Yule Log Recipe

The Bûche de Noël cake, otherwise known as the Christmas Yule Log,  is a French Christmas tradition that dates back to the 19th century. The cake represents the yule log that families would burn starting on Christmas Eve.  It’s a fun recipe to do at home, and we sure love the decorating part. Meringue mushrooms? What’s not to love?

CHOCOLATE ROULADE CAKE

• 1/3 cup cake flour
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 7 large eggs, room temperature
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Pre heat oven to 350 F.  Lightly spray half sheet pan and line it with parchment paper.
2. Sift the flour and cocoa powder together, set aside. Beat eggs and sugar with an electric mixer on high until the mixture is pale, more than double the volume and forms a thick ribbon, this will take approximately 5 mins.  Add vanilla and beat for 1 more minute.
3. Fold in sifted flour mixture with a large rubber spatula and then spread the batter evenly on the prepared half sheet pan.
4. Bake at 350 F for approximately 15 minutes. The cake should spring bake when pressed down with your fingertips.  Let cool for 5 minutes and run a pairing night around the edges of the cake releasing it from the inside of the sheet pan.

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

• 4 oz chocolate chips (I am using 60% cocoa)
• 1 ½ cups 35% cream
• 1 tsp corn syrup
• 2 Tbsp granulated sugar

1. Place chocolate in a heat proof bowl.
2. Bring ½ cup of the cream to a gentle boil in a medium saucepan. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let stand for 2 minutes for the chocolate to soften.  Add the corn syrup and whisk until all is incorporated.  Let stand and cool for approximately 30 minutes, but not firm.
3. Whip the remaining 1 cup with sugar on medium speed till soft peaks. Fold in ¼ of the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture to loosen it, then fold in the remaining cream.
4. Take your cooled cake and place a second sheet of parchment on top of the cake. Put another half sheet pan or cutting board on top of that and flip over your whole cake.  Remove the upside down sheet pan (which is the original pan that your baked the cake in) and gently peel off the parchment on the back side of the cake.
5. Remove the other sheet pan or cutting board used to help you invert the cake. Now the new sheet of parchment should be under the cake.  We are going to use this piece of parchment to help you roll up the roulade.
6. Spread the chocolate mousse evenly on the cake, reserving about 2 Tbsp of mousse. Start to roll up the roulade. Once the cake is rolled up, wrap firmly in plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator for 1 hour.

GANACHE

• 8 oz   chocolate chips (I used 60% cocoa)
• 1 cup  35% cream
• tsp corn syrup

1. Place chocolate in a heat proof bowl.
2. Bring ½ cup of the cream to a gentle boil in a medium saucepan. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let stand for 2 minutes for the chocolate to soften.  Add the corn syrup and whisk until all is incorporated.
3. Let stand for approximately 15 minutes till cooled down yet still pourable.
4. Remove your rolled-up roulade from the fridge. Trim off the ends.  On one end of the roulade, approximately 4 inches from the end cut off a piece on a diagonal.  This will become your stump on the “log”.  Using an off-set spatula, spread remaining mousse on the diagonal end of the stump and stick it to the side of the log.  Smooth out any excess mousse with your off-set spatula.
5. Lay the roulade log a wired cooling rack set over a half sheet pan. Pour half of the ganache over the roulade log and stump and smooth it over with your off-set spatula.  Repeat this procedure until the log and stump are completely glazed, letting the excess ganache drip onto the half sheet pan underneath.
6. To create the tree bark look, use the tip of the off-set to drag lines in the ganache, as well as using the tings of the fork to make realistic detail in the ganache bark.
7. Wait 30 minutes to allow the ganache to firm up. Decorate with meringue mushrooms, sugar cranberries, sprinkles, crushed candy canes or anything else that makes you happy!!!