Bûche de Noël
Courtesy of Cook's Illustrated.com
Dark Chocolate Ganache:
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 Tbs unsalted butter
6 oz high-quality semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 Tbs cognac (may use brandy, amaretto or any chosen liqueur)
Espresso-Marscapone Cream Filling:
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tsp espresso powder (instant espresso)
6 Tbs confectioners' sugar (1-1/2 oz)
16 oz marscapone cheese (2 cups)
Roulade:
1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour (about 1-1/4 oz) plus more for dusting
6 oz high-quality semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
2 Tbs cold unsalted butter, cut into two pieces
2 Tbs cold water
1/4 cup high-quality Dutch-process cocoa (3/4 oz) sifted, plus more for dusting
1/8 tsp table salt
6 large eggs, separated and at room temperature
1/3 cup granulated sugar (2-1/3 oz)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/8 tsp cream of tartar
For Dark Chocolate Ganache:
Bring cream and butter to simmer in a small saucepan over medium high heat. Place chocolate in the bowl of food processor fitted with steel blade. With the machine running, gradually add hot cream and cognac through feed tube; process until smooth and thick (about 3 minutes). Scrape down sides of bowl once or twice during processing. Transfer the ganache to a medium bowl and let it stand at room temperature for about 1 hour, until thickened and spreadable (about the consistency of soft icing.) If the ganache has not quite set by the time you need to use it, you can place it in the refrigerator for a few minutes to hasten the thickening.
For Espresso-Marscapone Cream:
Bring cream to simmer in a small saucepan over high heat. Remove from the heat and stir in espresso powder and confectioners' sugar; cool slightly. With rubber spatula, beat marscapone in medium bowl until softened. Gently whisk in cooled cream mixture until combined. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
For Roulade:
Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 400°F. Spray an 18 x 12-inch rimmed baking sheet (professional half-sheet pan) with nonstick cooking spray. Cover the bottom of the pan with parchment paper trimmed to fit and spray parchment with nonstick cooking spray as well. Dust baking sheet with flour to coat all surfaces evenly, and tap out excess. Set pan aside.
Bring 2 inches of water to a low simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat. Combine chocolate, butter, and water in a small heatproof bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Set bowl over simmering pan; reduce heat to medium-low and heat until butter is almost completely melted and chocolate pieces are glossy, have lost definition, and are fully melted around the edges of the bowl (about 15 minutes). Do not stir or let water in the saucepan come to a boil. Remove bowl from the heat, unwrap, and stir until smooth and glossy. While chocolate is melting, sift together cocoa, flour and salt into a small bowl and set aside.
In the bowl of a standing mixer, beat egg yolks at medium-high speed until just combined, about 15 seconds. With mixer running, add half of the granulated sugar. Continue to beat, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary until yolks are pale yellow and mixture falls in a thick ribbon when beaters are lifted (about 8 minutes). Add vanilla and beat to combine, scraping down bowl once, about 30 seconds. If you have a second clean bowl for your mixer, just set the yolks aside and switch to your clean bowl. Wash and dry your beaters well. If you do not have a second mixer bowl, transfer the yolk mixture to a medium clean bowl and wash and dry your mixer bowl and beaters well. There can be no trace of yolks or fats left on the bowl or beaters to whip a successful meringue in the next step.
In the clean bowl with clean beaters, beat egg whites and cream of tartar at medium speed until foamy (about 30 seconds). With mixer running, add about 1 tsp of the remaining sugar. Continue beating until soft peaks form (about 40 seconds). Gradually add remaining sugar and beat until egg whites are glossy, supple and hold stiff peaks when the beaters are lifted (about 1 minute longer). Do not over beat. If whites look dry and granular, they are over beaten. While whites are beating, stir slightly cooled chocolate mixture into egg yolks. When whites are beaten, stir 1/4 of the beaten whites into the chocolate and yolk mixture with a rubber spatula to lighten it. Fold in the remaining whites gently until almost no streaks of white remain. Sprinkle the dry ingredients over the egg and chocolate mixture and fold in quickly but gently to incorporate smoothly.
Pour batter into prepared pan; using offset icing spatula and working quickly, smooth surface and spread batter into pan corners. Bake in preheated oven until the center of the cake springs back when touched lightly with your finger (about 8 - 10 minutes); rotate pan halfway through baking time. Cool cake in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes.
While cake is cooling, lay a clean (non-terry) kitchen towel over a clean and dry work surface, and sift 1 to 2 Tbs of cocoa powder over the towel. With your hands, rub cocoa powder into the towel. Run a paring knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the cake; invert cake onto towel and peel off parchment.
