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Yule Log Cake

Course: dessert
Cuisine: american
Keyword: Cake

Ingredients

Cake

  • 8 eggs
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 5 tbsp + 1 tsp vegetable oil
  • dash of vanilla extract
  • 1 1/3 cup + 2 tbsp cake flour
  • 2 tsp corn starch
  • brown food colouring

Syrup

  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 2 ½ tbsp hot water

Filling

  • 1 1/3 cup whipping cream
  • 2 ½ tbsp sugar
  • dash of vanilla extract
  • 15 strawberries diced
  • marzipan squirrels & holly recipe here

Instructions

Prep

  • Place a sheet of parchment paper into a 10.5 x 15.5 jelly roll pan, and make little slices in the corners so that it fits snugly into the pan. Then lightly grease the parchment paper with a paper towel dipped in vegetable oil.
  • Divide the 8 eggs so that you have a bowl with 2 egg whites, a bowl with 6 egg whites and a bowl with 6 egg yolks. You’re not going to need the remaining 2 egg yolks.
  • Preheat the oven to 340F.

Directions

  • Whisk together the 6 egg yolks in a bowl, and add half of the sugar. Beat with a hand mixer until it lightens in colour. Add the water, vegetable oil and a few drops of vanilla extract, and mix together.
  • Sift in 1 1/3 cup of cake flour, and mix until the batter thickens and is a ribbon-like consistency. This will be called the Egg Yolk Batter.
  • Spoon 4 tablespoons of the Egg Yolk Batter into a separate bowl. Add 2 tbsp of cake flour and brown food colouring to make it a dark brown colour. This will be called Batter A.
  • Beat 2 egg whites in a separate bowl with a hand mixer until it is glossy and reaches stiff peaks. Add a pinch of cornstarch, and whip it until it stiffens even more. This will be referred to as the Meringue.
  • Add 2/3 of the meringue mixture to Batter A. Mix well until the meringue is well combined. Pour the batter into a piping bag fitted with a small, round tip.
  • Pipe the wood grains on the pan with Batter A. Bake for 1 minute 30 seconds.
  • In a separate bowl, beat the other 6 egg whites until they thicken and form a ribbon when the whisk is lifted. Add the remaining Meringue, and beat until stiff. Then add the remaining sugar, and when the mixture develops a shine to it, add the cornstarch and mix again.
  • Mix in some brown food colouring to the Egg Yolk Batter to create a light brown/beige-coloured batter. The key is to ensure that this batter is lighter in colour than Batter A. Add the mixture with the Meringue to the Egg Yolk Batter in 3 batches, and mix well until it is well combined and has a ribbon-like consistency.
  • Then pour the batter into the cake pan. Smooth out the surface, and tap it on the countertop a few times to remove the air. Bake it in the oven at 340F for 10-14 minutes.
  • Once it is finished baking, place a sheet of parchment paper on the surface of the cake, and flip it over onto a cooling rack.
  • Immediately peel off the parchment paper from the side with the design, and place another sheet of parchment paper on top. Then allow the cake to fully cool (about 15 minutes).
  • Make the cream filling: Place the cream, sugar and vanilla extract in a bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until stiff.
  • Make the syrup: Dissolve the sugar in the hot water.
  • Once the cake has cooled, flip the cake over so that the patterned side is facing down. Then peel off the parchment paper from the non-patterned side.
  • Using a knife, make shallow slices 2 cm apart on the surface of the cake. Brush on the syrup with a pastry brush.
  • Spread the cream onto 2/3 of the cake then sprinkle ¾ of the strawberries on top. Slice the cake about 1 inch from where the cream stops.
  • Lift up the side of the cake and the parchment paper closest to you, and roll the cake away from you in one motion. Then continue to tightly roll the cake up with a firm grip. If the cake doesn’t roll up very tightly, you can wrap the cake in plastic wrap to help. Twist the sides of the parchment paper closed like a candy wrapper, and place it in the fridge for 1 hour. Repeat with the remaining cake, cream and strawberries. Note: you will have some cream left over, which can be used as a garnish later on.
  • After the cakes have rested, slice the ends of the large log off with a warm knife. This allows you to cleanly slice through the cake and cream. Slice the smaller log into small pieces, to act as branches growing off of the main log.
  • To serve, dollop some of the remaining whipped cream onto a serving platter to look like fresh snow. Place the log on top and dollop some more whipped cream on top. Decorate the log with marzipan squirrels, acorns and holly and enjoy!

Video

Notes

Want to see more video tutorials? Check out all of my recipes here!
http://www.youtube.com/pankobunny