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Lucy Lean

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in Baking· cake· Christmas· Holidays· RECIPES

Flourless Chocolate Roulade – Buche de Noel Recipe

Two years ago I was lucky enough to get given the recipe from Joan’s on Third for the chocolate roulade – Joan wrote it for me on a napkin and then showed me how to make it – imagine a charade of how to roll a cake.

Since then I have made up many of these cakes for different occasions – but most of all around Christmas I can’t seem to keep up with the demand. Today Rémy asked me to make one for his class party – it’s the last day of school – but he wanted me to add lots of mini candy canes – I suspect it’s the candy canes he’s after, not the cake.

It’s the antithesis of the Christmas Cake I have made in a jar – which is dense and full of booze. Well actually this is very light and the booze is optional (but totally encouraged) in the whipped cream filling.

When rolling up the cake Joan advises to be firm but not afraid – “Rather like holding a baby.”

Flourless Chocolate Roulade – Buche de Noel Recipe

8 oz fine-quality bittersweet chocolate melted and then cooled to room temperature.
8 eggs, separated, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder for dusting

1 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons confectioners sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons Remy Martin cognac
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1. Preheat the over to 350 F. Line a large shallow baking pan with parchment paper, let paper hang over the ends.
2. Whisk the egg whites until you get soft peaks. Add half the sugar and beat until you get stiff silky peaks. Set aside.
3. Beat the egg yolks with remaining half of the sugar until thick and pale, about 5 minutes.
4.  Add the melted chocolate and stir until incorporated.
5. Fold in one third of the beaten egg whites to lighten mixture then fold in the remaining two thirds being extremely gentle.
6. Spread cake batter into the baking pan and bake in the middle of the oven for 15 – 20 minutes, until the cake has puffed up and the top is dry.
7. Transfer to a rack and cover with damp paper towels. Let stand for 5 minutes, remove towels and cool completely. Loosen edges with a knife.
8. Dust top of cake with cocoa powder and then cover with cloth.  Invert onto cloth and removed parchment paper lining from the cake very gently.
9. Whisk cream with confectioners sugar, Remy Martin, and vanilla until it holds stiff peaks.
10. Spread cream over cake and using the cloth to help lift, roll the cake up. Transfer to a platter seam side down and dust generously with cocoa powder. The cake can then be decorated with ganache, chocolate ‘bark’ and birds (see below) or simply dusted with a little confectioners sugar for snow and whatever you feel in the mood for. Don’t you just love the deer in his boa for christmas topping the cake at the top of the post?

Filed Under: Baking, cake, Christmas, Holidays, RECIPES Tagged With: Buche de Noel, chocolate, Chocolate Roulade, Christmas Cake, Flourless Chocolate Cake, Joan McNamara, Joans on Third, Remy Martin

« Handmade Holiday Gifts – Your Perfect Offering
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Comments

  1. Deliciously Organic says

    December 15, 2011 at 11:51 am

    I’m totally making this! It’s grain free! I’m thrilled. Thanks for sharing.

  2. Lucy says

    December 15, 2011 at 12:01 pm

    Yes grain free and totally delicously organic – just for you ; ) Enjoy!

  3. Allison [Girl's Guide to Social Media] says

    December 15, 2011 at 6:42 pm

    Wow. Gorgeous cake! I would be after the cake, not the candy canes. 🙂

  4. aida mollenkamp says

    December 16, 2011 at 12:16 am

    Such a gorgeous buche de noel! I love it!

  5. susan says

    December 16, 2011 at 1:53 pm

    how did I miss this one…I guess it came to me in the midst of my cooking, baking overload. this is gorgeous and something I have always wanted to make. next year, we are doing this together!!! xx

  6. Marla says

    December 16, 2011 at 9:49 pm

    Chocolate upon chocolate greatness in this holiday cake. My kids would be after the candy too. Then they would certainly dive into the cake.

  7. Georgia Pellegrini says

    December 19, 2011 at 5:25 pm

    I’ve never made one of these masterpieces but have heard about them for so long. Yours is just gorgeous!

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I lingered round them, under that benign sky; watc I lingered round them, under that benign sky; watched the moths fluttering among the heath and harebells; listened to the soft wind breathing through the grass; and wondered how anyone could ever imagine unquiet slumbers, for the sleepers in that quiet earth.  #WutheringHeights #EmilyBronte the in between - How it started How it ended - bedroom monochromatic light at 7am this morning to 7pm tonight and cocktail time with Tink gin and @david_austin_roses post parents evening and then in the middle I went on a walk with @chloescotland - actually it was an adventure to find the prettiest 13th century church with a moat and a graveyard filled with snowdrops and the tiniest grave - a child? And headstones that were leaning over - I thought tipsy Chloe thought giving up and I was reminded of the Brontë passage about #unquietslumbers #ghostsinmygarden swop harebells for snowdrops - the peace and quiet of a tiny graveyard with a moat and lopsided headstones and peace and quiet - a moment of calm and hope as the #inauguration looms large and as we keep to the rules of lockdown #stayhome #staysafe
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