BIRCH DE NOEL

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Birch de Noel image

This delicious variation on the French bûche de Noël combines a rich chocolate genoise with white-chocolate mousse. The decorations-meringue mushrooms and sugared rosemary stems-evoke a crystalline, ice-covered forest, and flavors of rum and fresh coconut add a hint of the tropics, even if it's snowing outside.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories     Food & Cooking     Dessert & Treats Recipes     Cake Recipes

Yield Makes one 10-by-5-inch log

Number Of Ingredients 14

1 fresh coconut
Vegetable-oil cooking spray
1/4 cup sifted Dutch-process cocoa powder, plus more for dusting
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons sifted cake flour (not self-rising)
Pinch of kosher salt
3 large whole eggs, plus 2 large yolks
1/2 cup granulated sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 tablespoons rum
White Chocolate Mousse
Snowy Seven Minute Frosting
Meringue Mushrooms
Snowy Chocolate Truffles
Sugared rosemary sprigs (see cook's note), for serving

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Test each of the three eyes at stem end of coconut to find softest one. Use an ice pick and a hammer to pierce it, then drain the juice into a glass through a fine sieve and reserve for another use. Tap coconut with hammer until a palm-size piece of shell breaks off. Continue tapping around broken edge until shell begins to break apart. Place broken shell on a baking sheet; bake about 10 min- utes to loosen flesh. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Pry out flesh with a paring knife. With a potato peeler, remove any remaining brown skin from flesh.
  • Reduce oven temperature to 250°. Using a vegetable peeler, shave largest pieces of coconut into long curls, place on baking sheet, and bake until just dry but no color has developed, 15 to 20 minutes. Meanwhile, grate smaller coconut pieces on the small holes of a box grater. (You will need about 1/2 cup grated coconut for the filling.)
  • Increase oven temperature to 400°. Coat a 12 1/2-by-17 1/2-inch rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. Line with parchment paper; coat with cooking spray. Dust with cocoa; tap out excess. Whisk together cocoa powder, flour, and salt in a bowl. In a heat-proof mixer bowl set over (not in) a pan of simmering water, whisk together eggs, yolks, and granulated sugar until sugar has dissolved and mixture is warm to the touch. Attach bowl to mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on medium-high speed 2 minutes. Raise speed to high; beat until mixture is pale and thick, about 4 minutes more.
  • Sift cocoa mixture over egg mixture; carefully fold in with a large rubber spatula. When almost incorporated, pour melted butter down side of bowl; gently fold to combine. Pour batter into prepared sheet, and smooth top with an offset spatula.
  • Bake until cake springs back when touched, 9 to 10 minutes. Place a clean kitchen towel on a work surface; dust generously with cocoa. Remove pan from oven and immediately turn cake out onto a wire rack lined with parchment. Invert onto prepared towel; remove parchment.
  • While cake is still warm, gently roll, starting from one short side, into a log, incorporating towel. Let rolled cake cool completely. (This will give it a "shape memory," so it will be easier to roll again with filling.)
  • Unroll cooled cake and transfer to parchment. Using a pastry brush, coat cake with rum. Using offset spatula, spread mousse over cake. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup reserved grated coconut.
  • With a short end of cake facing you, roll carefully into a roulade. Wrap in a kitchen towel; secure with clothespins or large metal binder clips to hold roll in a tight round shape. Place on a baking sheet and refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.
  • Remove from refrigerator and unwrap. Use a serrated knife to trim ends of roll, cutting on the bias (starting 1 inch in from end on shorter side, and finishing 2 inches in, to create a wedge). Choose the more presentable trimmed end and place, cut-side up, on log, forming a branch. If desired, use other trimmed end for a second branch.
  • Transfer log to a serving platter. Slide strips of parchment under perimeter of log (to keep platter clean). Use offset spatula to coat log with frosting, then attach one or both trimmed ends; coat with frosting. Remove parchment pieces. Decorate with meringue mushrooms, coconut shavings, and rosemary sprigs.

