This has to be my favorite holiday treat. If you need something to do for the new year, try this treat.
To decorate the Yule Log, you can make mushrooms and leaves using marzipan.
This recipe is a mix of 2 different recipes from Emeril (BAM!) and Nick Malgieri (an awesome cake guy).
Bûche de Noël or Yule Log
Sponge Cake:
1/4 cup milk (whole or 2%)
2 tablespoons butter plus 1 tablespoon for the pan
8 eggs
2 cups plus 1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
- Preheat oven to 350ºF.
- In a small saucepan, heat the milk and 2 tablespoons of butter together until scolded (not boiled).
- Using a mixer fitted with a wire whip, combine the eggs and 2 cups of sugar. Beat on medium-high speed for 8 minutes or until the mixture is thick and pale yellow. It will triple in volume.
- With the machine running, add the heated milk slowly.
- In another bowl, sift the flour, baking powder and salt together.
- Fold the flour mixture into the egg mixture. Mix thoroughly being careful not to deflate the batter, until the mixture has no lumps and is smooth. Fold in vanilla.
- Grease a 1/2 sheet pan (13 x 18 - inches) with the 1 tablespoon of butter. Line with parchment paper and lightly grease that.
- Sprinkle the parchment paper with the 1 tablespoon of sugar.
- Pour cake batter evenly into the pan and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the edges are golden and cake springs back when touched.
- Cool for 2 minutes.
- Using a thin knife, loosen the edges and flip the cake onto a piece of parchment paper. Replace the parchment in the pan with a new piece and flip the cake back into the pan. When cool, remove the paper.
