Saturday, December 17, 2011

Chocolate Yule Log (Bûche de Noël au chocolat) For Christmas—with Step by Step Pictorial

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Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow….

Sorry for the cheesy opening of this post, I really couldn’t help it.  Open-mouthed smile  But seriously, I envy those of you who get to enjoy a white Christmas.  Although I hate don’t like extremely cold temperature, I don’t mind it for the Holidays.  Oh, who am I kidding!?  If I live in an area that snows, I probably will stay indoor the whole winter with the heater on full blast! Smile with tongue out Please excuse my mumbling and let’s get to the cake.

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Now, you know what I did with these Vanilla Meringue Mushrooms from the previous postWinking smile They were made for decorating this Chocolate Yule Log Cake.  This is a very festive cake to make for the Holiday and it’s much easier to prepare than you think.  I make this chocolate roll cake all the time.  The chocolate roll cake is a very popular cake in Asian bakeries.  The only differences of this Chocolate Yule Log cake are the extras chocolate frosting that I spread on to imitate/resembling the log patterns and the Vanilla Meringue Mushrooms on top for decorations.

Here’s the step-by-step pictorial.  First, preheat the oven to 375 degree F. and grease a 10 by 15-inch baking pan with cooking spray.  Then, line the pan with parchment paper.  Make sure the parchment pager is large enough to have at least 2-inch excess on all sides for easy removal when the cake is done.

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Next, beat the egg whites with cream of tartar and a pinch of salt until frothy.  Then slowly add around 1/2 of the sugar as stated in the recipe.

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Beat until the meringue reach a medium peak.

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In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks with the remaining sugar until light and pale yellow.  Then add the vanilla, instant coffee, melted butter and heavy cream until incorporated.  Sift the cocoa powder and cake flour into the egg yolk mixture.  Fold until the dry and wet ingredients are just combined. 

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Add 1/3 of the egg whites into the batter and stir until batter is lightened.  Do not worry about deflating the egg white here.

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See how much lighter the batter is?  Smile



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Then, gently fold in the remaining egg whites in two batches.  Need to be careful now not to over beat the batter and deflate the egg whites too much. 


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Gently spread the cake batter evenly onto the prepared cake pan. 



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Bake at 375 degree F for 8 to 10 minutes, or until a tooth pick inserted into the cake and comes out clean.  Let cool on a wiring rack completely.


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To prepare the filling, beat the whipped cream with powdered sugar and vanilla until stiff peak formed.  Spread evenly onto the cooled cake.


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Roll the cake up, from the shorter end.


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To prepare the chocolate frosting, whip the whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla until stiff peak forms.  Sift in the cocoa powder and fold until well incorporated.  Cut about 2 inches off the rolled cake at an angle, set aside.  Reserve 2 tablespoons of chocolate frosting and spread the rest evenly onto the log.  With the back of a fork, gently press over the chocolate frosting to create the log patterns.  Place the cut off portion on the side of the log and spread the reserved 2 tablespoons of frosting on the side of the smaller log.  Use the fork to create the log patter on this piece as well.  Top with Vanilla Meringue Mushrooms and sprinkle the powdered sugar for the snow effect.  Smile


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This Chocolate Yule Log truly brings back many childhood memories.  I remember having my very first Yule Log cake for Christmas when I was about 7 years old.  The cake was bought at a store.  My Grandparents, Parents, Aunts, Uncles, my Brothers and Cousins were all there to celebrate together.  Spending time with family and enjoying good food together are precious and priceless.  I’ll forever treasure and cherish those sweet and warm memories.  I hope you and your family are creating new memories together during this Holiday Season.


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Chocolate Yule Log (Bûche de Noël au chocolat)
(Printable Recipe)


Ingredients for the cake:
5 egg whites
5/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoon caster sugar, divided
Pinch of kosher salt
5 egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon instant coffee granulate
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup cake flour

To prepare the cake:

Preheat the oven to 375 degree F.  Grease a 10 by 15-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Then, line the pan with parchment paper.  Make sure the parchment pager is large enough to have at least 2-inch excess on all sides for easy removal when the cake is done. 

Next, beat the egg whites with cream of tartart and a pinch of salt until frothy. Then slowly add in around 1/2 of the sugar and beat until medium peak forms.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks with the remaining sugar until light and pale yellow. Then add the vanilla, instant coffee, melted butter and heavy cream until incorporated. Sift the cocoa powder and cake flour into the egg yolk mixture. Fold until the dry and wet ingredients are just combined.

Add 1/3 of the egg whites into the batter and stir until batter is lightened. Then, gently fold in the remaining egg whites in two batches.  Be careful not to deflate the egg whites too much.

