Bûche de Noel

Preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit.

Spray a 17” x 12” rectangular sheet pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line the pan with parchment paper and respray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt until well blended. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer using the whip attachment, beat the yolks, sugar, oil and vanilla on high speed until the color of the batter turns a lighter yellow, approximately 3 minutes.

On low speed, add dry ingredients and mix until well combined. Batter will be thick.

Scrape batter into a large mixing bowl and set aside.

Clean and dry electric mixing bowl and whip attachment thoroughly.

Place egg whites in the clean and dry electric mixing bowl.

Using the whip attachment, beat at high speed until soft peaks form.

Slowly add ½ cup granulated sugar and keep beating until stiff peaks form.

Add approximately one third of the egg whites into the batter in mixing bowl. Whisk the mixture until whites lighten the batter.

Add the remaining whites to the batter and, using a rubber spatula, fold whites in until well blended. Do not overmix.

Pour batter into prepared pan and spread evenly.

Bake the cake for approximately 15-16 minutes or until cake springs back when a finger lightly touches it.

Cover a clean, dry, work surface or large sheet pan with a clean, dry kitchen towel.

Evenly sift 2-3 tablespoons cocoa powder over kitchen towel.

When the cake comes out, gently flip it over onto the cocoa dusted towel.

Gently remove parchment paper from cake. Gently roll cake up tightly from the longer side like you would a spiral using the kitchen towel to help you roll it. The kitchen towel will be rolled up with the cake. It will be removed later on. Leave it until cake is completely cool.

In the bowl of an electric mixer using the whip attachment, beat cream, confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form.

Cover cream and refrigerate it until ready to use.

In a medium saucepan, heat cream until it comes to a boil. Remove from heat.

Add chocolate chips to the cream and whisk until chocolate is melted and a smooth ganache forms.

Allow mixture to thicken to a spreadable consistency in the refrigerator or over an ice water bath.

On a large clean surface, slowly unroll cake.

Spread chocolate whipped cream filling evenly over unrolled cake using an offset spatula.

Gently re-roll cake with cream inside until is completely rolled up.

Gently transfer the cake to a sheet pan covered with wax paper. Chill, uncovered, in the refrigerator until ready to frost.

Remove the cake from the refrigerator. Using a long knife, cut off approximately ½ inch from each end and save as a snack. Cut off another slice on the diagonal from one end approximately 3-4 inches long.

Move cake roll to a serving platter and place the diagonal piece against the middle of the cake roll forming a “branch”.

Using an offset spatula or pallet knife, spread ganache all over cake roll and branch leaving the ends of the cake roll un-frosted to look like ends of a log.

Using a fork, gently scrape down the sides of the cake horizontally to create a bark -like texture.

Place meringue mushrooms, chocolate leaves, candied cranberries and rosemary sprigs randomly on the top and the sides of the cake.

Dust top of the cake with confectioners’ sugar to look like snow.

Chill until ready to serve