Marzipan Buche du Noel with Chocolate Ganache
Why I Love This Recipe
Every year my family has a buche du noel for dessert on Christmas. This recipe is the best one we have ever had! Its a combination of recipes i've researched and tested through the years.
Ingredients You'll Need
6 eggs, separated
l/4 cup plus l tablespoon granulated sugar
l/2 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
2/3 cup whole milk
2 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/2 cup marzipan, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
250ml whipping cream
250gr bittersweet chocolate
25gr butter
Directions
For the Cake : In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks with 2 tablespoons of the sugar. Meanwhile, place the egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until soft peaks form. Turn the machine up to high, and beat in the remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar, continue to beat until shiny but not stiff. Add the flour to the yolk/sugar mixture and whisk to combine. Add l/4 of the egg whites to the yolk mixture, whisking to lighten the mixture. Then return the yolk mixture to the egg whites, and fold gently. Scrape into the prepared pan and even the top by running a long offset spatula across the surface. Bake until cake is golden brown and springs back when lightly touched, l2 to l5 minutes. Run a knife around the cake so it no longer is touching the pan. Turn hot cake out onto towel. Peel off parchment. Starting at 1 long side and using towel as aid, gently roll up cake jelly-roll style. Cool.
For filling: Bring milk to boil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk yolks and sugar in small bowl until well blended; whisk in flour. Whisk hot milk into egg mixture. Return to same saucepan. Whisk over medium heat until custard thickens and boils, about 1 1/2 minutes. let cool, Add marzipan; custard to blender/food processor. Blend until smooth. Blend in butter 1 piece at a time, then both extracts. Cover and refrigerate filling at least 4 hours or up to 2 days. Unroll cake. Spread filling over. Reroll cake; place cake, seam side down, on platter.
For chocolate ganache: bring cream and butter to a boil. pour over chocolate. let sit for 5 mins. whisk together until fully combined. allow to cool completely before using.
Starting 1 inch in from each end of cake, cut on diagonal to remove one 3-inch-long piece of cake from each end. Attach 1 cake piece at sides of cake near each end. Spread frosting over top and sides of cake and pieces. Using tines of fork, draw concentric circles on cake ends to resemble tree rings. Draw fork along length of cake to form bark design. Garnish with Marzipan Mushrooms.