Immediately roll cake and towel together into a jelly roll shape, starting at a long side. Let cake cool, rolled, for 15 minutes, then unroll cake and towel. Remove Espresso-Marscapone Cream filling from the refrigerator while cake is cooling. Using an offset spatula, immediately spread the filling over the unrolled cake almost to the edges. Re-roll cake gently but snugly around the filling. Set a large sheet of parchment paper on an overturned rimmed baking sheet and set the roulade seam-side down on top of the pan. Trim both ends of cake on the diagonal, reserving cut pieces. Arrange cut ends next to the main roulade to form stumps on the log. Reserve about 1/4 cup of the ganache for attaching meringue mushrooms. Spread ganache over roulade with a small icing spatula, leaving ends of the log and stumps exposed. Use a fork to make wood-grain striations on the surface of the ganache before it has set. Refrigerate cake, uncovered, on baking sheet to slightly set icing (about 20 minutes.)
When ready to serve, carefully slide 2 wide metal spatulas under cake and transfer it to a serving platter. Arrange meringue mushrooms around the cake, attaching them with dabs of the reserved ganache. Sift light dusting of cocoa powder over meringue mushrooms. Sift yule log lightly with confectioners' sugar. Serve within 2 hours. The roulade is best served at room temperature.
Serves 8 - 10
Cook's Illustrated Notes:
Make the ganache, then the filling, then the cake while the ganache is setting up. The cake can be baked, filled and rolled, but not iced, then wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 24 hours. If you make the roulade for use the next day, do not make the ganache until you are ready to finish assembling the cake.
My Notes:
I elected not to make the meringue mushrooms, and chose instead to use Holly decorations from a local decorating supply store. In my haste to finish the log and serve Christmas dinner, I forgot the dusting of confectioners' sugar, but that ended up being okay as we don't get much snow around here in Texas anyway!
I also used more than 1 Tbs of cocoa powder when dusting the towel for rolling the roulade, as I found that 1 Tbs the recipe called for was a bit on the skimpy side for full coverage.
In spite of the lengthy process, this yule log was very easy to make, delicious, and scored a 10 on the WOW factor from my family. I'll definitely make one again, and will play around with the flavors of the filling as well. I'm thinking of almond-amaretto for next year!
Dark Chocolate Ganache:
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 Tbs unsalted butter
6 oz high-quality semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 Tbs cognac (may use brandy, amaretto or any chosen liqueur)
Espresso-Marscapone Cream Filling:
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tsp espresso powder (instant espresso)
6 Tbs confectioners' sugar (1-1/2 oz)
16 oz marscapone cheese (2 cups)
Roulade:
1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour (about 1-1/4 oz) plus more for dusting
6 oz high-quality semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
2 Tbs cold unsalted butter, cut into two pieces
2 Tbs cold water
1/4 cup high-quality Dutch-process cocoa (3/4 oz) sifted, plus more for dusting
1/8 tsp table salt
6 large eggs, separated and at room temperature
1/3 cup granulated sugar (2-1/3 oz)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/8 tsp cream of tartar
For Dark Chocolate Ganache:
Bring cream and butter to simmer in a small saucepan over medium high heat. Place chocolate in the bowl of food processor fitted with steel blade. With the machine running, gradually add hot cream and cognac through feed tube; process until smooth and thick (about 3 minutes). Scrape down sides of bowl once or twice during processing. Transfer the ganache to a medium bowl and let it stand at room temperature for about 1 hour, until thickened and spreadable (about the consistency of soft icing.) If the ganache has not quite set by the time you need to use it, you can place it in the refrigerator for a few minutes to hasten the thickening.
For Espresso-Marscapone Cream:
Bring cream to simmer in a small saucepan over high heat. Remove from the heat and stir in espresso powder and confectioners' sugar; cool slightly. With rubber spatula, beat marscapone in medium bowl until softened. Gently whisk in cooled cream mixture until combined. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
For Roulade:
Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 400°F. Spray an 18 x 12-inch rimmed baking sheet (professional half-sheet pan) with nonstick cooking spray. Cover the bottom of the pan with parchment paper trimmed to fit and spray parchment with nonstick cooking spray as well. Dust baking sheet with flour to coat all surfaces evenly, and tap out excess. Set pan aside.
