A holiday classic, the Buche de Noel is a French cake made with chocolate and rolled into a log shape. Adorned with chocolate pieces, powdered sugar snow and meringue mushrooms, this cake is something special that is perfect for the holidays.
Instead of meringue mushrooms, I opted for candy cap mushrooms for a decorating piece.
Candy cap mushrooms are perhaps one of the most unusual wild mushroom varieties because of their ability to work in both savory and sweet dishes. They are intensely aromatic, with a woodsy scent that evokes maple syrup or a maple bar doughnut. They have a similar (though less powerful) flavor. They are highly sought after by professional chefs as well as pastry chefs looking to create innovative desserts. Wild candy cap mushrooms only grow in small portions of the United States, making them a rare treat and the perfect gift for mushroom fans.
Yule Log Cake.
A Yule log is a large and extremely hard log which is burned in the hearth as a part of traditional Yule or Christmas celebrations in several European cultures. It can be a part of the Winter Solstice festival or the Twelve Days of Christmas, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, or Twelfth Night. The expression “Yule log” has also come to refer to log-shaped Christmas cake, which inspired to me incorporate the Candy Cap Mushrooms. Mushrooms are naturally found in the ground and next to tree roots.
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If you make the cake the night before, make sure to cover with a clean and slightly damp towel.
Spread a generous layer of frosting on the top of the cake. Take one end and roll the cake.
You can frost the cake with a chocolate pastry cream. I opted for a chocolate buttercream.
To create an additional branch to your log, cut off one of the ends and place it on the top of the cake. Make sure to secure it with frosting or it will slide off. Tint the frosting different shades of brown to create a more realistic looking log.
Be careful when rolling up the cake! If the cake is more on the dry side, it will crack but there’s nothing that frosting can’t fix. If your cake does crack, don’t worry. It only makes the log cake seem more realistic.
This is a yummy dessert that will bring the family together. Everyone can help out with the decorating. I used assorted colored candies, candy cap mushrooms, and frosting.
For more information on Candy Cap Mushrooms, visit Marxfoods.com.