Malaba Arafat
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This bûche de Noël was absolutely delicious! The cake was moist and fluffy, the mousse was light and airy, and the crème brûlée filling was the perfect finishing touch. I will definitely be making this again!


Rahif Ebid
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I really enjoyed making this bûche de Noël. It was a bit challenging, but the instructions were easy to follow and the results were amazing. The cake was moist and fluffy, the mousse was light and airy, and the crème brûlée filling was the perfect fi


Rakeeb Ramees
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This bûche de Noël was a bit time-consuming to make, but it was totally worth it. The cake was moist and flavorful, the mousse was light and airy, and the crème brûlée filling was the perfect finishing touch. I will definitely be making this again fo


Ale Sandoval
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I'm so glad I found this bûche de Noël recipe! It was so easy to follow and the results were amazing. The cake was moist and fluffy, the mousse was light and airy, and the crème brûlée filling was the perfect finishing touch. I will definitely be mak


Kimber Xara
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This bûche de Noël was a bit challenging to make, but it was totally worth it. The cake was moist and flavorful, the mousse was light and airy, and the crème brûlée filling was the perfect finishing touch. I will definitely be making this again for a


Mercy Ete Ah Ken
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This bûche de Noël was absolutely delicious! The cake was moist and fluffy, the mousse was light and airy, and the crème brûlée filling was the perfect finishing touch. I will definitely be making this again!


kindness chekwas
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I really enjoyed making this bûche de Noël. It was a bit challenging, but the instructions were easy to follow and the results were amazing. The cake was moist and fluffy, the mousse was light and airy, and the crème brûlée filling was the perfect fi


Lindsay Kelly
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This bûche de Noël was a bit time-consuming to make, but it was totally worth it. The cake was moist and flavorful, the mousse was light and airy, and the crème brûlée filling was the perfect finishing touch. I will definitely be making this again fo


Sherry Siddiqui
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I'm a bit of a novice baker, but I was able to make this bûche de Noël with relative ease. The instructions were clear and concise, and the cake turned out beautifully. The mousse was a bit tricky to make, but it turned out light and fluffy. The crèm


Mr Kisslu
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This was my first time making a bûche de Noël and it turned out great! The instructions were easy to follow and the cake was delicious. The mousse was a bit tricky to make, but it turned out perfectly. The crème brûlée filling was the perfect finishi


cute girl
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I love this bûche de Noël recipe! It's so easy to follow and the results are always amazing. The cake is moist and fluffy, the mousse is light and airy, and the crème brûlée filling is the perfect finishing touch. I've made this recipe several times


Isaac Osou
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This bûche de Noël was a bit more challenging to make than I expected, but it was totally worth it! The end result was a stunning and delicious cake that everyone loved. The cake was moist and flavorful, the mousse was light and airy, and the crème b


Rajveshna Singh
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I followed the recipe exactly and my bûche de Noël turned out perfectly! It was so delicious and beautiful, I was so proud to serve it to my guests. The cake was moist and fluffy, the mousse was light and airy, and the crème brûlée filling was the pe


Ezat ullah
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This recipe is a keeper! The bûche de Noël turned out perfectly and was a huge hit at my Christmas party. The cake was moist and flavorful, the mousse was light and fluffy, and the crème brûlée filling was rich and decadent. I highly recommend this r


Shetayah Enright
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Wow! This bûche de Noël is a real showstopper! It's so beautiful and elegant, perfect for a holiday party. The taste is just as impressive as the look. The cake is light and fluffy, the mousse is rich and creamy, and the crème brûlée filling is the p


Edward Osei Prempeh
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I am a professional pastry chef and I have to say that this bûche de Noël recipe is one of the best I have ever come across. The combination of flavors and textures is simply divine. The cake is moist and fluffy, the mousse is light and airy, and the


Khan g Khan g
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This bûche de Noël was an absolute delight to make! The step-by-step instructions were easy to follow and the result was a stunningly beautiful and delicious cake. The chocolate mousse and crème brûlée fillings were perfectly balanced and complemente