Gently spread the cake batter evenly onto the prepared cake pan.  Bake at 375 degree F for 8 to 10 minutes, or until a tooth pick inserted into the cake and comes out clean. Let cool on a wiring rack completely.

Mean while, work on the filling and frosting.

Ingredients for the filling:
3/4 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

To prepare the filling:

Beat the heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla until stiff peak formed. Spread evenly onto the cooled cake.

Ingredients for the chocolate frosting:

1/2 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

To prepare the chocolate frosting:

Beat the whipped cream with powdered sugar and vanilla until stiff peak formed.  Sift and fold the cocoa powder into the whipped cream mixture until well combined.

To Assemble:

Gently spread the filling onto completely cooled cake.  Roll the cake up, from the shorter end.   
Cut about 2 inches off the rolled cake at an angle, set aside. Reserve 2 tablespoons of chocolate frosting and spread the rest evenly onto the log. With the back of a fork, gently press over the chocolate frosting to create the log patterns. Place the cut off portion on the side of the log and spread the reserved 2 tablespoons of the frosting onto the side of the smaller log. Use the fork to create the log pattern on this piece as well. Top with Vanilla Meringue Mushrooms and a sprinkle of powdered sugar for the snow effect. Smile Take some pictures and enjoy the cake.  If not serve immediately, cover loosely and keep refrigerated.



43 comments:

  1. My goodness, this roll looks simply delish. Makes me salivate. ha.... I'm really in the festive mood right now. Hope you're too!
    Enjoy & have a fabulous time, dear.
    And too have a great week ahead.
    Blessings, Kristy

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  2. @Kristy: Oh yes, this cake definitely brings in the festive mood. ^^ I'm glad you like it. Wish you a fabulous Holiday Season. Take care.

    @ Alice: Thank you. :)

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  3. @ Belinda: Thank you. Yes, this cake definitely put a smile on my face, too. :P

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  4. OMG...this is perfect for Christmas....looks so tempting.

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  5. That close up shots are making me to grab food from the screen....so drool worthy

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  6. So gorgeous and perfectly done! Can I have a slice? Have a great weekend dear..

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  7. I love making Buche Noel...not only are they DELICIOUS, they are also so beautiful and festive. And yours? Well, it is no exception. I absolutely LOVE the way you've presented/decorated it. The dark chocolate is really pretty witht the mushrooms and the red decorations too. Just lovely! I will save this photo for inspiration!

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  8. @Nisa Homey: thank you. Sure it feel much more like Christmas with this cake on my table...and in my tummy! ;P

    @ Loveforfood: Thanks. Wish I can send a slice to you via email. ;)

    @ Treat & Trick: Thank you. Oh yes, love to send you a slice. It's lovely to be able to share. Wish you a wonderful weekend as well, dear.

    @ Brittany: Thank you so much for your sweet comment. I'm glad you like my cake. :) Happy Holiday to you and your family!

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  9. That looks amazing! Thanks for such great pictures because I am so making this. Oh YUM!!

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  10. @Tiffanee: Thank you, Dear. You'll love this cake. Let me know how it turns out after you make it. Merry Christmas to you and your family. :)

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  11. (I hope you don’t mind my input, but I think you mean - don’t worry about deflating instead of inflate the egg whites.) I am very excited about your post. I have been looking for this recipe for a while. The Chew had Linda Evans as a guest. She made this cake. The problem was they gave an incorrect pan size, and minimal instructions. Thank you for the detailed instructions. I am making this Christmas Eve.

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  12. Que de bonnes choses gourmandes
    Je te souhaite un excellent dimanche
    Valérie

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  13. Your Bûche de Noël Cake is a thing of beauty~ especially with your vanilla meringue mushrooms! Thanks so much for sharing your tutorial! Merry Christmas to you & your family!

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  14. I assumed your beautiful mushrooms would be used with Buche de Noel :) How beautifully yours turned out and without any cracks in the cake. Lovely!

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  15. Amy, I haven't made one of these in eons...thank you for the reminder! My family adores anything chocolate so I will make this for our Christmas Eve gathering.

    Thank you for stopping by too!
    xo
    Pat
    P.S. The mushrooms are adorable.

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  16. Wow, beautiful job on a dessert that is none too easy. Happy holidays! ;)

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  17. I will be bookmarking your recipe,Amy! I love it.

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  18. @Anonymous reader: Thank you for pointing out my typo. I really appreciate your help and I made the correction on the post so other readers won't get confused. :) I'm glad you like my cake and please let me know how it turns out after you've tried it. Merry Christmas to you and your family!


    Merci, Valérie. Glad vous aimez le poste. Je vous souhaite une merveilleuse semaine d'avance sur vous.


    @Mary: Thank you so much! I'm glad you like my tutorial. Merry Christmas to you and your family as well.

