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Christmas: Buche de Noel

Source of Recipe

King Arthur Flour


Recipe Introduction

"This delicious recipe makes a lovely chocolate-cream-filled roll. Bon appetit!"

Recipe Link: www.kingarthurflour.com

List of Ingredients

4 eggs, separated
1 cup sugar, separated
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons rum (or substitute water)

Filling
2/3 cup water
1/3 cup sugar
2 egg yolks (save the whites)
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened
1 1/2 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate, melted and cooled
1 tablespoon rum (or substitute water)
1 teaspoon instant coffee

Meringue Mushrooms
2 egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon extract (your favorite flavor!)


Recipe

In a small bowl beat the egg yolks until thick and lemon-colored. Gradually add 1/2 cup of the sugar while beating constantly. Stir in the vanilla.

In a large bowl beat the egg whites to soft peaks and gradually add the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar before beating to stiff (not dry) peaks. Gently fold in the yolk mixture.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt, then fold into the egg mixture. Spread batter evenly in a greased and floured 15 1/2 x 10 1/2-inch baking pan and bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 10 to 12 minutes only.

Loosen the edges of the cake and immediately turn it out onto a kitchen towel that you've sprinkled with confectioners' sugar. Sprinkle the cake with the rum and roll up the cake and towel, starting with a short side. Cool.

In a small saucepan, heat the water and the sugar to boiling and cook to the soft-ball stage (240°F). Meanwhile, in a small bowl beat the egg yolks until thick and lemon-colored. Very gradually add the hot syrup to the egg yolks while beating constantly; continue to beat until cool. Beat in the softened butter, 1 tablespoon at a time. Add the unsweetened baking chocolate, melted and cooled, the rum and the instant coffee. Beat until thick.

Unroll the cake. Spread evenly with half the filling. Roll up the cake, again starting with a short side. Frost the cake with the remaining filling and mark with the tines of a fork to resemble bark.

In a small bowl, beat the egg whites, the sugar and a teaspoon of your favorite flavoring to make meringue. Shape the stems and caps separately with a pastry bag or a spoon. You'll need your imagination here! Bake the meringues in a 250°F oven for several hours, until they're completely dry but not brown.

When the meringues are dry, use melted chocolate to secure the stems to the caps. Use mushrooms to decorate the cake. (And even if you decide against them, your cake will still be beautiful!)

YIELD: 1 Cake, About 12 to 15 Servings