This Yule Log Cake is a traditional dessert served during the holidays in France. I made one a few years ago from "Julia and Jaques Cooking at Home" which was as roulade; a flourless chocolate cake filled with cream, rolled up and dusted with sugar. Simple. But this year I found another by Jaques that was three pages long, an official Bûche de Noël and I had to make it. First I made a custard so it could chill during the other steps. I made a white sheet cake, let that cool, then made the pieces for meringue mushrooms (stems and tops dusted with powdered cocoa) which took 2 hours in the oven. Then I made the cream filling and folded in the custard. Before I spread this on the cake I basted the cake with rum and water, then carefully rolled it up. I made the buttercream frosting next, and melted chocolate to fold into it. I frosted the cake and then prepared the mushrooms. I cut off the bases, melted chocolate and popped on the caps to set. I set them around cake and put it in the fridge to chill while we played some boggle.
It took me 5 hours from start to finish and was the hardest thing I've ever made.
I'm glad I did it, it came out great and tasted yummy... but I don't need to do that again!
(Recipe from Jaques Pepin)
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