Cake rolls can be intimidating, I’ll admit, but this recipe for Chocolate Yule Log Cake, also known as Buche de Noel, couldn’t be simpler and it tastes fantastic. Ribbons of light chocolate cake surround a cool chocolate whipped cream filling. Bittersweet chocolate ganache covers the sides of the log, delivering extra bites of chocolate.

The spongy chocolate cake bakes up in just 10 minutes. The part that probably takes the longest, depending on how fancy you want to get, is the decorating. Rolling the cake can also be a nerve-wracking task to some; with yule logs, however, you can cover any cracks if they do occur with the thick chocolate ganache frosting.

In true pastry case fashion, I spent a lot of time detailing my meringue mushroom decorations, sugaring rosemary sprigs and cranberries, and making sure the ganache was spread to look like tree bark. Right before I served it, I dusted it lightly with powdered sugar to make it look like a soft dusting of snow. Very Christmasy indeed!

I made this for our Thanksgiving dinner with some of our relatives from my Dad’s side. We are celebrating Thanksgiving this Sunday with my Mom’s side of the family, and I have another big dessert planned that I will post about, so check back.

Everyone was very curious about the mushrooms-what they were made out of, how I made them, and if they could eat them. I think they add a very realistic touch to the log, so take a little time on them. And yes, they are edible! Sidenote: If you ever decorate something with inedible things, be sure to tell everyone, because I guarantee at least someone will try to eat the decorations. It is safest to always use edible decorations.

Chocolate yule logs make a great impression at holiday parties and also double as a beautiful centerpiece. You can make lots of them and stick them together to make one giant log to feed a big group. The cake also can be made 1 day ahead and stored in the refrigerator.

Chocolate Yule Log Cake (Eat Feed Autumn Winter by Anne Bramley)

Meringue Mushrooms:

• 1 large egg white, room temperature
• Pinch of cream of tartar
• 1/4 cup sugar

Cake:

• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon plus 1/4 cup plus 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 6 large eggs, separated
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

Filling:

• 1 cup whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder

Ganache Frosting:

• 10 ounces bittersweet chocolate
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened and cut into 4 pieces
• Confectioner’s sugar for garnish

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

To make the meringue mushrooms: In the bowl of an electric mixer, whip the egg white until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and beat until medium-stiff peaks form. With the motor running, slowly add in the sugar and beat until stiff peaks form (If you dip a spoon in and lift out, the meringue will stand straight up).

Using a pastry bag fitted with a round tip, pipe mushroom caps and stems onto the parchment. Make your stems and caps a variety of sizes. For caps, pipe mounded disks. Using your finger dipped in water, you can smooth out any piping lines across the caps. For stems, pipe columns straight up. Lengths of 1/4 to 1 inch provide a nice variety. Remember, they’re mushrooms-they look more realistic being imperfect! If you hate your work, you can always scoop it off the parchment back into the pastry bag and pipe again. This makes a fairly generous amount of meringue to work with, so don’t fret too much.

Bake the meringues for 2 hours. Turn off the oven and let them sit inside until the oven is completely cool. Gently lift the pieces from the parchment and store in an airtight container until you’re ready to decorate the cake. The meringues can be prepared up to three days ahead.

To make more realistic looking fungi, I brushed the bottoms of the caps with melted chocolate and let it almost set, then brushed melted white chocolate over the chocolate. Next I took a toothpick and ran it through the chocolates to create those “gills” that mushrooms have. Let the design cool and set.

For a truly dedicated mushroom-decorator, add some cocoa powder with the cream of tartar when making the meringue. Your mushrooms will be more of a gray tone, and not pure white.

When assembling mushrooms, it’s easiest to take a small paring knife and carve a small circle in the bottom of the cap for the stem to insert into.

To make the cake: Combine the water, butter, 1 tablespoon sugar, and salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat. Whisk in the cocoa powder until smooth. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

Preheat the over to 375 degrees F. Butter a 12 x 17-inch jelly roll pan. Line with parchment paper. Butter the parchment paper and then dust with flour.

In a large bowl of an electric mixer, beat the egg yolks on medium speed for 1 minute. With the motor running, add 1/4 cup sugar and continue to beat until mixture is double in volume, thick, and light yellow. Beat in the cooled cocoa mixture and vanilla. Scrape down the sides and continue to beat for another minute. Transfer the batter to a large bowl mixing bowl. Sift the flour over the batter and fold in gently. Set aside.

In a clean mixing bowl with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and continue to beat until soft peaks form. With the motor running, gradually add the remaining 1/3 cup sugar and continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Using a large spatula, gently fold into chocolate batter by thirds. Spread the batter onto the prepared pan. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the cake springs back gently when pressed. Remove the pan from the oven, cover with a clean damp kichen towel, and cool on a wire rack.

To make the filling: Combine the whipping cream, sugar, and cocoa powder in the mixing bowl of an electric mixer. Using the whisk attachment, whip the cream until medium-stiff peaks form. Scrape down the sides before the cream starts to thicken.

Lifting by the parchment paper, slide the cake out of the pan and onto a work surface. Spread the filling over the cake. It helps to use an offset spatula to get a flat surface. Turn so the long side faces you. Using the parchment to help, loosely roll the cake away from you. Don’t try to make too tight a roll or the cake will crack and the “log” will be too thin. Cut approximately 2 inches of the cake off each end, cutting on the diagonal. Set aside to make “knots”. Refrigerate the cake while you make the ganache frosting.

To make the ganache frosting: Coarsely chop the chocolate (no piece should be larger than 1/4-inch). Place in a large mixing bowl.

Heat the cream until it barely simmers. Whisk it into the chopped chocolate and continue to whisk until all the chocolate is melted and no lumps remain. Set aside to cool slightly for 5 minutes. Whisk in the butter. Set the ganache aside to cool and reach a spreadable consistency, 1 to 4 hours, depending on your kitchen temperature. Stir every 20 to 30 minutes as it cools.

To assemble the cake: Position the cake on the platter on which you intend to serve it. Sometimes a cutting board is just the trick if you don’t have a large enough platter. I covered mine with parchment paper to make a white surface for the log. Have your small “stump” pieces ready. Spread chocolate ganache over the cut end of each and attach to the log in whatever pattern suits you. Gently frost the seam where the stumps attach to the cake. Refrigerate the cake for 10 to 15 minutes to solidify the ganache.

Reserve about 2 tablespoons of ganache for the mushrooms. Generously frost the rest of the cake, covering all seams and exposed cake. If you desire, you may leave the ends of the log exposed. Once the cake is completely frosted, you can use a knife or a fork to make swirls on the end of each stump and down the length of the log.  Refrigerate until ready to serve but let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before eating for best taste. Can be made 1 day ahead.

Just before serving, sift confectioner’s sugar over the top of the cake to simulate snow (If this is done too early, the sugar will become moist and fade into the surface of the cake). Use bits of ganache (or melted chocolate) to attach mushroom stems to mushroom caps, if necessary, and to stick them on the cake. Dust the mushrooms with cocoa powder, if desired. Position the mushrooms on top of and around the cake.

You can also sugar cranberries and rosemary sprigs, using powdered egg whites that have been reconstituted (they are pasteurized so they are safe for everyone to eat). Brush the rosemary and cranberries with the egg white, then roll or sprinkle with extra-fine sugar. Let it sit a few minutes to harden. Position the sprigs and berries around the log. Don’t tuck them too far under the cake however, as the rosemary may infuse its flavor into the cake where it’s touching.

Yield: 14 servings