Jelly Roll Cake recipe from Make it Sweet - Buche de Noel

 I didn't love the flavor of the cake, in fact I'm not sure I like the flavor of any rolled cakes except for pumpkin roll, but this recipe had helpful tips I want to keep for when I make a rolled cake.  

For the Cake-

INGREDIENTS

1 C (120 g) all purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

6 large egg whites (room temperature)

1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar

6 large egg yolks (room temperature)

1/3 cup (50 g) granulated sugar

2 tsp vanilla bean paste

(Chocolate variation - instead of 1 cup of flour, use 3/4 cup flour and 1/4 cup cocoa powder)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a small bowl, whisk together 1 C of all purpose flour and baking powder. Set aside.

2. In metal bowl, beat 6 egg whites and 1/2 cup sugar using hand or stand mixer.  Beat until mixture develops soft peaks.  This will take about 5 minutes.  Do not dump all the sugar in at once, but sprinkle it in, maybe in about 3 batches.  The peaks should be stiff enough that you can turn the bowl upside down and the whites stay put. Set aside.

3. Beat 6 egg yolks, vanilla bean paste, and 1/4 cup sugar together using hang mixer or stand mixer.  Beat until eggs are light yellow in color and holding a ribbon.  

4. Gently fold 1/4 cup of beaten egg whites into egg yolks, then fold in 1/4 of flour mixture.  Repeat until egg whites, yolks, and flour all combined.  Take care not to deflate mixture too much.  (I will note, Jeff did mix his too much, but his final cake was just fine, so maybe I don't need to stress about this too much).  

5. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment and spray lightly.  In the class they used half sheet pans. It is very important that it is a light spray.  Spray the edges, maybe a small amount on the parchment, but the oil can break down the eggs, so not too much.  Spread batter evenly over pan using a small offset spatula.

6. Bake cake in 325 F oven for about 14 minutes.  Rotate pan after 7 minutes.  A cake is cooked at 190 F, as well as other baked goods.

7. While cake is baking, shift a half sheet of parchment paper with powdered sugar.  This helps the cake to not stick and crack.

8. When cake is done, it should spring back when touched and pull away from the sides of pan slightly.

9. Remove cake from the oven and run a knife or spatula along the edge of pan to release cake from the egg of the pan.  Turn cake onto dusted parchment paper and remove parchment from what is now on top of the cake.  

10. Dust the cake with powdered sugar and top with a half sheet of parchment. Flip over the cake using the two pieces of parchment so the top of the cake is now facing up.  The part of the cake that was the top of the cake while baking, needs to be the middle of your rolled cake.  Cracks are more likely to form on that side but if it is in the middle, it is less likely to be noticed.  

11. Roll cake up along the long edge, rolling up both pieces of parchment as you go.  (so long skinny cake, not fat short cake).  Tuck parchment into the first tight roll (where it will be the center).  Allow cake to cool completely. You can place rolled cake into the fridge or freezer to speed up cooling process.

12. Gently unroll cake when it is fully cooled, and remove parchment paper.  Don't force the cake to be completely flat.  If it wants to curl, let it curl.

13. Spread desired filling in a thin layer over the top of the cake.

14. Gently re-roll cake along the long edge and place on serving plater.  Decorate as desired.  Chill cake for at least an 1 hour before serving.  If you want to freeze it, box the cake and wrap the box with lots of plastic wrap so no air gets into the cake.  

NOTES ABOUT FILLING & ICING: 

They used a buttercream but Jeff and I don't care for that.  You can use a ganache for the filling and/or the outside decoration of the Buche de Noel.  

If your filling calls for shortening, using high ratio shortening.  Whip the ingredients for frostings and fillings with the paddle attachement on your mixer, not the whisk attachment. High ratio shortening gives icing a creamy consistency and makes frosting fluffier.

If you make a ganache, make the ganache the day before and let it sit and harden overnight.  Then while it up with a paddle and use as a frosting.  A pastry cream is probably too soft of a filling for a buche de Noel. 

GANACHE RECIPE: Bring 4 oz (1/2 cup) of heavy whipping cream to just before a boil.  Pour over 8 ounces of finely chopped good quality chocolate.  Let it sit for 2 minutes then mix with a rummier spatula until fully mixed.  Cover with plastic touching the ganache and set aside.  Let the ganache cool to room temperature (about 2 hours).  Add the cooled ganache with the second addition of shortening of a chocolate buttercream recipe.  

Buche do Noel Decoration Instructions

-Trim off ends of cake if a little messy. Cut off 2 pieces from one end.  The first cut at a diagonal about 4 inches from the end and then the other cut, just straight about another 4 inches.  

-Place the large cake on a board or patter seam side down.  Attach your newly cut 'branch' pieces to make the log look more realistic.  

- Add the chocolate frosting or ganache and cover the cake.  Then use a fork to create lines to make it look like bark.  Garnish with rosemary branches and cranberries.  If you have merengue mushrooms, sprinkle them with cocoa powder using a sifter.  Sprinkle cake with powder sugar to look like snow.  

- Store covered in fridge for up to 5 days and serve at room temperature.