For Christmas for my family, I made a Yule Log we had after Christmas Eve dinner. Th first version didn’t turn out very pleasant to look at but it tasted okay. I wasn’t happy and made a second one, tweaking the original recipe. This ended up being made from three different recipes combined to make my newest creation and one my granddaughter asked me to make for her birthday in July.
Cake:
¾ cup cake flour
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
5 eggs, separated
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla
Preheat over to 375° F. Grease 15 ½ X 10 ½ inch jelly roll pan; line with waxed or parchment paper. Grease the paper, set pan aside. Place flour, baking powder, and salt in small bowl; stir to combine. Beat egg yolks and 2/3 cup of sugar in separate small bowl with electric mixer at high speed about 5 minutes or until think and lemon colored, scraping down side of bowl once. Beat in vanilla; set aside.
Beat egg whites at high speed in clean large bowl using clean beaters, until foamy. Gradually beat in the remaining ½ cup of sugar, 1 Tablespoon at a time, until stiff peaks form.
Fold flour mixture into egg yolk mixture. Fold flour/egg yolk mixture into egg white mixture until evenly incorporated. Spread mixture into prepared pan. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched with finger. Meanwhile, lightly sift powered sugar over clean dish towel.
Loosen warm cake from edges of pan with spatula; invert onto prepared towel. Remove pan; peel off the paper. Gently roll up cake in towel from short end, jelly-roll style. Let tolled cake cool completely on wire rack.
Filling:
Makes 2 cups
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1/3 cup sugar
¾ cup milk
1 egg yolk beaten with ¼ cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup heavy whipping cream
Blend cornstarch, sugar, and milk in a small saucepan and heat, stirring constantly, over moderate heat until mixture boils and is thick; boil and stir ½ minute longer. Off heat, beat a little hot mixture into egg yolk, return all to pan gradually, beating constantly. Mix in vanilla and cool to room temperature, beating now and then.
After filling has cooled; whip the cream until stiff peaks form. Fold into the filling. Unroll the cooled cake, spread the whipped filling across the cake and roll up without the towel. Place on plate or platter. Cut one inch off one end and place against the side of the longer piece. (This will resemble stump or a branch).
Frosting:
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
2-3 tablespoons milk
Stir together sugar and cocoa. Beat butter until fluffy. Alternately add sugar mixture and milk, beating until frosting is smooth and fluffy. Frost the entire cake. Swirl ends of log and flat side of stump to resemble cut section of log. Run tines of fork along the length of the log or spread frosting to resemble bark.
Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving. Makes 8-10 servings.
Writing Into The Sunset 