Of course, what would any level headed Daring Baker do? I panicked.
Really, this was the first challenge I had considered bowing out of. I didn’t think I’d have the recommended two days kicking around to create it or the hollow leg to put all of that chocolate.

I’ve never been one to pass on a challenge, even if it is while making angel costumes and potluck lunches. Two a.m. always comes too soon, but a challenge is a challenge. As they all are, this one was well written and documented. Step by step I baked and blended. I’d decided early on that the only twist from the first options listed would be with a hint of orange. So for the dacquoise and the crème brûlée elements the zest of an orange was added for each while the brûlée also got a shot of brandy. It’s Christmas, how could it not?

And thankfully it was Christmas. It being baking season, I’d thought I would have had enough of everything but not only did I at one point run out of sugar, I ran out of chocolate as well! Scrambling through the bags of “Santa’s” stocking treasures, I knew that there would be one suitable treat or another. The Toblerone bar I settled on, ended up being just the perfect edition for the feuillete insert.

Truly a Christmas miracle. That and having one’s entire extended family to share it with, of course.

FRENCH YULE LOG
Recipe by Flore of Florilège Gourmand

Element #1 Dacquoise Biscuit (Almond Cake)

Preparation time: 10 mn + 15 mn for baking

Equipment: 2 mixing bowls, hand or stand mixer with whisk attachment, spatula, baking pan such as a 10”x15” jelly-roll pan, parchment paper

Note: You can use the Dacquoise for the bottom of your Yule Log only, or as bottom and top layers, or if using a Yule log mold (half-pipe) to line your entire mold with the biscuit. Take care to spread the Dacquoise accordingly. Try to bake the Dacquoise the same day you assemble the log to keep it as moist as possible.

Ingredients:
2.8 oz (3/4cup + 1Tbsp / 80g) almond meal
Zest of one orange
1.75 oz (1/2 cup / 50g) confectioner’s sugar
2Tbsp (15g) all-purpose flour
3.5oz (100g / ~100ml) about 3 medium egg whites
1.75 oz (4 Tbsp / 50g) granulated sugar

1.    Finely mix the almond meal, orange zest and the confectioner’s sugar. (If you have a mixer, you can use it by pulsing the ingredients together for no longer than 30 seconds).
2.    Sift the flour into the mix.
3.    Beat the eggs whites, gradually adding the granulated sugar until stiff.
4.    Pour the almond meal mixture into the egg whites and blend delicately with a spatula.
5.    Grease a piece of parchment paper and line your baking pan with it.
6.    Spread the batter on a piece of parchment paper to an area slightly larger than your desired shape (circle, long strip etc…) and to a height of 1/3 inches (8mm).
7.    Bake at 350°F (180°C) for approximately 15 minutes (depends on your oven), until golden.
8.    Let cool and cut to the desired shape.

Element #2 Dark Chocolate Mousse

Preparation time: 20mn

Equipment: stand or hand mixer with whisk attachment, thermometer, double boiler or equivalent, spatula

Note: You will see that a Pate a Bombe is mentioned in this recipe. A Pate a Bombe is a term used for egg yolks beaten with a sugar syrup, then aerated. It is the base used for many mousse and buttercream recipes. It makes mousses and buttercreams more stable, particularly if they are to be frozen, so that they do not melt as quickly or collapse under the weight of heavier items such as the crème brulee insert.
The Whipped Cream option contains no gelatin, so beware of how fast it may melt.
Gelatin is the gelifying agent in all of the following recipes, but if you would like to use agar-agar, here are the equivalencies: 8g powdered gelatin = 1 (0.25 oz) envelope powdered gelatin = 1 Tbsp powdered gelatin = 1 Tbsp Agar-Agar.
1 Tbsp. of agar-agar flakes is equal to 1 tsp. of agar-agar powder.

Ingredients:
2.5 sheets gelatin or 5g / 1 + 1/4 tsp powdered gelatin
1.5 oz (3 Tbsp / 40g) granulated sugar
1 ½ tsp (10g) glucose or thick corn syrup
0.5 oz (15g) water
50g egg yolks (about 3 medium)
6.2 oz (175g) dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
1.5 cups (350g) heavy cream (35% fat content)

1.    Soften the gelatin in cold water. (If using powdered gelatin, follow the directions on the package.)
2.    Make a Pate a Bombe: Beat the egg yolks until very light in colour (approximately 5 minutes until almost white).
2a.  Cook the sugar, glucose syrup and water on medium heat for approximately 3 minutes (if you have a candy thermometer, the mixture should reach 244°F (118°C). If you do not have a candy thermometer, test the sugar temperature by dipping the tip of a knife into the syrup then into a bowl of ice water, if it forms a soft ball in the water then you have reached the correct temperature.
2b.  Add the sugar syrup to the beaten yolks carefully by pouring it into the mixture in a thin stream while continuing to beat the yolks. You can do this by hand but it’s easier to do this with an electric mixer.
2c.  Continue beating until cool (approximately 5 minutes). The batter should become thick and foamy.
3.    In a double boiler or equivalent, heat 2 tablespoons (30g) of cream to boiling. Add the chopped chocolate and stir until melted and smooth.
4. Whip the remainder of the cream until stiff.
5.    Pour the melted chocolate over the softened gelatin, mixing well. Let the gelatin and chocolate cool slightly and then stir in ½ cup (100g) of WHIPPED cream to temper. Add the Pate a Bombe.
6.    Add in the rest of the WHIPPED cream (220g) mixing gently with a spatula.

