ce mercredi je mange ... une buche de Noel

The traditional French dessert for this time of year is the Buche de Noel.  Served of course at Christmas, but also at New Year's Eve dinners such as we'll be having at the end of this week.

The beauty of this dessert is that it's rich without being heavy, and - most brilliantly - can be prepared ahead of time.

Behind the fancy French name, which only means Christmas log, there hides nothing more than a  chocolate flour-free cake, rolled with a chestnut and cream filling.

The ingredients I use are

FOR THE CAKE

9 eggs separated

225g / 1.13 cups sugar

75g / 0.375 cup cocoa powder

FOR THE FILLING

350g / 1.75 cups chestnut purée

2 spoons cream

FOR THE DECORATION

10fl oz cream

50g dark chocolate

First preheat your oven to 180 C and line a baking sheet with waxed or greaseproof paper.

Separate the eggs, and beat up the yolks with the sugar, until they pale slightly.

Add the cocoa powder to the egg and sugar.  Mix well.

Beat up the egg whites until stiff, add a large spoonful of egg white to the cocoa/egg mixture This will loosen up the mixture and make it possible to fold in the rest of the egg whites gently.

Pour the mixture into the lined baking tin and bake until firm and springy.

This takes about 25 minutes.

Sprinkle another piece of waxed paper with icing sugar or cocoa powder 

and turn the slightly cooled cake out upside down.

Gently peel the paper off the back of the cake and leave to cool.

Soften the chestnut purée in a bowl, then blend in the whipped cream.  Spread ths mix over the cooled cake, then using the paper roll the cake up.  At this stage I tuck the paper firmly in all around the cake and leave it to set for a while in the fridge.  Even overnight, no harm can come.

 When you're ready to decorate, then unwrap, cut a piece off each end of the 

roll and position to resemble cut branches on a log!! 

 Gently cover with whipped cream, and draw lines of melted
chocolate to look like lines on the bark. 

Carry to the table and prepare yourself for applause and gasps of amazement, 

this one is  guaranteed to impress!!