Bûche de Noel

submitted by dave
from PA, US

Cake Batter

4 eggs, separated
1/2 cup sugar, divided
1/4 cup cake flour
4 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 pinch of salt
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Butter Cream
4 oz. good quality white
chocolate, melted
1 pound sweet butter, softened out of refrigerator for 1 hour
1 pound SIFTED 10X powdered sugar
4 egg whites
2 tablespoons B&B liqueur
1 tablespoon orange zest, grated
1 teaspoon orange extract
4 oz. good quality dark chocolate, melted

Preheat oven at 425 degrees. In your clean mixer, beat 4 egg whites and 1/4 cup of
sugar until soft peaks form. Transfer to a glass or stainless steel bowl. In a
separate glass bowl, SIFT the flour, cocoa powder and salt. In your cleaned mixer
bowl, combine 4 egg yolks and the remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Whisk for approximately 5
minutes until the eggs are pale yellow and thickened. Remove bowl from the mixer and
fold in the beaten egg whites gently. Add the flour mixture and mix for one minute
until well blended - do not over-mix. Line a 11" x 17" jelly roll pan with buttered
waxed paper. Spread the mixture in the pan and bake for 7 to 10 minutes, or until
the cake is springy to touch or it begins to pull away from the sides of the pan.
Take immediately out of the jelly roll pan and let cool. In the meantime, make the
butter cream. In a double melt the white chocolate or place in the microwave for 10
to 15 seconds. In a mixing bowl, place the softened butter (not melted, just out of
the refrigerator for about 1 hour). Add the 10X sifted powder sugar, mix until well
blended. With machine on low speed, slowly add the egg whites, B&B liqueur, orange
zest and orange extract. With machine on medium speed, mix until light and fluffy
then fold in the white chocolate. Place a piece of plastic wrap on your table and
invert the genoise cake top side down. Carefully remove the wax paper. Cover the
entire surface of the cake with an even layer of the butter cream (save some for the
outside). Using the plastic wrap as an aid, roll the cake on the long side, tight as
a log. Using a sharp knife, even both ends of the cake with a clean cut. Then cut 2
end pieces approximately 2" at a 45-degree angle. Transfer the rolled cake onto a
platter, seam side down. Place the 2" end pieces on the cake to resemble tree
stumps. You may use some of the butter cream to make them stick better. Add the
melted dark chocolate to the remaining butter cream. Using a spatula spread the now
dark butter cream to cover the entire surface. Using a fork, run lines thoughout the
entire cake to simulate tree bark. Garnish with some meringue mushrooms and fresh
holly.

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