Bûche de Noël with Ganache


Prep Time: 45min
Total Time: 2hr 30min
Servings: 12

Ingredients

8
oz semisweet baking chocolate, chopped
1 2/3
cups whipping cream
5
eggs, separated
1
cup granulated sugar
2
tablespoons vegetable oil
1
teaspoon vanilla
1/2
cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
1/4
cup unsweetened baking cocoa
1/2
teaspoon salt
2
tablespoons granulated sugar
2
tablespoons coffee-flavored liqueur
Powdered sugar
Sugared cranberries and rosemary sprigs, if desired

Directions

  • 1In medium bowl, place chopped chocolate. In 1-quart saucepan, heat 2/3 cup of the whipping cream to simmering over medium heat. Remove from heat; cool 1 minute. Pour hot cream over chocolate; stir until smooth. Let stand 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until ganache is thickened.
  • 2Heat oven to 375°F. Grease 15x10x1-inch pan with shortening. Line with waxed paper; grease paper with shortening. In large bowl, beat egg yolks and 1/2 cup of the sugar with electric mixer on high speed until thick and lemon colored. On low speed, beat in oil and vanilla.
  • 3In medium bowl, beat egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 1/2 cup sugar, beating on high speed until stiff peaks form. Gently fold egg whites into egg yolk mixture. Sift flour, 1/4 cup cocoa and the salt over batter; fold gently until blended. Pour into pan, spreading batter to corners.
  • 4Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until cake springs back when touched lightly in center. Meanwhile, generously sprinkle clean towel with cocoa. Immediately loosen cake from edges of pan; turn upside down onto towel. Carefully remove waxed paper; trim off edges of cake if necessary. While hot, starting with long side, carefully roll up cake; place on cooling rack. Cool at least 30 minutes.
  • 5In chilled medium bowl, beat remaining 1 cup whipping cream, 2 tablespoons sugar and liqueur on high speed with electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Unroll cake; remove towel. Spread whipped cream over cake. Roll up cake. Cut 2-inch diagonal slice from 1 end of cake roll. Place cake on serving platter; position cut piece against side of cake roll to look like a knot, using about 1 tablespoon ganache to attach to cake. Frost cake with remaining ganache. With tines of fork, make strokes in ganache to look like tree bark. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Garnish with sugared cranberries and rosemary sprigs.

    Expert Tips

    Sugared Cranberries 3/4 cup sugar 3/4 cup fresh cranberries 1. In 2-quart saucepan, heat 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup of the sugar and the cranberries to boiling over medium-high heat, stirring often. (Do not overcook; cranberries should swell and just begin to pop.) Remove from heat; drain. Toss cranberries with remaining 1/4 cup sugar, coating completely. 2. On waxed paper, arrange sugared berries in single layer. Let stand uncovered at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours. Sugared Rosemary Sprigs 6 sprigs fresh rosemary (3 to 5 inch) 2 pasteurized egg whites, slightly beaten 1 1/2 cups superfine sugar 1. With small pastry brush, brush 1 rosemary sprig with egg whites (do not dip rosemary into egg whites). Working over waxed paper, heavily sprinkle sugar through wire-mesh strainer over rosemary, turning to coat completely. Shake off excess sugar. 2. On waxed paper, place sugared rosemary. Repeat with remaining rosemary, egg whites and sugar. Let stand uncovered at least 8 hours or until dry. Store uncovered at room temperature. Serving Tip This sugary garnish is not intended to be eaten if you use regular egg whites. However, the uncooked whites of pasteurized eggs are food safe.

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