Merry Xmas

Merry Christmas everyone!!!! 

Finally this day has come: family, lights, mistletoe, presents, cookies, cinnamon, games, candles, holly, and fun all together.

 Last night we had a family party so I decided to bake something special: "il tronchetto di Natale" or translated the Christmas log. Its real name is Bûche de Noël and it is a traditional dessert from France. You can also find it in Northern Italy; it was Napoleon who brought it... merci je l'adore! 

As the name indicates, the cake is generally prepared, presented, and garnished so as to look like a log ready for the fire. The traditional log is made with sponge cake frosted, filled with chocolate buttercream or ganache, and served with a portion of one end of the cake cut off and set on top to resemble a chopped off branch. It is then decorated with powdered sugar (snow), berries, mushrooms and trees made of meringue or marzipan.

That's how I made it!

For the sponge cake: 

Put in a bowl 70gr. of sugar, 2 whole eggs, and 2 egg yolks. Beat the ingredients in a bain marie until you get a light and fluffy consistency (takes about 10 minutes). 

Remove the bowl from the fire and gently stir, then add 80gr. of manitoba flour and 1 tablespoon of vanillin. When well mixed add 30gr. of melted butter.

In another bowl put the 2 egg whites with a pinch of salt and start beating. When you get the snow add 10gr. of sugar and beat for other 2 minutes.

Heat the oven at 220 degrees C. Put a sheet of baking paper on your oven dish and bake the mixture (about 1cm thick) for 5 to 7 minutes.

When ready take it out and lay it on a slightly damp dishcloth.

Then fill the sponge cake with Nutella (or any other cream you want) and roll it!

For the cream:

Beat 4 yolks with 150gr. of sugar until you get a light and fluffy consistency.
In a pan boil 1/2 liter milk with some vanilla and cinnamon, then let it cool a bit. Add 50gr. of flour and beat well. Then add your sugar and eggs mixture and keep stirring until you have a thick and smooth cream. Keep it the fridge for 1 hour.
Then spread it on your log and serve!

 Enjoy and have a great Xmas ♥
Martina