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!!!