Bring 2 inches of water to a low simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat. Combine chocolate, butter, and water in a small heatproof bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Set bowl over simmering pan; reduce heat to medium-low and heat until butter is almost completely melted and chocolate pieces are glossy, have lost definition, and are fully melted around the edges of the bowl (about 15 minutes). Do not stir or let water in the saucepan come to a boil. Remove bowl from the heat, unwrap, and stir until smooth and glossy. While chocolate is melting, sift together cocoa, flour and salt into a small bowl and set aside.
In the bowl of a standing mixer, beat egg yolks at medium-high speed until just combined, about 15 seconds. With mixer running, add half of the granulated sugar. Continue to beat, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary until yolks are pale yellow and mixture falls in a thick ribbon when beaters are lifted (about 8 minutes). Add vanilla and beat to combine, scraping down bowl once, about 30 seconds. If you have a second clean bowl for your mixer, just set the yolks aside and switch to your clean bowl. Wash and dry your beaters well. If you do not have a second mixer bowl, transfer the yolk mixture to a medium clean bowl and wash and dry your mixer bowl and beaters well. There can be no trace of yolks or fats left on the bowl or beaters to whip a successful meringue in the next step.
In the clean bowl with clean beaters, beat egg whites and cream of tartar at medium speed until foamy (about 30 seconds). With mixer running, add about 1 tsp of the remaining sugar. Continue beating until soft peaks form (about 40 seconds). Gradually add remaining sugar and beat until egg whites are glossy, supple and hold stiff peaks when the beaters are lifted (about 1 minute longer). Do not over beat. If whites look dry and granular, they are over beaten. While whites are beating, stir slightly cooled chocolate mixture into egg yolks. When whites are beaten, stir 1/4 of the beaten whites into the chocolate and yolk mixture with a rubber spatula to lighten it. Fold in the remaining whites gently until almost no streaks of white remain. Sprinkle the dry ingredients over the egg and chocolate mixture and fold in quickly but gently to incorporate smoothly.
Pour batter into prepared pan; using offset icing spatula and working quickly, smooth surface and spread batter into pan corners. Bake in preheated oven until the center of the cake springs back when touched lightly with your finger (about 8 - 10 minutes); rotate pan halfway through baking time. Cool cake in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes.
While cake is cooling, lay a clean (non-terry) kitchen towel over a clean and dry work surface, and sift 1 to 2 Tbs of cocoa powder over the towel. With your hands, rub cocoa powder into the towel. Run a paring knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the cake; invert cake onto towel and peel off parchment.
Immediately roll cake and towel together into a jelly roll shape, starting at a long side. Let cake cool, rolled, for 15 minutes, then unroll cake and towel. Remove Espresso-Marscapone Cream filling from the refrigerator while cake is cooling. Using an offset spatula, immediately spread the filling over the unrolled cake almost to the edges. Re-roll cake gently but snugly around the filling. Set a large sheet of parchment paper on an overturned rimmed baking sheet and set the roulade seam-side down on top of the pan. Trim both ends of cake on the diagonal, reserving cut pieces. Arrange cut ends next to the main roulade to form stumps on the log. Reserve about 1/4 cup of the ganache for attaching meringue mushrooms. Spread ganache over roulade with a small icing spatula, leaving ends of the log and stumps exposed. Use a fork to make wood-grain striations on the surface of the ganache before it has set. Refrigerate cake, uncovered, on baking sheet to slightly set icing (about 20 minutes.)
When ready to serve, carefully slide 2 wide metal spatulas under cake and transfer it to a serving platter. Arrange meringue mushrooms around the cake, attaching them with dabs of the reserved ganache. Sift light dusting of cocoa powder over meringue mushrooms. Sift yule log lightly with confectioners' sugar. Serve within 2 hours. The roulade is best served at room temperature.
Serves 8 - 10
Cook's Illustrated Notes:
Make the ganache, then the filling, then the cake while the ganache is setting up. The cake can be baked, filled and rolled, but not iced, then wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 24 hours. If you make the roulade for use the next day, do not make the ganache until you are ready to finish assembling the cake.
My Notes:
I elected not to make the meringue mushrooms, and chose instead to use Holly decorations from a local decorating supply store. In my haste to finish the log and serve Christmas dinner, I forgot the dusting of confectioners' sugar, but that ended up being okay as we don't get much snow around here in Texas anyway!
I also used more than 1 Tbs of cocoa powder when dusting the towel for rolling the roulade, as I found that 1 Tbs the recipe called for was a bit on the skimpy side for full coverage.
In spite of the lengthy process, this yule log was very easy to make, delicious, and scored a 10 on the WOW factor from my family. I'll definitely make one again, and will play around with the flavors of the filling as well. I'm thinking of almond-amaretto for next year!
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