Chef Dave
12-07-2007, 10:43 PM
http://www.kcc.cc.il.us/hss/jpaul/french%20canadian/buche_de_noel.gif
Buche de Noel is a Swiss sponge cake stuffed with cream or frosting. (It tastes like a sophisticated version of a "Little Debbie" Swiss cream roll. It is typically made to resemble a log and can be quite elegant - especially if it sits on a bed of white icing (to simulate snow) and is dusted with powdered sugar.
Here is a very simple recipe:
Ingredients
4 eggs yolks
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon vanilla
Powdered sugar
4 egg whites
½ cup granulated sugar
chocolate frosting
1 cup sifted flour (cake flour or all purpose)
Optional: white frosting and powdered sugar
In mixing bowl beat the egg yolks with ½ cup granulated sugar. Stir in vanilla.
In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add ½ cup granulated sugar, beating till stiff peaks form. Fold in egg yolk mixture. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt; fold into egg mixture. Pour into greased and floured 15½ X 10½ X 1½ inch baking pan. Bake at 375° until done, 10 to 12 minutes. Promptly loosen edges of cake; turn out onto a dish towel sprinkled with powdered sugar.
Let the cake cool. Spread chocolate frosting across the entire surface of the cake. From the long side, roll the cake up. Diagonally cut a 4 to 6 inch piece of cake from the end of the roll. Place the cut edge against the side of the longer roll on a serving plate. Cover the cake with chocolate frosting. Avoid covering the decorative spirals on the ends of the cake. Use the tines of a fork to draw marks in the frosting to simulate bark.
Spread white frosting around the surface of the serving platter that holds the cake. Use a sifter to dust the cake with powdered sugar to create the illusion of snow.
Color can be added with green frosting piped on top of the cake to resemble leaves. Candied cherries or small peppermints can be placed with the leaves to add additional color.
Buche de Noel is a Swiss sponge cake stuffed with cream or frosting. (It tastes like a sophisticated version of a "Little Debbie" Swiss cream roll. It is typically made to resemble a log and can be quite elegant - especially if it sits on a bed of white icing (to simulate snow) and is dusted with powdered sugar.
Here is a very simple recipe:
Ingredients
4 eggs yolks
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon vanilla
Powdered sugar
4 egg whites
½ cup granulated sugar
chocolate frosting
1 cup sifted flour (cake flour or all purpose)
Optional: white frosting and powdered sugar
In mixing bowl beat the egg yolks with ½ cup granulated sugar. Stir in vanilla.
In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add ½ cup granulated sugar, beating till stiff peaks form. Fold in egg yolk mixture. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt; fold into egg mixture. Pour into greased and floured 15½ X 10½ X 1½ inch baking pan. Bake at 375° until done, 10 to 12 minutes. Promptly loosen edges of cake; turn out onto a dish towel sprinkled with powdered sugar.
Let the cake cool. Spread chocolate frosting across the entire surface of the cake. From the long side, roll the cake up. Diagonally cut a 4 to 6 inch piece of cake from the end of the roll. Place the cut edge against the side of the longer roll on a serving plate. Cover the cake with chocolate frosting. Avoid covering the decorative spirals on the ends of the cake. Use the tines of a fork to draw marks in the frosting to simulate bark.
Spread white frosting around the surface of the serving platter that holds the cake. Use a sifter to dust the cake with powdered sugar to create the illusion of snow.
Color can be added with green frosting piped on top of the cake to resemble leaves. Candied cherries or small peppermints can be placed with the leaves to add additional color.