BUCHE DE NOEL
Makes 12 servings
Buche de Noel is basically a thin layer of cake rolled with a creamy filling and covered with chocolate frosting. For ours, we've used chocolate cake and mocha butter cream. Traditionally French, it’s popular throughout Europe, Canada and the United States. You can bake, fill and roll the cake up to 2 weeks ahead of time, wrap well and freeze. It’ll save lots of time!
Cake ingredients:
Unsalted butter for greasing
5 large eggs, separated
1 cup sugar, divided
½ cup cake flour
¼ cup baking cocoa
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp cream of tartar
Filling ingredients:
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tsp instant coffee granules
Frosting ingredients:
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
½ cup baking cocoa
2½ cups confectioners' sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
2½ Tbsp milk
Garnishes:
Meringue mushrooms (see recipe below)
Chocolate shavings or curls, optional
Powdered sugar, optional
Cake directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a jellyroll or a 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-inch baking pan with greased parchment paper.
2. Lay a clean kitchen towel flat on a work surface. Dust with powdered sugar; set aside.
3. Place egg whites in a small bowl and set aside.
4. Place egg yolks in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until fluffy and lighter in color, about 3 minutes. Gradually add half the sugar and beat until thick and even lighter in color, about 5 minutes. Gradually add flour, cocoa and salt, beating until well blended. Set aside.
5. Beat egg whites on medium speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form. Gradually sprinkle in remaining sugar, a tablespoon at a time, beating on high until stiff peaks form.
6. Transfer a quarter of the egg white mixture into yolks, stirring just to combine. Gently fold in remaining egg whites until no light streaks remain.
7. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake about 12 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly pressed in the center (do not over bake or cake will crack when you roll it).
8. Remove from heat and let cool on a rack for 3 minutes.
9. Run a small knife along all sides to loosen. Invert onto prepared kitchen towel. Peel off parchment paper and loosely roll cake up in towel, beginning with a short side. Set aside to cool.
Filling directions:
Place cream in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until it begins to thicken. Add sugar and coffee granulates and continue beating until stiff peaks form. Cover and chill until ready to use.
Frosting directions:
Place all frosting ingredients in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Cover until ready to use.
Assembly directions:
1. When cake is completely cool, carefully unroll and spread inside with filling to within ½-inch of edges. Re-roll. Spread outside of cake with a thin layer of frosting. Freeze until frosting is very firm to the touch.*
2. Spread cake with remaining frosting.
3. Using a serrated knife, cut a thin slice off either end of cake to show the beautiful layers inside. Use a fork to make shallow squiggly lines down length of the cake.
4. Scatter chocolate shavings over cake.
5. Place on serving platter and chill until ready to serve. Just before serving, decorate with meringue mushrooms. Sift a little powdered sugar over the top if desired.
*NOTE: At this point, cake can be wrapped in plastic wrap and frozen for up to two weeks. Remaining frosting can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. Let frosting come to room temperature then beat with an electric mixer until smooth.