    @SavoringTime in the Kitchen: Thank you. I seldom get cracks on this particular recipe. This sponge cake is very delicate, moist and soft. Maybe that's why it won't crack. Give it a try and I'm sure you'll love it too.

    @Pat: You're very welcome. It's a wonderful cake for all chocolate lovers. :) Merry Christmas to you and your family, my Dear.

    @Carolyn, Peachkins and Lora: Thank you so much for stopping my and leaving a comment. I always appreciate that. :) Happy Holidays!

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  19. It's a wonderful cake!
    It is also a childhood memory as my Grandmother used ot make it.
    Your cake looks very beautiful!:)

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  20. I have never made one of these, Amy. You make it look so easy! Love your photos as always! Thanks for adding it to my Blog Hop!

    Merry Christmas! :)

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  21. @Winnie: Thank you. Yes, I love food that also remind me of the good old days. Happy Holiday to you and your family.

    @Jane: Thank you. This cake is quite easy to make. :) Thanks for hosting the party and Merry Christmas to you too.

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  22. @Vanessa: Thank you. I'm going to check out your linky party now. :) Thanks for inviting.

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  23. Hi Amy, very impressive chocolate yule log. Thanks for the step by step tutorial. Have a nice day.

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  24. What a beautiful presentation. It looks delicious! We have a pimento cheese quiche appetizer this week. Delcious. Come over and visit. Merry Christmas!

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  25. @Amelia's De-ssert: Thank you and you're very welcome.

    @CarolinaHeartStrings: Thank you. I'm going to stop by your site soon. Merry Christmas!

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  26. Wow!!! Wow!!! Great job! I've always wanted to make one...it's on the bucket list.

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  27. @Bo: Thanks. :) Make one and you'll be very happy you did. ;) Happy Holidays!

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  28. Amy, I am getting so hooked on your blog. Stunning photos and so easy to follow. you are the best!

    Have a great Christmas, looking forward to so many more posts to follow!

    Dave

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  29. @ Dave: Thank you for your sweet comment. I like your blog as well. Very inspiring recipes as always. Merry Christmas to you and your family!

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  30. Happy Holidays, Amy!
    This chocolate log looks soooo good! I can't wait to try out!

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  31. @lokness: Thank you. Let me know how you like it after trying the recipe. Happy Holidays to you too!

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  32. Amy, Everyone has gone home for the night so I wanted to report in to let you know I made your cake. My family has become very critical at my request over anything I make. (I may have gone overboard with that invitation.) But, tonight I heard hmmm's all around the table, and then my sister blurted out "This one is a keeper." Thank you so much for sharing.

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  33. @Madonna: I'm so glad to hear that your family loves this cake! :) It sure is a keeper and I'm going to make another one tomorrow when my In-Laws visit for Christmas dinner. Thank you sooo much for leaving a comment to let me know you've tried the recipe. I truly appreciate it. A message like yours probably is the best Christmas gift for a blogger/foodie, so I thank YOU for that. Wish you and your family a wonderful and happy Holidays! :) Cheers!

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  34. It is really a nice cake especially for Christmas and New Year as for me i think they are the most celebrated holidays(festivals) and the greater the Buche the more you have fun in eating that delicious cake. But if i don't know how to make the crem,can i use butter and sugar to make the cream. But one thing is true that i've never tasted this cake before and it is the first time that i'm going to bake this cake for 2morrow 2nd Jan 2012. I'm scared as i'm not going to bake this buche with chocolate but with coffee.Do u think that it will become a nice cake with coffee.Thanks for the recipe.Enjoy yourself for New Year!:)

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  35. @Anonymous reader: Thanks for stopping by and leaving your comment and questions. Yes, this cake is very festive and wonderful for the holidays, or any time of the year. If you don't want to use the fresh cream filling as provided in my recipe, you can replace the filling with your favorite butter cream filling. By all means go for it. I love fresh cream filling cos it's not as dense and lighter compared to buttercream. I've made roll cakes with coffee (and many other flavors) before and they are lovely. You can definitely make it with coffee instead of chocolate. I'll have a coffee roll cake recipe post on my blog in the near future. :) Stay tuned and happy baking. Wish you a wonderful New Year and prosperous 2012!

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  36. I followed this recipe to a T - I made two this morning and guess what ? There was no more left at my family gathering - Thank you for this keeper recipe.

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  37. @ Anonymous reader: I'm so glad your family love this cake. :) It's such a wonderful New Year Gift to me that you've tried the recipe and loved it. Happy Baking and wish you and your family a prosperous 2012! Happy New Year!

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  38. That's a very exciting recipe! I would love to make one for this Christmas! Could you tell me know how long it can keep? Can it be kept for a longer time if I use buttercream for the filling instead?

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  39. This looks so so so good! I just want to dive in and eat few slices! Great tutorial too!

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