Food Network: Buche de Noel

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Buche de Noel
Recipe courtesy Nick Malgieri, Perfect Cakes, HarperCollins, 2002

Ingredients
Coffee Buttercream:
4 large egg whites
1 cup sugar
24 tablespoons (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
2 tablespoons rum or brandy
1 Chocolate Genoise Sheet, recipe follows
Marzipan:
8 ounces almond paste
2 cups confectioners' sugar
3 to 5 tablespoons light corn syrup

For Finishing:
Cocoa powder
Red and green liquid food coloring
Confectioners' sugar

Directions
To make the buttercream: Whisk the egg whites and
sugar together in the bowl of an electric mixer. Set the bowl over simmering water
and whisk gently until the sugar is dissolved and the egg whites are hot. Attach
the bowl to the mixer and whip with the whisk on medium speed until cooled. Switch
to the paddle and beat in the softened butter and continue beating until the
buttercream is smooth. Dissolve the instant coffee in the liquor and beat into the
buttercream.
Turn the genoise layer over and peel away the paper. Invert onto a fresh piece of

paper. Spread the layer with half the buttercream. Use the paper to help you roll
the cake into a tight cylinder Transfer to baking sheet and refrigerate for at
least 30 minutes or until set. Reserve the remaining buttercream for the outside
of the buche.
To make the marzipan: Combine the almond paste and 1 cup of the sugar in the bowl
of the electric mixer and beat with the paddle attachment on low speed until the
sugar is almost absorbed. Add the remaining 1 cup sugar and mix until the mixture
resembles fine crumbs. Add half the corn syrup, then continue mixing until a bit
of the marzipan holds together when squeezed, adding additional corn syrup a
little at a time, as necessary; the marzipan in the bowl will still appear
crumbly. Transfer the marzipan to a work surface and knead until smooth.
To make marzipan mushrooms: Roll 1/3 of the marzipan into a 6-inch long cylinder
and cut into 1-inch lengths. Roll half the lengths into balls. Press the remaining
cylindrical lengths (stems) into the balls (caps) to make mushrooms. Smudge with

cocoa powder. To make holly leaves: Knead green color into 1/2 the remaining
marzipan and roll it into a long cylinder. Flatten with the back of a spoon, then
loosen it from the surface with a spatula. Cut into diamonds to make leaves, or
use a cutter.
To make holly berries: Knead red color into a tiny piece of marzipan. Roll into
tiny balls.
To make pine cones, knead cocoa powder into the remaining marzipan. Divide in half
and form into 2 cone shapes. Slash the sides of cones with the points of a pair of
scissors.
Unwrap the cake. Trim the ends on the diagonal, starting the cuts about 2 inches
away from each end. Position the larger cut piece on the buche about 2/3 across
the top. Cover the buche with the reserved buttercream, making sure to curve
around the protruding stump. Streak the buttercream with a fork or decorating comb
to resemble bark. Transfer the buche to a platter and decorate with the marzipan.

Sprinkle the platter and buche sparingly with confectioners' sugar "snow."
Storage: Keep at cool room temperature. Cover leftovers loosely and keep at room
temperature.

Ingredients
Chocolate Genoise Sheet:
3 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
Pinch salt
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup cake flour (spoon flour into dry-measure cup and level off)
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup alkalized (Dutch process) cocoa
Special equipment: 10 by 15-inch jelly-roll pan, buttered and lined with buttered

parchment

Directions
Set rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400
degrees.
Half-fill a medium saucepan with water and bring it to a boil over high heat.
Lower the heat so the water is simmering.
Whisk the eggs, yolks, salt, and sugar together in the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer.
Place over the pan of simmering water and whisk gently until the mixture is just
lukewarm, about 100 degrees (test with your finger). Attach the bowl to the mixer
and with the whisk attachment, whip on medium-high speed until the egg mixture is
cooled (touch the outside of the bowl to tell) and tripled in volume.
While the eggs are whipping, stir together the flour, cornstarch, and cocoa.
Sift 1/3 of the flour mixture over the beaten eggs. Use a rubber spatula to fold

in the flour mixture, making sure to scrape all the way to the bottom of the bowl
on every pass through the batter to prevent the flour mixture from accumulating
there and making lumps. Repeat with another 1/3 of the flour mixture and finally
with the remainder.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake the genoise for
about 10 to 12 minutes, or until well risen, deep and firm to the touch. (Make
sure the cake doesn't overbake and become too dry, or it will be hard to roll.)
Use a small paring knife to loosen the cake from the sides of the pan. Invert the
cake onto a rack and let the cake cool right side up on the paper. Remove the
paper when the cake is cool.
Storage: Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for several days, or double-wrap and
freeze for up to a month.
Yield: 1 (10 by 15-inch) sheet cake