The Ultimate Caramel-Espresso Yule Log

Byamazingfoodstv


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50 Comments

  3. As usual, since I typed up the recipe for my own use, I figure I'd share it here as well. (ATK: pls feel free to delete if this is not OK.)

    Espresso cream
    Ingredients:
    1 C heavy cream
    1 Tbsp espresso powder
    2/3 C (5.3 ozs) granulated sugar
    1/4 C water
    1 Tsp corn syrup
    4 ozs cream cheese
    1 C cold heavy cream
    Steps:
    Bring cream to simmer. Whisk in espresso powder. Remove from heat, cover with lid. Set aside.
    Heat sugar, water, corn syrup & whisk together, bring to simmer.
    Heat on medium high, bring to boil, heat without stirring for 6-8 minutes until straw color.
    Reduce heat to medium low and swirl, another 4-7 minutes, until copper penny color. Remove from heat.
    Add heavy cream mixture and quickly whisk.
    Add cream cheese to cream mixture and let sit for a few minutes to soften.
    Whisk cream cheese into cream mixture, until mostly smooth.
    Pour into cold heavy cream. Whisk. Chill. Can make up to 4 days ahead; keep in fridge.

    Meringue mushrooms
    Ingredients:
    3 egg whites
    1/4 tsp cream of tartar
    pinch of salt
    2/3 C sugar (I used 1/3 C)
    Steps:
    Whisk egg whites on low for about one minute until foamy.
    Add cream of tartar and salt.
    Whisk on medium high for one minute until soft peak and gradually add sugar.
    Whisk on high for 3-4 minutes until stiff peaks.
    Spoon into piping bag with 1/4-in tip and pipe mushrooms onto parchment paper on baking sheets.
    Bake in 200 ° in oven, racks in upper and lower thirds, for two hours.
    Turn off oven and leave mushrooms in oven for another 30 minutes.
    Can be made two weeks in advance.

    "Dirt"
    Ingredients:
    2 ozs bittersweet chocolate
    6 Tsps unsalted butter, melted in microwave
    1 C (5 ozs) all-purpose flour
    1/2 C (3 1/2 ozs) packed dark brown sugar
    1/2 C (1 oz) cocoa powder, natural or Dutch process
    1/4 tsp salt
    Steps:
    Whisk together chocolate and butter.
    Mix in flour and sugar: make a crumbly dough.
    Line sheet pan with parchment paper. Spray with cooking spray.
    Crumble and spread "dirt" on pan.
    Bake at 350 ° for 15 minutes, stir half way through.
    Let cool in sheet pan on wire rack.

    Chiffon cake
    Ingredients:
    5 1/3 ozs cake flour
    5 1/2 ozs (3/4 C) granulated sugar (I used 4 ozs, 1/2 C)
    1 1/2 tsps baking powder
    1/4 tsp salt
    5 eggs, separated
    1/2 C vegetable oil
    1/4 C water
    2 tsps vanilla extract
    1/4 tsp cream of tartar
    Steps:
    Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
    Add egg yolks, vegetable oil, water , and vanilla extract.
    Whisk together until there are no lumps.
    Whisk egg whites and cream of tartar on medium low for about one minute until foamy.
    Whisk on high for 1.5 – 2 minutes until stiff peaks.
    Whisk 1/3 of egg white into cake mixture.
    Fold in rest of egg white.
    Spray half-sheet pan with cooking spray, line with parchment paper, then spray with cooking spray.
    Put batter into pan, spread batter to sides of pan.
    Tap pan on counter to release air bubbles.
    Bake at 350 ° for 12-15 minutes, rotating half way through.
    Running paring knife around edge, invert cake onto wire rack.
    Cover with damp kitchen towel, top with another wire rack, invert.

    Chocolate Ganache
    Ingredients:
    6 ozs bittersweet chocolate (at least 60% cacao)
    2 tsps corn syrup
    3/4 C heavy cream
    Steps:
    Bring heavy cream to a simmer, pour over chocolate, let it rest for one minute, whisk. (Avoid whisking too much which will incorporate air into ganache.)

    Assembly
    Ingredients:
    Ground pistachio
    Step:
    Whisk espresso cream on high for 1-2 minutes until fluffy like whipped cream.
    Unroll cake, spread on espresso cream, leaving 1/2 inch border.
    Wrap in plastic wrap; chill in fridge for at least 20 minutes. Can make two days ahead.
    Cut off "branch" of log at 45 degrees, about 1 1/2 inches long on short side.
    Glue branch to log with ganache.
    Spread ganache onto log; make bark marks with fork.
    Chill in fridge for 20 minutes to firm up ganache.
    Add crumbly chocolate dirt to plate, sprinkle with ground pistachio.
    Stick mushrooms into side of log.
    Sprinkle log with powder sugar.

  12. Came here strictly for the rolling technique. Some say to roll and refrigerate, others (like this video) say to leave it on the counter to cool. I opted for this video because I worried the cake sitting in the fridge would dry it out. Zero cracks and it rolled, unrolled, and rolled with filling like a charm. Tomorrow I'll apply the ganache and other accoutrements. Thanks for the help!

  13. I’m on the downhill slide. Filling in the fridge waiting to be whipped. Meringue mushrooms in the dehydrator cooling. Cake in the oven baking. Dirt in a mason jar. All that’s left is making the ganache and assembly. You ladies did an awesome job giving me the confidence to tackle such a daunting project. I can’t wait for Christmas Day to share it with my family. Thank you!

  14. Just about to embark on this Yule Log journey. Wish me luck! I am holding out hope it will look that good. And for those who dislike coffee, I would suggest scraping one vanilla bean into the hot cream mixture and let it steep for the 15 minutes. This will help round out the caramel flavor and give it an added dimension that the coffee would have been providing. Perhaps cut back on the sugar by a 1/4 ounce if it is too sweet without the coffee.

  31. Me watching this with bf: “Corn syrup.” (They add corn syrup.).
    BF: You’ve seen this before?
    Me: no, I just know ATK.
    Me: A chiffon cake.
    BF: So you HAVE seen it?
    Me: Nope, that’s just how I’ve been making mine.

    Also I have never “trained” the roll on a chiffon cake and they don’t crack. That said, I’ll try the damp towel next time.

  33. Here's a tip I learned long ago: for a really stable ganache, make a "ganache montée". Add 6 grams gelatin to 18g water and bloom. Stir into the hot cream. This ganache will hold up at room temperature for hours and hours and is beautifully pipeable.

  40. What rolls down stairs

    alone or in pairs,

    and over your neighbor's dog?

    What's great for a snack,

    And fits on your back?

    It's log, log, log

    It's log, it's log,

    It's big, it's heavy, it's wood.

    It's log, it's log, it's better than bad, it's good."

    Everyone wants a log

    You're gonna love it, log

    Come on and get your log

    Everyone needs a log

    log log log

  41. Beautiful! Not something I would attempt to make, although I know I’d love to taste it. Thank you, ladies! I’ve downloaded the ATK app and the Cook’s Country app! Love your shows. Happy Holidays to all the staff at both shows! 🎄🧑🏻‍🎄

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