Buche de Noel

Happy Third Week of Advent!  I went to a luncheon the other day and made a Buche de Noel with Meringue Mushrooms.  I enjoy baking so very much and sharing with others makes it even more special.  The nativity set was a gift from my four children, and it's so wonderful to get out every Christmas time.  I set it up here, but it's spot is on my dining room hutch. 

This Johnson Bros trio is a favorite of mine.  The pattern is called Merry Christmas.

My mantle is set with iron angels, pine cones and greenery and snowflake lights.

My son, Mike, and I watched Harper and Hayden while my son, Kevin, and DIL Kristen went skiing in Colorado recently.  We took the girls to the Dallas Arboretum, where the 12 Days of Christmas were on display, and there was a German Village set up for the kids to see all these adorable houses and do a scavenger hunt.  It was so fun!

They look so tiny in Santa's sleigh.

This was in front of the Candy Shop. 

This was one of our favorites...of the Nine Ladies Dancing.
 

Yield: 10-12

Author: Kitty

Buche de Noel

Ingredients

• Sponge Cake:
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 eggs, separated and at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3/4 sugar, divided
• Creamy Chocolate Frosting:
• 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 2/3 cup butter
• 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon half-and-half (I used half heavy cream and half milk)
• 2 cups sifted powdered sugar

Instructions

1. For the Sponge Cake:
2. Prepare a jelly roll pan (15 x 10 x 1") by greasing the inside of the pan, laying a piece of wax paper on top, and then greasing the wax paper.
3. Sift flour, baking powder and salt together.
4. Beat yolks and vanilla until lemon colored. Add 1/4 cup sugar gradually and beat until very thick.
5. Beat egg whites in another bowl, until soft peaks form. Add remaining 1/2 cup sugar gradually and continue beating until stiff and glossy.
6. Fold yolk mixture into egg white mixture and then fold in dry ingredients.
7. Spread batter evenly in prepared jelly roll pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 12 minutes.
8. Turn onto a towel that has been sprinkled with powdered sugar. Peel off wax paper. Roll the cake from the long side with the towel. Cool on wire rack.
9. For the Frosting:
10. Combine first three ingredients in a large heavy saucepan: cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until chocolate melts. Remove from heat; stir in the sifted powdered sugar. Set saucepan in a large bowl of ice, and beat at low speed of an electric mixer for about 8 minutes or until frosting holds its shape and loses its gloss.
11. Unroll cake and remove towel. Spread the cake with some of the frosting; carefully reroll the cake. Cut a diagonal piece of the cake and position it against the side of the cake. Spread the rest of the frosting all over the top ans sides of the cake, leaving the ends exposed. You can use a knife to make the frosting look like bark, or you can use the tines of a fork.
12. I decorated with meringue mushrooms, but you can leave plain or use green frosting for leaves and cinnamon candies for berried.  You can even use the green spearmint candy leaves for decoration.  
    

Thank you for your visit!  xo

I am sharing this with:

Love Your Creativity Link Party

Full Plate Thursday at Miz Helen's Country Cottage

Encouraging Hearts and Home