I will remember 2007 for many reasons. However, with respect to my culinary endeavors, I will remember it as "The year I made my first Bûche de Noël". Daunting as I thought the task would be I had such a ball I made a second one a handful of days later. Yellow cake, crème de marrons and chocolate ganache. A beautiful trio that goes something like this...
Ingredients:
3/4 c. flour
1 c. hazelnuts or almonds, finely chopped
1/4 c. sugar
1/3 c. sugar
7 eggs, separated
pinch of salt
2 tbsp. butter, melted
Oven: 400 degrees Farenheit
Line a shallow 9 x 12 baking pan with aluminum foil.
Butter or oil the aluminum foil.
The Cake:
1) Mix together 1/4 c. sugar with the cup of chopped nuts. Add 2 tbsp. of melted butter and a shot glass of liquor if you wish.
2) In another bowl blend together, until pale yellow, 6 egg yolks with 1/3 c. sugar
3) Combine bowls 1 and 2 together and add 3/4 c. of flour
3) In another bowl add a pinch of salt to egg whites and foam until stiff
4) Fold egg whites into cake batter, reserving about 3/4 c. to 1 cup of egg whites to make the mushroom meringues for decoration.
5) Pour into baking pan and bake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 30 minutes
The Filling:
500 g can of Clement Faugier Crème de Marrons vanillée
The icing:
Whip all of these together, incorporating the sugar and cocoa gradually so as to control the sweetness and/or bitterness desired.
1 cup of heavy whipping cream
1/2 c.- 1 c. cocoa powder
1/4 c. - 1/2 c. sugar
Assembling the cake:
Remove the cake from the pan by flipping it upside down. The cake will fall out of the pan with the aluminum foil facing upwards. Remove the aluminum foil. Spread marron cream over the cake. Roll into a log. Place onto a serving dish. Spread icing and decorate with grated chocolate, powdered sugar and mushroom meringues.
Mushroom meringues? To be continued...
