Bûche de Noël (French pronunciation: [byʃ də nɔɛl]) ("Yule log") is a traditional dessert served during the Christmas holidays in France, Belgium, Quebec, Lebanon and several other Christian-populated francophone countries as well as in the UK. As the name indicates, the cake is generally prepared, presented, and garnished so as to look like a log ready for the fire.


The traditional bûche is made from a Génoise or other sponge cake, generally baked in a large, shallow Swiss roll pan, frosted, rolled to form a cylinder, and frosted again on the outside. The most common combination is a basic yellow sponge cake, frosted and filled with chocolate buttercream; however, many variations on the traditional recipe exist, possibly including chocolate cakes, ganache and espresso or otherwise-flavored frostings and fillings. Bûches are often served with a portion of one end of the cake cut off and set on top of the cake or protruding from its side to resemble a chopped off branch, and bark-like texture is often produced in the buttercream for further realism. This is often done by dragging a fork through the icing. These cakes are often decorated with powdered sugar to resemble snow, tree branches, fresh berries, and mushrooms made of meringue. This is one type of sweet roulade (sponge cake). (Source: Wikipedia)




Ingredients for the sponge cake roll:
1/ For the egg yolk:
+ 6 egg yolks (at room temperature)
+ 2 table spoon caster sugar
+ 7 table spoon all-purpose flour
+ 2 table spoon corn starch
+ 4 table spoon whole milk
+ 4 table spoon olive oil
+ 1/2 tea spoon baking powder
+ 1 tea spoon vanilla extract

2/ For the egg white:
+ 6 egg whites ( at room temperature)
+ 4 table spoon caster sugar ( can increase to 3 if you like sweet)
+ Juice of one medium fresh yellow lemon
+ 1/2 tea spoon salt

Directions:
Preheat oven 350 degree F
1/ In one bowl, mix the milk + oil + vanilla + egg yolks together. Then sift the flour + corn starch + caster sugar + baking powder to the milk mixture and mix well. Set aside
2/ Beat the egg white with lemon juice and salt by electric mixer on medium speed to spongy. Then add sugar gradually while increase to high speed until soft peaks form (about 2-3 minutes)

Then, add 1/2 of the meringue (egg white) to the egg yolk mixture. Fold gently to just combine. After that, fold this mixture to the rest of the meringue and fold gently to just combine. Don't fold too much, otherwise, the cake will not rise when you bake it

Line a cookie baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the batter evenly over the baking sheet.

Bake at 350 degree F for 10 minutes at the middle rack of the oven. Then, increase heat to 375 degree F and bake for another 5 minutes or until the surface of the cake is firm and inserted toothpick in the center comes out clean

3/ Remove cake from the oven,let cool for 2 minutes. Then, invert the cake (with the parchment paper attached) to the smooth surface lined with plastic wrapper. Gently remove the parchment paper and spread jam over the cake surface. Then, start rolling the cake using the plastic wrapper at first. Then, roll the cake forward while pulling the plastic wrapper toward you.



For the cream:
1 8oz pack reduced-fat cream cheese
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp spoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup heavy cream
2-3 table spoon unsweetend cocoa powder

Comebine the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and cocoa powder in a large mixing bowl and beat until smooth.
In another bowl, beat heavy cream on high speed until it forms stiff peaks. Then slowly add the whipped cream to the cream cheese mixture above and fold gently with a spatula until fully combine (be patient with this step!)

Spread onto the log cake. Use a fork to make wood pattern. Finally, decorate with Christmas candy, ginger bread, and marshmallow. You can be as creative as you want in this step.



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BONUS: Yeah!!! My photo of this Yule log is selected on foodEpix.com with code #1736. So happy! You can check it out at this link:
http://www.foodepix.com/2011/12/16/buche-de-noel/

.....or view my whole gallery on this website here:
http://www.foodepix.com/author/trangskitchen/