Caramel Orange Bûche De Noël Food

CARAMEL-PECAN BûCHE DE NOëL

Steps:

• For cake:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 17x12x1-inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment; butter paper. Pulse nuts and flour in processor until nuts are finely chopped (not ground). Using electric mixer, beat egg whites and salt in very large bowl until foamy. With mixer running, gradually beat in 1/4 cup sugar, beating just until stiff peaks form. Using electric mixer, beat yolks with 1/3 cup sugar and bourbon in large bowl until thickened, about 5 minutes. Add yolk mixture to egg-white mixture. Sprinkle nuts over; gently fold until almost incorporated. Add butter; fold gently just to blend. Pour into prepared baking sheet, spreading batter gently to form even layer.
• Bake cake until edges begin to brown and cake is firm to touch, about 14 minutes. Cool in pan on rack.
• For frosting and caramel sauce:
• Stir 1 1/4 cups sugar and 1/3 cup water in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat; boil without stirring until deep amber, occasionally swirling pan and brushing down sides with wet pastry brush, about 9 minutes (time will vary, depending on size of pan). Remove from heat; immediately add cream (mixture will bubble vigorously). Whisk in butter, bourbon, and salt. Stir over medium heat until any caramel bits dissolve. Transfer 1 cup caramel sauce to small pitcher. Add chocolate to remaining caramel in saucepan. Let stand off heat 5 minutes; whisk until smooth. Transfer to bowl. Let frosting stand until spreadable, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour.
• Spread 1 cup frosting over cake in even layer. Beginning at 1 long side and using parchment as aid, roll up cake jelly-roll style. Starting 1 inch in from each end of cake, cut off 3-inch-long diagonal piece from each end. Arrange cake, seam side down, on platter. Spread cut side of each 3-inch cake piece with some of frosting. Attach 1 cake piece, frosting side down, to top of cake near 1 end. Attach second piece to side of cake near opposite end. Cover cake with remaining frosting. Run fork in concentric circles on cake ends. Do ahead Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover loosely with waxed paper and let stand at room temperature.
• Garnish platter with leaves. Sprinkle cake lightly with powdered sugar. Cut cake into slices and serve with bananas, if desired, ice cream, and sauce.

CARAMEL-ORANGE BûCHE DE NOëL

Steps:

• For buttercream:
• Whisk egg yolks, sugar and flour in medium bowl to blend well. Bring half and half to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Slowly whisk hot half and half into egg mixture. Return egg mixture to same saucepan and cook until mixture boils and thickens, whisking constantly. Transfer mixture to medium bowl. Add chocolate and orange peel and stir until mixture is smooth. Press plastic wrap onto surface of pastry cream to prevent skin from forming. Cool completely. (Pastry cream can be prepared 1 day ahead. Refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before continuing.)
• For cake:
• Preheat oven to 300°F. Butter 11x17-inch jelly roll pan. Line with parchment. Butter and flour parchment. Coarsely grind toasted almonds with flour in processor. Using electric mixer, beat yolks with 5 tablespoons brown sugar in medium bowl until slowly dissolving ribbons form when beaters are lifted. Stir in orange peel and vanilla extract. Using clean dry beaters, beat whites with cream of tartar and salt in large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 5 tablespoons brown sugar and beat until stiff but not dry. Fold whites into yolk mixture. Gently fold in almond mixture.
• Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Run small sharp knife around pan sides if necessary to loosen cake. Slide cake on parchment onto rack. Cool.
• Slide cake on parchment onto work surface. Loosen cake from parchment using knife as aid. Sift powdered sugar over cake. Invert onto cookie sheet. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and invert onto another parchment sheet.
• Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in Grand Marnier. Add pastry cream 1/4 cup at a time, beating after each addition until just blended.
• Spread half of buttercream over cake, leaving 1/2-inch border. Starting at 1 long side, roll up cake jelly roll fashion. Arrange seam side down on parchment. Set aside 1/2 cup buttercream; spread remaining buttercream over cake. Cut 2 inches off each end of cake, cutting on diagonal. Transfer cake to platter. Attach ends to top of cake, forming branches. Spread reserved 1/2 cup buttercream over cake ends and seams. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour to firm buttercream. (Cake can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Let cake stand at room temperature 20 minutes before serving.)
• Arrange pine twigs on cake and on platter. Garnish with cranberries.
• For Cranberries:
• Cook 1/2 cup sugar and 2 tablespoons water in heavy small saucepan over low heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Transfer to top of double boiler. Add cranberries. Cover berry mixture and place over simmering water. Cook 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from over water. Let cranberry mixture stand at room temperature overnight.
• Place remaining 1/2 cup sugar on plate. Drain cranberries well. Add to sugar and turn to coat. Let dry at least 30 minutes. (Can be prepared 3 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

