Being the holiday season it is time to cook…French Bûche de Noël! As I am sure you can tell if you are a faithful blog reader of mine, I like to cook and bake! A good friend of mine here is from France and she and few other friends of mine get together for a cooking club about once a month to teach other foods from our native countries. A few months ago she taught us how to cook chocolate mousse which was AWESOME! So when she offered to teach us how to cook French Bûche de Noël, I jumped at the chance! Not only because it is her but I love how these look and taste.
When I first looked at the cake I thought this was going to take at least an hour start to finish to make but guess what? In 30 minutes we were done! This cake is REALLY easy to make, even my non-baker friend Rachael tagged along to the class and she said she could even do this!!
So my friend teaching us said the French tend to mostly eat this around the Christmas season but she also has made it for an afternoon snack for her kids (she tops it off with powered sugar instead of frosting). The cake reminded me a lot of my mom’s jelly roll cakes we ate growing up, just without the frosting!
Well, on to learn how to make this beautiful cake!
For the cake…
1. Add4 egg yokes. And yes, you must smile like this while doing it!
2. Add 200 grams of sugar.
3. Mix eggs and sugar until a pale yellow. Yes, you can use a mixer if you want but by hand it is made with “love” as the french say!
4. Add 125 grams of flour, 1 Tbsp of baking powder & a pinch of salt.. Mix all together until smooth.
5. The french do not believe in spray grease, here is how to properly grease the pan. Put the pan in the oven to warm it and then take it out after a few minutes and coat it with butter.
6. Pour batter into the buttered jelly roll pan.
7. Put into a 350 F degree oven for 15 minutes until golden brown and done in the center.
For the frosting…
Now while the cake is in the oven baking we will whip up the frosting for the cake. Now if you want too totally cheat you can use the store bought pre-made frosting instead.
Melt 100 grams of chocolate or one big bar.
Add 100 ml powered sugar to the melted chocolate.
Cream melted chocolate & sugar with 125 gr soft butter
until smooth. That’s it – you are done with the frosting!!!
Now time to put it all together…
This is what your cake should like when it done baking.
Get a clean kitchen towel wet and then ring it out. Put wet towel over cake and flip over.
Slowly lift up the pan to make sure the cake does not crack.
Then quickly spread your favorite jam, jelly or pudding that you like on top. Sorry there is no picture of her doing it but I was to busy uuhhing and aahhing over the smell of the cake! Then quickly roll up the cake you want to do this while the cake is still warm.. (but not to quickly or you will crack the cake!)
This what it should look like when it is all rolled up. Now cut off about 1 inch off of each end.
Then place the ends on top of the rolled cake. These will be your stumps on the log.
Now take your chocolate frosting and frost the cake.
After you have frosted all over the cake, take a fork and scrap it over the cake for the ridges. Then put cute little figurines like this on top. When finished the cake should look like this!
Now invite a few friends over to enjoy your beautiful cake!
Now get the coffee and tea hot and let the conversations begin!
What a great way to spend a morning!
It is always great together with friends and to learn about each other customs! To get another view of how this morning went check my friend Rachael’s blog of what we did that morning.
A big “THANK YOU” to my French friend for opening her house up to us and showing us how to make this wonderful dessert!
What is your favorite food to eat at get together’s? Mine, is a taco cheese dip that I make.
Czesc!
OMG, I just came across your fab blog today when researching some things for a book that I am in the process of writing.
I’m originally from Poland, although mostly an Aussie, been living in Australia since I was 7 years old, arrived in Sydney in 1981 with my parents from Lodz.
Reading your blog brought bak so many memories of my time in Poland and visits back.
PS…I too just recently made Buche de Noel, last week only! Can’t wait for Christmas!
Fab blog!
Bella Hyde
Bella,
I love how small the world is. We have yet to make it to Australia so I am jealous of you!!!
What kind of book are you writing that made you find my blog?
I am glad you enjoy my blog,
Kelley