Tuesday, December 23, 2008

'CHRISTMAS, THAT MAGIC BLANKET' ~ CHRISTMAS LOG (BUCHE de NOEL)

"Christmas--that magic blanket that wraps itself about us, that something so intangible that it is like a fragrance. It may weave a spell of nostalgia. Christmas may be a day of feasting, or of prayer, but always it will be a day of remembrance--a day in which we think of everything we have ever loved."

~ Augusta E. Rundell

~ A gift of love
________________
CHRISTMAS LOG (Buche de Noel)
~ Treasured recipe from my dear Netherlands friend, Margie
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3 large eggs
1 cup sugar
5 Tbsp. water
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup sifted cake flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. double-acting baking powder
Coffee Butter-Cream Filling & Frosting
3 Tbsp. cocoa
  • Line a greased 15 1/2 by 10 1/2 by 1-inch jelly-roll pan with waxed paper and grease the paper lightly.
  • Beat eggs until thick and lemon colored. Gradually beat in sugar. Add water and vanilla extract all at one time and beat.
  • Sift together the next 3 ingredients and add to the beaten eggs all at one time. Beat mixture only until it is smooth.
  • Pour Batter into prepared jelly-roll pan. Bake cake in preheated moderate oven (375-degrees) 15 minutes.
  • Turn out onto a towel sprinkled with confectioners' sugar. Trim crust from the edges. Roll up towel and cake together. Cool.
  • Unroll cake and spread it with Coffee Butter-Cream Filling and Frosting. Roll up the cake jelly-roll fashion.
  • Add cocoa to remaining frosting and spread over the outside of the roll. Run the tines of a fork down the length of the roll to simulate the bark on the log. Make knots on the log with frosting and run the times of a fork over them.
  • Place the roll on a serving tray and add Christmas decorations. (10 servings).
COFFEE-BUTTER CREAM FILLING & FROSTING
This frosting is rich, creamy, and not excessively sweet. It is easier to make with an electric mixer, since a lot of beating is requires. If all the frosting is not used at one time store remainder in a covered jar in the refrigerator for use on another cake.
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
3 Tbsp. strong coffee
(or beat in 1 tsp. instant coffee along with vanilla extract)
2 egg yolks
8 Tbsp. (1 stick) butter
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • Combine the first 3 ingredients in a 3-cup saucepan. Bring to boiling point over medium-low hear, stirring constantly to dissolve the sugar. Cook rapidly, without stirring, until a candy thermometer shows 244-degrees, or until the syrup spins a long thread. cool syrup; about 1 minute.
  • Beat egg yolks in a bowl with a small bottom (or in the smaller bowl of the electric mixer) until they are very thick and lemon-colored. Gradually beat in the syrup, beating well after each addition. Beat in 1 Tbsp. of the butter at at time. Add vanilla extract and beat well until the frosting is cool. Chill until medium stiff and beat again with a spoon. Chill until of spreading consistency.
  • Use as frosting and fill for cakes, or as filling for pastries. Cakes or pastries frosted or filled with this frosting must be stored in a cool place. (2 cups)


13 comments:

Roses and Lilacs said...

I'm in love with your round, chubby cheeked Santa. Is that a hand made ornament?
Marnie

Jan said...

Beautiful post, Joey. Photographs are lovely, the sentiment in the poem is too. The recipe looks easy...and inviting!! Merry Christmas! Jan

joey said...

Holiday greetings, Marnie. I'm in love with him also ~ a handmade ornament/wedding gift for my first Christmas tree (from my beloved cousin/art teacher that I adored as a child).

Merry Christmas, Jan, and thank you. It's quite easy and besides delicious, makes a lovely centerpiece for the table.

Amy said...

What a gorgeous Santa ornament! This recipe sounds divine. I'm itching to be able to get in the kitchen again. It doesn't help that my husband found a gorgeous cookbook of authentic Italian recipes at the secondhand store and brought it home for me to drool over :)

F Cameron said...

I've always wanted to make one of these. You make it sound so easy, but the rolling has always been intimidating!

Your Christmas cards are lovely, too.

Merry Christmas!
Cameron

Anonymous said...

Hi Joey, the quote was wonderful, the santa jovial and the recipe sounds delicious. I am going to print it out. I was just searching yesterday for a good recipe and couldn't find one I liked. I like yours the best!

Have a wonderful Christmas!
Frances

joey said...

Dear Amy ~ stratch your itch and enjoy 'your nest' ... before you know it, you'll be back in the kitchen (I'm cookin' a big batch of tortellini soup as I write, a family Christmas Eve must). Get well soon, dear friend!

Thank you, dear Cameron ~ don't fret ... the rolling is so easy. I do pumpkin rolls for Thanksgiving and Lemon and Strawberry rolls in spring. This is one dessert that for such little work looks and tastes divine! Enjoy the remains of this beautiful season. It's been great fun getting to know you.

Well now, Frances, though a lovely dessert and mighty tasty, it's hard to beat the beauty of your natural Yule log ;) Christmas Blessings!

Anonymous said...

Have a lovely holiday Joey.
(By the Way - Yes it was your cute Santa peeking in my post!)
Blessing for the festive season my friend
K

Anonymous said...

Joey, ... my wife will be trying some of these recipes of yours soon.
There goes the kitchen! :)

Hope you and the family have a wonderful Christmas, ... and a Happy New Year!

Unknown said...

Ooh... I love the origins of the chubby-cheeked santa, Joey! That's lovely. :)

This recipe reminded me that I made a traditional yule log cake when I was in junior high, because we had to bring in some kind of traditional food from another country--and I'm too much of an overachiever to do something easy, of course. My Mom helped me, and it was a beautiful cake... I remember using a fork to make the frosting look like bark. Very fun!

Happy Holidays to you and yours, Joey! :)

joey said...

My Santa is cute, isn't he Karen? Actually, he's a Christmas stocking for my first grandchild. Looking foward to sharing a beautiful New Year with you :)

Christmas joy, Michael! Thank you for sharing as my thoughts are also with you and your loved ones. You have been huge inspiration to me. Thank you. I'll be looking forward to seeing life through your creative eye in this, hopefully, beautiful New Year.

I can imagine that you would choose an unknown project, Kim, since nothing seems too huge for you to tackle :0) A great joy knowing you, dear friend. Heartfelt wishes for a wonderful New Year.

Catherine said...

Hi Joey!
I too am in love with the Santa ornament~that is fantastic..and love the entire photo..that beautiful beautiful flow blue china in the background bringing out the blue in Santa's eyes!:)
Setting here with a cappaccino catching up on your beautiful Dec. post's so I'll be ready for next years!
Wishing you and yours a Happy Healthy New Year!
Holiday Hugs bloggin Sis! :D
Cat

joey said...

Dear Cat, I thought of you snapping the photo, knowing how we both love flow blue ... and, yes, I noticed how the how the blue brought out Santa's blue eyes! (only you would catch that, hoping you would ;) Hugs, dear friend!