each with parchment paper. Set aside. (You can also use a 9 X 5 X 3-inch loaf pan.)
2. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
3. Combine milk and vanilla in another bowl and set aside.
4. Either using a portable hand mixer or a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the shortening and butter until pale and creamy.
5. Add sugar in a steady stream and continue to beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
6. Add eggs, one at a time, and mix in thoroughly.
7. Lower speed of mixer and add dry ingredients in 3 batches alternating with milk mixture starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Avoid over beating.
8. Pour batter into the two pans and place on a baking sheet.
9. Bake 60-70 minutes until a wooden toothpick or cake tester comes out clean.
10. Cool in the pans for 15 minutes before unmolding.
11. Loosen cake sides with a paring knife and invert cake onto a rack to cool completely. Carefully remove the parchment paper.
12. When completely cooled, wrap in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for one day or up to one week in the freezer.
For the Chocolate Ganache
Ingredients:
1 cup heavy cream
10 ½ ounces (or 300 grams) semi-sweet chocolate baking chips
1 ½ Tablespoons Grand Marnier or Cointreau
Cooking instructions:
1. Bring cream to a boil in a heavy saucepan. Remove from heat.
2. Stir in the chocolate with a whisk until all the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.
3. Let the mixture cool on the side. Do not put in the refrigerator.
4. When mixture has cooled, add Grand Marnier.
5. Beat with an electric mixer until the mixture thickens and becomes a pale color. This will take at least 10 minutes. Set aside.
For the Mocha Icing
Ingredients:
1 teaspoon instant coffee
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 Tablespoon sweet butter
1 Tablespoon milk, more as needed
Cooking instructions:
1. Dilute instant coffee in 1 Tablespoon hot water. Set aside.
2. Sieve sugar into a bowl.
3. Melt butter and cool slightly.
4. Add butter and diluted coffee to sugar and mix together. Add a few drops of milk, if necessary, to get to desired consistency.
For Grand Marnier drizzle
Ingredients:
¼ cup superfine sugar (or regular sugar passed through a fine sieve)
½ cup water
1 Tablespoon Grand Marnier
Cooking instructions:
1. Put sugar in a bowl with water and allow to dissolve thoroughly.
2. Add Grand Marnier and mix.
3. Set aside.
To Assemble the Bûche de Noël (The fun part!!!)
1. Remove the Saran wrap from the two cakes. (If using a loaf pan, trim off edges of the cake to make a rounded log shape. Keep trimmings.)
2. From the mini-cake, cut off a one-inch end slice which will be used to create short tree branches.
3. Cut into three sections and round the edges to resemble a short branch. Set aside.
4. Brush the cake with the drizzle. Allow to sit for 5 minutes for liquid to soak through the entire cake.
5. Secure the branches on the cake with toothpicks.
6. Frost the ends of the cake log and the tops of the branches with the mocha icing.
7. Frost the cake with the chocolate ganache carefully working around the branches. Try to simulate the texture of tree bark using long strokes of your icing spatula.
8. Add assembled mushrooms next to the branches and along the bottom sides of the cake. The idea is to make the Yule log look as natural as possible.
9. Lay fresh ivy on top of the cake in a natural, decorative manner. You can also garnish the Yule log with green icing or gumdrop leaves to resemble a vine.
Keep in the refrigerator until one hour before serving. (You can also keep the cake for several days in the refrigerator but if you do, add the mushrooms at the last minute.)
Serves: 8-10
Wine recommendations: An old Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese or Malbec.