Classic Yule Log
The presentation of this traditional French treat, also known as a buche de Noel, can sometimes upstage old Saint Nick himself.
Ingredients
1/2 cup sifted cake flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs, separated
1/4 cup milk
confectioners’ sugar
For the Filling
1 1/2 cups whipped cream
For the Frosting
2 cups heavy cream
8 ounces (8 squares) semisweet chocolate, melted
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
For the Garnish
confectioners’ sugar
1/2 teaspoon green food coloring
1 package (8 ounces) marzipan
cinnamon red-hot candies
candy snowmen
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan. Line with waxed paper. Grease paper. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.
2. Beat together granulated sugar and egg yolks at high speed until light and fluffy. At low speed, alternately beat milk and flour mixture into egg mixture.
3. Using clean beaters, beat egg whites at high speed until stiff, but not dry, peaks form. Fold one-third of beaten whites into batter. Fold in remaining whites. Spread batter in prepared pan; smooth top.
4. Bake cake until set, 12 minutes. Dust a clean cloth with confectioners’ sugar. Turn cake out onto prepared cloth. Remove waxed paper. Trim cake edges. Starting with a long side, roll up cake and cloth, jelly-roll style. Transfer, seam-side down, to a wire rack to cool for 30 minutes.
5. Unroll cake; remove cloth. Spread whipped cream over cake to within 1 inch of edges. Re-roll cake. Place, seam-side down, on a serving plate.
6. To prepare frosting, in a small saucepan, bring cream, melted chocolate, and butter to a boil over medium heat, stirring vigorously until blended. Remove from heat. Let stand until set.
7.Spread frosting over top and sides of cake.
8.To prepare garnish, dust work surface with confectioners’ sugar. Knead food coloring into marzipan until blended.
Using a rolling pin dusted with confectioners’ sugar, roll marzipan to an 1/8-inch thickness. Using a small knife, cut out leaves. Arrange leaves, cinnamon candies, and snowmen on top of cake and around plate. Dust with confectioners’ sugar. Serves 10.
