Monday, December 28, 2009

Christmas Yule Log


I love to bake. I'm always in charge of desserts when there's a birthday, holiday dinner or a Sunday Lunch.
On Christmas Eve I made this delicious Yule Log for our dessert.

Here' the recipe:

Cake:
Ingredients
Makes one 10 1/2-by-15 1/2-inch cake
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for parchment and pan
2/3 cup sifted cake flour (not self-rising)
1/3 cup sifted cocoa powder, plus more for dusting
Pinch of baking soda
6 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions
1.Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 10 1/2-by-15 1/2-by-1-inch jelly-roll pan. Line with parchment; butter and flour paper, tapping out the excess flour.

2.Sift flour, cocoa, and baking soda together twice into a medium bowl. Set aside. In a small saucepan over low heat, melt butter. Skim off white foam, and pour clear yellow butter into a bowl, discarding white liquid at the bottom. Set aside in a warm place.

3.In a medium-size heat-proof bowl, whisk together eggs and sugar. Set bowl over a pan of simmering water; stir until mixture is warm to the touch and sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat, and beat on high speed until mixture is thick and pale and has tripled in bulk. Reduce speed to medium, add vanilla, and beat 2 to 3 minutes more.

4.In three additions, sift flour mixture over egg mixture, folding in gently with a spatula. While folding in last addition, dribble melted butter over batter and fold in.

5.Spread batter evenly in pan, leaving behind any unincorporated butter in the bottom of the bowl. Tap pan on counter to remove air bubbles. Bake until cake springs back when touched in center, 15 to 20 minutes. Don't overbake or cake will crack. Let sit in pan on a wire rack until cool enough to handle.

6.Dust surface with cocoa powder. To make rolling easier, trim edges
of cake, and cover with a sheet of waxed paper and a damp dish towel. Invert onto a work surface, and peel off parchment; dust with cocoa. Starting from one long end, carefully roll up cake in towel. Wrap in plastic; refrigerate until ready to use

Filling:

2 cups of sweetened fresh whipped cream
Skor Chocolate Bars (4)chopped

Make sure your whisk and bowl is clean. Beat the whipping cream starting at low speed then gradually advancing to high until the cream has a whipped cream consistency. While beating the whipped cream add sugar to your desired sweetness. (I usually add 1/4 sugar)

Spread the whipped cream evenly onto the cake sprinkle the cake with chopped Skor Bars.

Carefully roll the log. Place onto your serving platter. Cover the cake with the remaining whipped cream. Sprinkle the top with the remaining chopped Skor bars. Place a festive holiday decortion on top or to the side of the cake (decorations can be found at your local craft stores in the baking section).

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