BÛCHE DE NOËL
INGREDIENTS
(Serves 10-12)
◆ 100g plain flour
◆ 15g cocoa powder
◆ 3 eggs
◆ 100g caster sugar + extra for dredging
◆ ½ tsp vanilla essence
◆ 2tbsp hot water
◆ 2tbsp sunflower oil or melted butter
For the chocolate Icing:
◆ 100g caster sugar
◆ 3 egg yolks
◆ 225g butter
◆ 100g plain chocolate, melted and
cooled
For the meringue mushrooms:
◆ 1 egg white
◆ 60g caster sugar
◆ pinch of cream of tar tar
◆ Few drops vanilla essence
◆ ½ tsp cocoa powder
◆ Chopped pistachio nuts and icing sugar, to decorate
1
First make the meringue mushrooms. Preheat the oven to 120°C, Fan100°C, Gas½. Line a baking tray with baking parchment. Place the egg white in a clean bowl and whisk to stif f peaks. Gradually whisk in the sugar and finally the cream of tar tar and vanilla. Place in a piping bag, fitted with a 1cm plain nozzle and pipe small and medium mushroom tops and thinner but taller mushroom stalks with a pointed top. Dust the tops with cocoa powder and bake for 1 hour, or until meringues will pull of f the paper. Cool on a wire rack.
2
Increase the oven to 200°C, Fan180°C, Gas 6. Line and grease a 20x30cm Swiss roll tin. Sift the flour and cocoa powder together in to a bowl. Using an electric whisk, whisk the eggs and sugar together until thick and light in colour. Whisk in the vanilla. Fold in the flour mix, hot water and oil or butter. Turn into the prepared tin and bake for 10-12 mins until lightly browned and firm to the touch.
3
Meanwhile place a sheet of greaseproof paper on a damp tea-towel and dredge with caster sugar. Quickly turn the sponge on to the paper, trim the edges with a sharp knife and roll up with the paper inside. Leave to cool on a wire rack
4
Place the sugar for the chocolate icing in a saucepan with 75ml water and heat gently to dissolve the sugar. Bring to the boil and boil for 2-3 mins to reach 107°C. Place the egg yolks in a deep bowl and slowly pour on the hot sugar syrup, whisking continuously, until cold. Cream the butter in a bowl until ver y soft, then gradually beat in the sugar and egg mix and finally beat in the melted chocolate.
5
To assemble the Bûche de Noël, unroll the sponge and spread with a little of the chocolate icing, then roll up again. Stick the stalks of the meringues to the tops with a little icing. Transfer the rolled sponge to a ser ving plate.
6
Fit a piping bag with a star nozzle and fill with the remaining icing.
Pipe lines along the sponge adding a knot of “wood” if wished. Pipe concentric circles at each end, to cover the sponge. You can spread the icing with a knife and use a fork, to make ‘bark’ lines if you prefer.
7
Decorate with meringue mushrooms as desired. Add chopped pistachio nuts for moss. Chill for an hour before ser ving. Dust with a little snow icing sugar on just before ser ving.