Buche De Noel

It's almost the end of the year ? Again ? Gosh, where the time goes ? Did I do nice things during this year ? Did I make a great progress like I promise beginning of this year ? Some may be Yes, Some probably needs to modify ^__^ Just wait until 'Santa' coming, and show the list ! if I'm the good one or not LOL

Well, no matter what I feel blessing with what I've got and with family and nice friends around me. That is the important thing.

Anyway, since 'Buche De Noel' become a Christmas 'trade mark' cake. I challenge my self to make it, never though i can do it. It's come very easy and perfect *according to me ... hehehhehe.. So, why you not try to make too ? Let's do it

Chocolate Buche De Noel

Ingredients
1/4 cup milk
2 tbsp butter
3/4 cup sifted cake-and-pastry flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
5 eggs
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp icing sugar

Chocolate Icing
1 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup whipping cream
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups icing sugar
4 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled

Chocolate Bark

8 oz (225 g) bittersweet chocolate, chopped

Directions

Line 16x10-inch (40x25-cm) rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
In bowl over saucepan of simmering water, heat milk with butter until melted. Remove pan from heat, leaving bowl on top to keep warm enough that finger can remain in bowl for no longer than 10 seconds.

In separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
Separate yolks and whites of three of the eggs into separate bowls. Beat egg whites until foamy; beat in 1/4 cup (60 ml) of the granulated sugar, about 1 tbsp (15 ml) at a time, until soft peaks form.

Beat egg yolks, remaining eggs and granulated sugar until thick enough that batter leaves ribbons on surface when beaters are lifted, about five minutes. Fold in one-third of the whites; fold in remaining whites. Sift flour mixture over top; fold in. Pour in milk mixture; fold in just until blended. Spread in prepared pan.

Bake in centre of 350 F (180 C) oven until golden and cake springs back when lightly touched, about 12 minutes. Loosen edges with knife; place flour-dusted tea towel over cake. Top with tray larger than pan. Invert and lift off pan. Starting at corner, peel off paper. Starting at short side, roll up cake in towel; let cool on rack. (If making ahead, store in airtight container for up to 24 hours.)

Chocolate Icing:

In bowl and with electric beaters, beat butter until fluffy; gradually beat in cream then vanilla. Beat in sugar, 1 cup (250 ml) at a time.

Beat in chocolate until fluffy and smooth.

Chocolate Bark:

Line 16x10-inch (40x25-cm) rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.

In bowl over saucepan of hot (not boiling) water, melt chocolate, stirring occasionally. Pour onto prepared baking sheet, spreading to scant 1/8-inch (3-mm) thickness. Refrigerate until set, about 10 minutes. Break or tear chocolate into about 3x1-inch (8x2.5-cm) pieces or use knife or fruits shredder like I did to make decoration

Arrange in single layer on tray; cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm. (If making ahead, refrigerate for up to 48 hours.)

Unroll cake; spread with 1 1/2 cups (375 ml) of the icing. Re roll without towel; place, seam side down, on flat serving platter. Spread remaining icing all over log. Arrange Chocolate Bark over log.
Refrigerate until cold. Dust bark with icing sugar.

Does life really begin at 40 ?

Another year in my life. Do I getting old ? May be YES, May be NOT! The fact is I more enjoy my life. The sweetest things in life grow sweeter as the years roll on

Hmmm.. lets forget about getting old, more white hair coming, more wrinkle at my face. Life begins at forty, and I'm just living all over again.

Happy Birthday to me, and every December friends. And NO DIET for birthday girl :D

Chocolate-Pomegranate Torte

Source : Fine Cooking Magazine

For the Cake:
2 oz. (4 Tbs.) softened unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces; more for the pan
6 oz. bittersweet chocolate (70% or 72% cacao)
3 large eggs, separated
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 tsp. table salt
1/8 tsp. cream of tartar
2-1/4 oz. (1/2 cup) unbleached all-purpose flour

For the Pomegranate Jelly:
1 medium Pink Lady or Braeburn apple
1-1/2 cups pure unsweetened pomegranate juice
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbs. granulated sugar
12 fresh or frozen cranberries

For the Glaze:
6 oz. bittersweet chocolate (70% or 72% cacao), chopped medium fine
3 oz. (6 Tbs.) unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
1 Tbs. honey or light corn syrup Pinch table salt

Fresh pomegranate seeds, for garnish (optional)


Make the Cake:

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease the sides of a 9x2-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment.

