HOLIDAY YULE LOG CAKE ( BÛCHE DE NOËL )
Sam Hu | Ahead of Thyme Total Time : 3 hours 38 minutes Yield : 12 servings Diet : Vegetarian Holiday yule log cake ( Bûche de Noël ) with a chocolate sponge cake , whipped cream filling , and whipped chocolate ganache coating is a Christmas classic .
CHOCOLATE SPONGE CAKE
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1 / 8 teaspoon salt
• 5 eggs , at room temperature and separated
• ½ cup granulated sugar , divided
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
WHIPPED CREAM FILLING
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon confectioners ’ sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
WHIPPED CHOCOLATE GANACHE TOPPING
• 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate , chopped
• ½ cup heavy cream
MAKE THE CHOCOLATE SPONGE CAKE :
Preheat oven to 400 ° F . Spray a half sheet baking pan ( 17x12-inches ) with nonstick spray and line it with parchment paper . Spray the parchment paper with nonstick spray .
In a medium bowl , whisk together flour , cornstarch , cocoa powder , and salt . Set aside .
Use a stand mixer or hand mixer to combine egg yolks , all but 2 tablespoons of sugar ( set aside to be used with the egg whites ), and vanilla in a large bowl . Beat together mixer on high speed until thick , fluffy and very pale yellow , about 4-5 minutes .
Sift in half the dry ingredients into the bowl , and fold it in with a silicone spatula until just incorporated . Repeat with the remaining half of dry ingredients .
In a medium bowl , beat egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form , about 1-2 minutes . Gradually add in the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar and beat on high speed until stiff peaks form , about 3-4 minutes .
Fold the egg whites into the batter using a silicone spatula , until just incorporated . Avoid overmixing and deflating the egg whites .
Carefully pour the batter into the prepared half sheet baking pan and gently spread it out using a small icing spatula . Bake for 8-10 minutes . The cake is done when it springs back when lightly poked with your finger and a toothpick comes out clean . The cake is quite thin so keep a close eye on it . Take it out as soon as it is done . If you overbake it , it will be dry and crack as it rolls .
GAINESVILLE LIVING 26 HOLIDAY 2023
Once the cake is done , it will look a little puffed up and bubbly on the top . It will shrink down within a minute . Let it sit for a minute or two , then immediately run a small icing spatula or knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the cake . Sift some confectioners ’ sugar on top to cover the cake . Flip the cake over onto a clean kitchen towel placed on the counter . Remove the parchment paper which was originally lining the baking pan . Sift the newly exposed side of the cake with confectioners ’ sugar . This will help prevent the cake from sticking to the towel when rolled .
Slowly and gently roll the cake from the narrow end with the towel until the entire cake is rolled and completely covered in the towel . The cake will be warm when first rolled . Allow the rolled up cake to cool completely in the towel , about one hour . Make the Whipped Cream : Use a stand mixer or hand mixer to whip the heavy cream with confectionary sugar and vanilla on medium speed until medium peaks form , about 2-3 minutes . Store in the refrigerator until ready to use . Fill the Yule Log Cake with Whipped Cream : When the cake has cooled down completely , gently and very slowly unroll the cake .
Using a small icing spatula , carefully spread the whipped cream evenly on top of the cake , leaving a 1-inch border uncovered around the cake .
Carefully and slowly roll the cake back up
without the dish towel . Cover tightly with plastic cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour , up to overnight , to firm up before adding the whipped ganache topping .
Make the Whipped Chocolate Ganache Topping :
Place chopped chocolate into a medium bowl .
Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan until it begins to simmer . Immediately remove from heat before it begins to boil .
Pour hot cream over top of the chopped chocolate , and let it sit for 5 minutes to allow it to soften the chocolate . Then use a spoon to slowly stir until completely combined . Allow the ganache to cool down and thicken uncovered in the refrigerator for 20 minutes .
Once the ganache has cooled down and is firm ( but still soft ), use a hand mixer to whip it on medium-high speed until fluffy , about 3-4 minutes .
Decorate the Cake with Whipped Chocolate Ganache :
Remove the cake from the refrigerator and carefully remove the plastic cling wrap .
Leave the yule log cake in tact and cut ½-inch from each side to make the edges even . You can also cut 4-inches off of one end of the yule log cake on angle and place it on the side of the roll to look like a tree branch .
Cover the cake with the whipped ganache and spread evenly using a small icing spatula . Draw lines using a fork to give it a wooden texture look like tree bark .