Best 3 Christmas Log Recipes

BûCHE DE NOëL (CHRISTMAS YULE LOG)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Put the eggs, egg yolks and sugar in a mixing bowl. Set the bowl over a pot of boiling water. Beat the eggs and sugar together until the sugar dissolves. This will result in a cake with a finer texture. Remove the bowl from the heat.
• With a mixer at high speed, beat for 15 minutes until the mixture is very pale.
• Sift the flour, and fold into the egg mixture. Stop mixing as soon as all ingredients are well blended.
• Line an 11-inch-by-16-inch jellyroll pan with wax paper, and butter and flour the paper. Spread the mixture over the wax paper. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the cake shrinks slightly from the sides of the pan.
• When it is done, remove the cake from the baking sheet and turn it upside down onto a flat surface that has been covered with wax paper or parchment. Cover the cake with a damp cloth and let it cool. This will keep it flexible enough to roll.
• To make the dessert syrup, combine the corn syrup, Grand Marnier and water. Mix thoroughly.
• To make the butter cream, simmer the sugar with the water in a small saucepan until it reaches 250 degrees on a kitchen thermometer.
• Meanwhile, beat the egg yolks at medium speed in a mixing bowl. Then add the boiling sugar little by little. Continue beating until the mixture is cool, about three to five minutes.
• Add the butter and continue to whip the mixture at low speed for seven minutes. Then add Grand Marnier.
• With a pastry brush, brush the dessert syrup on the side of the cake to which the paper was attached. Spread three-quarter of the butter cream over the surface of the cake. Roll the cake very tightly and refrigerate for one hour.
• To decorate, cut two one-inch slices off one end of the cake. Place them on the log to simulate two sawed-off branches. With a pastry bag fitted with a star-shaped nozzle, cover the top of the log with the reserved butter cream. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

CHOCOLATE CHRISTMAS LOG (COOKIE CAKE)

Steps:

• Whip 1 1/2 c of cream add sugar to taste (1/4- 1/2 cup).
• Put a teaspoonful of sweetened whipped cream on a cookie, top with another cookie.
• Add another teaspoonful and another cookie.
• Repeat.
• Place on one end of a flat rectanglar serving dish (or plate), with the cookies vertical.
• Put a teaspoonful of cream on a cookie and add it to the end.
• Repeat until all the cookies and cream are used in a log shape.
• Coat with remaining cream and cover lightly in plastic wrap.
• Refrigerate at least overnight.
• When ready to serve, whip remaining cream and sweeten.
• Recoat the log with the whipped cream and decorate with chocolate shavings.
• To serve, cut on the diagonal.
• For darker frosting color, add 1/3 cup unsweetened peanut butter to whipped cream mixture.

CHRISTMAS YULE LOG (BUCHE DE NOEL) RECIPE - (4.5/5)

Steps:

• To prepare the pastry cream, whisk together 1/3 cup of the sugar, the cornstarch, and the cocoa powder in a small bowl until evenly mixed. Add the eggs and whisk until fully incorporated. Set aside. Bring the milk and 2 Tbsp sugar to a simmer in a small pot. Slowly pour the milk into the cocoa mixture, whisking constantly, until fully combined. Add the mixture back to the pot, and cook on medium-low heat, until thickened, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Stir in the vanilla. Pour the mixture into a small glass bowl and cover with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic onto the cream so that it doesn't form a skin. Refrigerate until needed. To prepare the sponge roll, place a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400°F. Lightly spray an 11" x 17" jelly roll pan. Line the pan with parchment paper, and then lightly spray again. Whip together the egg yolks, 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp sugar, and the vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer (fitted with the whisk attachment) until pale yellow and creamy. Carefully fold in the sifted cake flour, then pour the entire mixture into a separate bowl and set aside. After cleaning the bowl of the stand mixer, whip the egg whites with the whisk attachment until frothy. Keep the mixer running and add the salt followed by sugar. Whip until firm peaks form. Fold the egg white mixture into the cake batter, in 3 batches, until fully incorporated. Be careful not to over mix. Pour the batter onto the prepared jelly roll pan, spreading evenly. Bake for 5-7 minutes, until it's light golden brown and springy to the touch. Let the cake cool completely. To prepare the ganache, place the chocolate chips in a medium-size bowl and set aside. Bring the cream and the corn syrup to a boil in a small saucepan. Pour the hot cream mixture over the chocolate chips. Let the mixture stand for a couple of minutes, and then lightly whisk until the chocolate chips are melted and the mixture is fully incorporated. Refrigerate the ganache for 45 minutes, or until set but still spreadable. To assemble the log, place the sponge roll upside-down on a sheet of parchment paper. Carefully remove the paper on which the cake was baked. Evenly spread the chocolate pastry cream all over the cake. Carefully roll the cake, starting with the widest end, to create a long log. Tightly wrap the cake in the parchment paper and twist the ends to secure. Freeze the cake for 90 minutes. Slice a 1" piece of cake from each end of the log. Spread a thin layer of chocolate ganache all over the cake-except for the ends of the log-and freeze for another 45 minutes. Evenly spread the remaining ganache on the cake and use a fork to create a bark-like texture. Decorate with your choice of garnishes. Keep the cake refrigerated until ready to serve.