Finely grate 2 oz. of the chocolate and set aside. Coarsely chop the remaining chocolate and combine with the butter and 3 Tbs. water in a heatproof bowl. Set the bowl in a skillet of barely simmering water and stir frequently until the mixture is melted and smooth. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks with 1/2 cup of the sugar and the salt until thick and lightened in color.

In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar at medium-high speed to soft peaks, about 2 minutes. With the motor running, gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, beating to stiff peaks, 1 to 2 minutes more.

Whisk the warm chocolate and the flour into the yolk mixture. With a rubber spatula, fold one-quarter of the whites into the chocolate batter. Scrape the remaining whites into the chocolate mixture and sprinkle the grated chocolate on top. Fold together. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out smudged with a few moist crumbs, about 25 minutes. Cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the cake and invert it onto another rack. Remove the pan and parchment and invert the cake onto the first rack (it's normal for the cake to have a crusty exterior that may crack with handling). Let cool completely.


Make the Pomegranate Jelly:

Grate enough of the apple (including the peel) to yield 3/4 cup. In a medium saucepan, bring the grated apple, pomegranate juice, sugar, and cranberries to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer, covered, until the apple is softened and the mixture has thickened a little, about 10 minutes. Uncover and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally at first and then constantly towards the end, until the liquid has evaporated and the mixture is reduced to 3/4 cup, about 5 minutes.

With a rubber spatula, press the pulp through a medium-mesh strainer into a bowl until you can't get any more juice out of the pulp. Scrape all of the juice clinging to the bottom of the strainer into the bowl and discard the pulp in the strainer.

Brush away any loose crumbs and easily detachable crusty pieces from the sides and top of the cake. Transfer the cake to a cardboard circle or tart pan bottom.

Stir the jelly to blend it, scrape it onto the cake, and spread it evenly over the top. Let the jelly cool until it's set, about 1 hour. At this point, the cake may be covered with an inverted cake pan, wrapped in plastic (the pan keeps the plastic from touching the cake), and stored at room temperature for up to 2 days.


Make the Glaze:

Put the chocolate, butter, honey, and salt in a heatproof bowl set in a skillet of barely simmering water. Stir gently until the chocolate melts and the mixture is perfectly smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in 2 Tbs. cool water. Let cool to room temperature without stirring. If not using right away, cover and store at room temperature. Set the cake on a rack set over a baking sheet. With an offset spatula, spread 1/3 cup of the glaze around the sides of the cake and on top of the gel (be careful not to disturb the gel) to smooth the surfaces and glue on any crumbs. Re-warm the remaining glaze gently to 90°F in a skillet of barely simmering water—the glaze should have the consistency of thick, pourable cream.

Scrape all of the glaze onto the top of the cake. Spread the glaze over the top and all around the sides. For the shiniest glaze, work quickly and use as few strokes as possible. Scoop up any excess glaze from the baking sheet and use it to cover bare spots.

Garnish with pomegranate seeds (if using) and let the cake rest on the rack for 10 minutes. Transfer to a cake plate and let sit at room temperature until set, 15 to 30 minutes, or up to several hours before serving

*updating*

some people think this picture is good ^__^ so, they decided to give me award .. I'm so thankful and honor with the award. Thank you judges, thank you friends.

What a surpraise ..

Surprise is a good word ! And I always love surprise. Like surprise I’ve got through my e-mail this morning said that I won DMBLGIT award November 2009 edition. Yeaaaay… this is cool ! Well, since I started blogging a year ago, I never think that I will win any kind of event including DMBLGIT . For me, baking , taking picture are part of my ‘crazy’ hobby right now and when some people think my picture is nice looking pic, that is bonus for me. :D

This time I would like to say thank you to the judges : Bron, Sabra, Julia, Mowie and Claude-Olivier and the host, Sandra. You guys did such a great job

And another person I like to say thank you is : Kris, hey ya! Do you think we need to send ‘macaroon’ for every event ? LOL. Kris was right, I always teased him for every award he get,, and the funny thing was we’ve been thinking the same idea, I though he will win the competition and he though the same about me too. And today I can say : “both has same ‘crazy’ mind “ . We won award together , Is that what they call : that’s what friends are for ?

Is this an early birthday present for me ? May be LOL. *story is to be continue :D

Edibility Winner

Judge comments: nice composition and light. Bright, fun