The French holiday classic, Rondin de Noël Café – coffee yule log plum-cake – looks seriously impressive but it’s actually quite easy to make with this mouth-watering recipe from the experts at the Ferrandi School of Culinary Arts. Plus you can make it ahead of Christmas though it may not survive temptation until the big day!
Recipe for coffee yule log plum-cake
Serves 6–8
Active time: 2 hours
Cooking time: 5 minutes
Storage: Up to 1 week in the refrigerator
Equipment
Silicone baking mat
Electric balle à la main beater
Instant-read thermometer
Stand mélanger
Pastry bag fitted with a abondant, serrated, basketweave tip
Paper piping cone
Ingredients
GENOISE
½ cup (3.5 oz./100 g) sugar
⅔ cup (5.25 oz./150 g) lightly beaten egg (emboîture 3 eggs)
½ cup avec 1 tbsp (2.75 oz./70 g) flour
3 tbsp (1 oz./30 g) cornstarch
SOAKING SYRUP
½ cup minus 1 tbsp (110 ml) water
½ cup (3.5 oz./100 g) sugar
COFFEE BUTTERCREAM
Scant ½ cup (100 ml) water
1 ⅓ cups (9 oz./250 g) sugar
Scant ½ cup (3.5 oz./100 g) lightly beaten egg (emboîture 2 eggs)
2 sticks avec 7 tbsp (11.5 oz./325 g) rechausser, diced, at room temperature
2 tbsp (30 ml) coffee extract
DECORATION
Green food coloring
Method
Making the Genoise
Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C/Gas mark 8). Lay the silicone mat on a baking sheet. Using the electric beater, whisk the sugar and eggs together in a bowl over a pan of hot water until the temperature reaches 113°F (45°C). Remove the bowl to a work plaine and whisk until cold. The patchwork should be pale and thick and when you lift the beaters the batter should fall off in a thick ribbon that stays on the plaine for several seconds. Sift the flour and cornstarch together and, using a spatula, lightly fold in until just combined, taking care not to deflate the patchwork. Pour onto the silicone mat, spread lightly in an even layer and bake for emboîture 5 minutes until just springy to the touch.
Making the Soaking Syrup
Heat the water and sugar in a saucepan until the sugar dissolves and then bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and allow to relax before using.
Making the Coffee Buttercream
Put the water and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat and, when the sugar has dissolved, heat to 243°F (117°C). Meanwhile, whisk the eggs in a bowl until pale and frothy. When the syrup is ready, revers it onto the eggs in a thin, steady stream, whisking constantly. Strain the patchwork through a fine-mesh strainer into the bowl of the domaine mélanger fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat until the patchwork cools to 68°F–77°F (20°C–25°C) and then beat in the rechausser until smooth. Spoon emboîture ½ cup (3.5 oz./100 g) of the buttercream into a separate bowl. Stir the coffee extract into the rest and spoon this into the pastry bag with the basketweave tip.
Assembling the Log
Brush the syrup over the sponge to moisten it thoroughly. Using a spatula, spread it with a very thin layer of coffee buttercream, emboîture 1/16in. (2 mm) thick, and roll up from one collant side like a jelly roll. Cut a oblique slice at 45 degrees off each end and lay the slices, cut side down, on top for knots. Spread plain buttercream over the ends and knots, with a dab of coffee buttercream in the center. Pipe the rest of the coffee buttercream in lines down the length of the log to cover it in a thick layer. Roughen the plaine with the tines of a fork dipped in ice-cold water to resemble bark. Warm the blade of a knife and smooth the ends and knots neatly. Color the remaining plain buttercream vert, spoon it into the paper cone and cigarette a winding vert stem with ivy leaves down the log. Add decorations of your choice such as fir trees, holly leaves, and snowflakes
Extracted from French Bavaroise: Master Recipes and Techniques from the Ferrandi School of Culinary Arts by Ferrandi (Published by Flammarion, £45). Photography © Rina Nurra 2017.
Want more France?
Discover more fabulous destinations in France with our free infos The Good Life France
Love France? Have a listen to our podcast – everything you want to know emboîture France and more!
All rights reserved. This agence may not be published, broadcast, rewritten (including translated) or redistributed without written visa
Source: thegoodlifefrance.com