Got the Winter Blues? Try out this Recipe!

Kayra Hidirlar

Bûche de Noël

As we are in the midst of the winter season, you may be motivated to do some baking. If so, I highly suggest this delicious Buche de Noel recipe! 

This is a French rolled cake filled with chocolate cream & covered in a chocolate ganache, eaten to celebrate the winter solstice. Bûche de Noël translates to the “Log of Christmas” because its preparation style makes it look like a log.

While the process may be tedious, it’s definitely worth the time because of how divine it is. Hope you enjoy it!

 

Photo courtesy of Author

 


Ingredients

Cake:

  • 1 ⅓ cups cake flour

  • 2 tbsp cocoa powder

  • 1 tsp baking powder

  • ½ tsp salt

  • 6 large eggs, separated

  • 1 cup granulated sugar

  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil

  • 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract

Cocoa Hazelnut Whipped Cream:

  • 1 ½ cups heavy cream

  • ¼ cup powdered sugar

  • 1 tbsp cocoa powder

  • ½ cup chopped hazelnuts

Chocolate Ganache:

  • 6 oz chocolate

  • ¾ cup heavy cream

Sugared Cranberries & Rosemary

  • 1 cup fresh cranberries

  • 4-5 rosemary sprigs

  • ¾ cup water

  • 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar

Meringue Mushrooms

  • 1 egg white

  • ⅛ tsp cream of tartar

  • Pinch of salt

  • 2 tbsp granulated sugar

  • ½ tsp cocoa powder

  • 1 oz chocolate



Steps

  1. Make the sugared cranberries & rosemary: Simmer water & ¾ cup sugar. After cooling, pour syrup over cranberries and rosemary. Set aside for 15 minutes & add to a lined baking sheet. Wait 1 hour & toss in the remaining sugar. Dry for another hour.

  2. Make the cake: Preheat oven to 350oF. Grease a 12 x 17 inch baking pan with parchment paper. Whisk cake flour, cocoa powder, baking powder & salt in a bowl. Whip egg whites & ½ cup of sugar until stiff peaks form. Beat egg yolks, remaining sugar, oil & vanilla until pale in color. Fold egg whites into egg yolks. Repeat with flour mixture. Spread onto baking sheet, tap a few times & bake for 15 minutes.

  3. Prepare to roll: Place a piece of parchment paper or towel on the counter & dust with cocoa powder. Invert cooked cake onto paper. Roll the cake up with the parchment paper & cool.

  4. Make the meringue mushrooms: Preheat the oven to 200oF & line a baking sheet. Beat the egg white, cream of tartar & salt until foamy. Add sugar & beat until glossy peaks form. Pipe circles (mushroom tops) & cones (stems) separately on the baking sheet. Bake for 2 hours. When done, leave the meringues for 20 minutes. Then remove and cool. Melt the chocolate and use it to adhere mushroom tops to stems.

  5. Make the cream: Whip the cream, powdered sugar & cocoa powder until stiff peaks form. 

  6. Assemble: Spread the cream onto the unrolled cake & sprinkle the hazelnuts on top. Roll up the cake again without the parchment paper/towel. Place on a cutting board & dust with more cocoa powder.

  7. Make the ganache: Heat the cream until it simmers. Pour over the chocolate & stir until melted. Refrigerate for 30 minutes - 1 hour.

  8. Assemble: Spread the ganache on the top & sides of the cake. Make textured lines with a fork. Decorate with the meringue mushrooms, rosemary, cranberries & powdered sugar.


For more information, see Sally’s Baking Addiction!