CHOCOLATE, ORANGE AND MACADAMIA BUCHE DE NOEL

Steps:

• Cake: Preheat oven to 400°F Line a jelly roll pan with wax paper.
• Beat eggs, yolk, and sugar at medium speed until stiff peaks form.
• Sift in flour and cocoa.
• Add orange peel; gently fold together.
• Spread batter evenly in prepared pan.
• Bake until cake is springy to the touch and begins to pull from sides, about 7 minutes.
• Cut around edges to free cake. Turn out cake and paper to work surface and let cool.
• Buttercreams: Bring sugar and water to boil in heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves.
• Continue boiling without stirring until thermometer registers 240F (soft ball stage).
• Beat yolks until thickened.
• Add liqueur; gradually beat in hot syrup.
• Continue beating until cool, about 5 minutes.
• Add butter 3 tablespoons at a time, beating after each addition.
• Mix in orange juice concentrate.
• Transfer 3 1/4 cups buttercream to a small bowl; mix chocolate into remaining.
• Assembly: Invert cake onto sheet of plastic wrap.
• Carefully remove paper.
• Spread orange buttercream over cake, leaving 1 inch boarder on one long side.
• Sprinkle with macadamias.
• Roll up jelly roll fashion, starting with long side and rolling toward side with uncovered border.
• Trim to make ends even.
• Cut 2 inches off each end of roll at 45 degree angle.
• Transfer roll to platter using plastic as aid and arranging seam side down.
• Spread some chocolate buttercream on cut ends of 2 inch sides.
• With buttercream touching cake, place one piece atop cake off-center and the second on one long side to resemble tree stumps.
• Transfer 1 cup chocolate buttercream to pastry bag fitted with 1/4 inch plain tip.
• Spread remaining buttercream over cake.
• Pipe buttercream in spirals on ends of buche and stumps, starting at center of each.
• Run fork tines through buttercream to simulate bark.
• Arrange holly and cranberries decoratively on buche.
• Garish with Meringue Mushrooms right before serving.
• Meringue Mushrooms: Preheat oven to 150°F.
• Line baking sheet with wax paper.
• Beat whites, and pinch of salt 1 minute to blend.
• Combine 2 tablespoons sugar and 2 tablespoons powdered sugar.
• Add to whites in 3 additions, beating for 20 seconds after each.
• Continue beating until meringue is stiff and glossy.
• Transfer mixture to pastry bag fitted with 1/2 inch plain tip.
• Pipe about fifteen 1/2 to 1 inch domed rounds on prepared sheet for mushroom caps.
• Smooth top of each with damp finger.
• Pipe about fifteen 1/2 to 1 inch high peaked mounds on prepared sheets for stems.
• Bake until meringues are dry and beginning to color, about 1 3/4 hours.
• Let cool completely.
• Using small knife, cut small hole in bottom of each mushroom cap.
• Dip peaked end of stem in sugar paste and push into hole in mushroom cap.
• Repeat with remaining caps.
• Dust mushrooms with cocoa powder before serving.