Recipe
Bûche de Noël
Time: About 90 minutes
Yield: 1 log
Batter
| 6 egg yolks ¼ cup sugar ⅓ cup egg whites at room temperature |
Small pinch of salt ⅔ cup sifted flour 2 tbsp butter, melted |
Mocha Filling
| 2 tbsp instant coffee ¼ cup hot water 1 tbsp cocoa |
1½ cups confectioners’ sugar 3 egg yolks ½ cup unsalted butter at room temperature |
Chocolate Spread
| ¼ cup confectioners’ sugar 2 egg yolks 4 tbsp unsalted butter at room temperature |
4 oz semisweet chocolate 1 tsp cocoa |
To make the batter
Spread a jelly roll pan (12 x 15 inches) with wax paper extending over edges. Butter the paper and sprinkle with flour.
Beat the 6 egg yolks until thick and creamy. Beat the egg whites to stiff peaks with the salt. Fold egg yolks and whites together lightly. Sift in flour almost at once.
When almost blended, add lukewarm butter in two parts. Spread batter evenly in pan.
Bake in a 375°F oven, uncovered, 7–10 minutes until lightly browned. Immediately overturn the pan onto a towel that has been dusted generously with confectioners’ sugar, and roll together with the towel. Place on rack. Before the cake cools, unroll.
To make mocha filling
Dissolve instant coffee and cocoa in hot water. Add vanilla and
refrigerate.
In a small mixing bowl, beat egg yolks with half of the sugar for 1
minute. Add the rest of the sugar gradually. Beat for about 5 minutes.
Add cold coffee mixture in a thin stream, beating constantly.
Refrigerate for about 1 hour.
Unroll the cake and spread the filling to 1 inch from the edges. Reroll using the towel.
To make chocolate spread
Beat egg yolks with sugar for 5 minutes. Add butter in small bits gradually while beating constantly. Melt chocolate and butter; add the chocolate to the mixture gradually. Beat until smooth. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Unwrap cake. Spread chocolate on top and long sides of cake. With loose edge down, spread sides smoothly. With a fork, draw designs of bark on the log. Trim both ends to expose filling.
Finish
Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar for a snowy effect. Decorate if desired.
Notes
Freezes very well. Slice thinly.