December 23, 2007

Buche de Noel



Good Tidings, Daring Bakers

This month's challenge is dedicated to the Yule Log which originally symbolized the return of light at Winter's solstice. Today it symbolizes not only a tasty confection but traditions, family gatherings and celebrations. This month's challenge was challenge for me, a huge time challenge. I wanted to serve the Buche for our Christmas Eve Gathering along with my normal 10 dozen eclairs which I greatly reduced because of the Buche. Fitting in the last minute cookie baking for giving, eclairs, and the buche combined with shopping, wrapping and socializing has been a real challenge. In the end I have a super sloppy Buche. I have never made frosting with egg whites and didn't know if I should have crumb coated the Buche. It looks like I should have. I have made the Buche de Noel before but I used a ganache as the bark and it stood up to fork tines and covered the cake well.


I filled my Buche with a Light Whipped Ganache (4 to 2 ratio - heavy cream to chocolate as opposed to the 2-2 ratio of regular ganache) and I soaked the genoise with a syrup made with a 1/2 cup of sugar and 1/2 cup of Creme de Cacao. I flavored the butter cream with the Creme de Cacao also. The Creme complimented the coffee and chocolate flavors nicely. In the end I like the flavors of the Buche but the appearance is less than desirable. When I serve it tomorrow I will make sure the lights are dimmed.
I will make this recipe again but I will use the buttercream on the inside and a ganache on the outside.
Thank-you to Ivonne at Creampuffs in Venice and Lis at La Mia Cucina for a wonderful recipe.
Quick, if you dare to make this recipe in time for Christmas dinner, you can find the recipe here.
Merry Christmas!!!

18 comments:

Karen Baking Soda said...

Sloppy? No way, you did it! Hmm ganache covered yule log sounds mighty good...
Happy Holidays!

Helene said...

Sloppy's goooood!!! Beautiful job!
Happy holidays to you and your family!

glamah16 said...

Doesn't look sloppy to me in the end . Great job.

Unknown said...

Beautiful! I love your cake.

Tara said...

I was also wondering if it needed a crumb layer after struggling with icing the log myself... but yours definitely isn't sloppy - Well done!

Hilda said...

Hey it all tastes good in the end, and I don't think yours looks sloppy at all! I put buttercream inside and out and I think that's too heavy, next time I will do ganache I think.
Happy Holidays!

Sweet and Savory Eats said...

I think it looks great! And besides, looks are only part of what makes food good. If it tastes terrible, it doesn't make a difference what it looks like. I just don't want it. Good job.

Deborah said...

I think it looks wonderful! I ended up basically frosting mine with my fingers because it kept pulling at the cake. Great job!

Judy said...

Your yule log looks lovely, and I'm sure it tasted delicious.

The Caked Crusader said...

you got a nice tight roll with your sponge! I'm jealous!

Jen Yu said...

It doesn't look sloppy at all, it looks great! Don't be so hard on yourself - baking so many things at once for the holidays? I think you get extra points for that! :)

jen at use real butter

Anonymous said...

Taste is all that matters in the end. Your yule log looks delicious to me! Happy new year!

Bridget said...

I agree, this recipe took tons of time. Yours looks great!

Andrea said...

Your cake looks great, not sloppy at all. I love your choice of the Creme de Cacao.

Glenna said...

I love your buche...that sounded kind of nasty. I mean your yule log looks GREAT~!

Gabi said...

Hi Wendy,
Sorry it took me so long to come admire your yule log! I'm trying to catch up after the holidays!You did a great job!
Hope your 2008 is filled with many lovely adventures!
xoxo
Gabi

Christine said...

I can see how a ganache covering would be good, but I'm partial to a whipped ganache filling because I made a cake with it and it was incredible! I'll have to remember that for next time =).

Christina ~ She Runs, She Eats

Dolores said...

I don't think it looks sloppy, and I love the chocolate ganache filling. Beautiful job!