Element #3 Dark Chocolate Ganache Insert

Preparation time: 10mn

Equipment: pan, whisk. If you have plunging mixer (a vertical hand mixer used to make soups and other liquids), it comes in handy.

Note: Because the ganache hardens as it cools, you should make it right before you intend to use it to facilitate piping it onto the log during assembly. Please be careful when caramelizing the sugar and then adding the cream. It may splatter and boil.

Ingredients:
1.75 oz (4 Tbsp / 50g) granulated sugar
4.5oz (2/3 cup – 1 Tbsp/ 135g) heavy cream    (35% fat content)
5 oz (135g) dark chocolate, finely chopped
3Tbsp + 1/2tsp (45g) unsalted butter softened

1.    Make a caramel: Using the dry method, melt the sugar by spreading it in an even layer in a small saucepan with high sides. Heat over medium-high heat, watching it carefully as the sugar begins to melt. Never stir the mixture. As the sugar starts to melt, swirl the pan occasionally to allow the sugar to melt evenly. Cook to dark amber color (for most of you that means darker than last month’s challenge).
2.    While the sugar is melting, heat the cream until boiling.  Pour cream into the caramel and stir thoroughly. Be very careful as it may splatter and boil.
3.    Pour the hot caramel-milk mixture over the dark chocolate. Wait 30 seconds and stir until smooth.
4.    Add the softened butter and whip hard and fast (if you have a plunging mixer use it). The chocolate should be smooth and shiny.

Element #4 Praline Feuillete (Crisp) Insert

Preparation time: 10 mn (+ optional 15mn if you make lace crepes)

Equipment: Small saucepan, baking sheet (if you make lace crepes).
Double boiler (or one small saucepan in another), wax paper, rolling pin (or I use an empty bottle of olive oil).

Note: Feuillete means layered (as in with leaves) so a Praline Feuillete is a Praline version of a delicate crisp. There are non-praline variations below. The crunch in this crisp comes from an ingredient which is called gavottes in French. Gavottes are lace-thin crepes. To our knowledge they are not available outside of France, so you have the option of making your own using the recipe below or you can simply substitute rice krispies or corn flakes or Special K for them. Special note: If you use one of the substitutes for the gavottes, you should halve the quantity stated, as in use 1oz of any of these cereals instead of 2.1oz.
If you want to make your own praline, please refer back to the Daring Baker Challenge Recipe from July 2008.

To make 2.1oz / 60g of gavottes (lace crepes – recipe by Ferich Mounia):
1/3 cup (80ml) whole milk
2/3 Tbsp (8g) unsalted butter
1/3 cup – 2tsp (35g) all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp / 0.5 oz (15g) beaten egg
1 tsp (3.5g) granulated sugar
½ tsp vegetable oil
1.    Heat the milk and butter together until butter is completely melted. Remove from the heat.
2.    Sift flour into milk-butter mixture while beating, add egg and granulated sugar. Make sure there are no lumps.
3.    Grease a baking sheet and spread batter thinly over it.
4.    Bake at 430°F (220°C) for a few minutes until the crepe is golden and crispy. Let cool.

Ingredients for the Praline Feuillete:
3.5 oz (100g) milk chocolate
1 2/3 Tbsp (25g) butter
2 Tbsp (1 oz / 30g) praline
2.1oz (60g) lace crepes(gavottes) or rice krispies or corn flakes or Special K

1.    Melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler.
2.    Add the praline and the coarsely crushed lace crepes. Mix quickly to thoroughly coat with the chocolate.
3.    Spread between two sheets of wax paper to a size slightly larger than your desired shape. Refrigerate until hard.

Variations on the Praline Feuillete (Crisp) Insert listed above:

Chocolate Crisp Insert
3.5 oz (100g) milk chocolate
1 2/3 Tbsp (25g) unsalted butter
2 Tbsp (1 oz / 30g) praline
1 oz. (25g) lace crepes or rice krispies or corn flakes or Special K

1.    Melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler.
2.    Add the praline and the coarsely crushed lace crepes. Mix quickly to thoroughly coat with the chocolate.
3.    Spread between two sheets of wax paper to a size slightly larger than your desired shape. Refrigerate until hard.

Coconut Crisp Insert
3.5 oz (100g) white chocolate
1 oz (1/3 cup/25g) shredded coconut
1 2/3 Tbsp (25g) unsalted butter
2.1 oz (60g) lace crepes or rice krispies or corn flakes or Special K

1.  Spread the coconut on a baking tray and bake for 5-10 minutes at 375°F (190°C) to toast (a different temperature might work better for you with your own oven).
2.  Melt the white chocolate and butter in a double boiler. Stir until smooth and add the toasted coconut.
3.  Add the coarsely crushed lace crepes. Mix quickly to thoroughly coat with the chocolate. Spread between two sheets of wax paper to a size slightly larger than your desired shape. Refrigerate until hard.

Element #5 Vanilla Crème Brulée Insert

Preparation time: 15mn + 1h infusing + 1h baking

Equipment: Small saucepan, mixing bowl, baking mold, wax paper

Note: The vanilla crème brulée can be flavored differently by simply replacing the vanilla with something else e.g. cardamom, lavender, ORANGE etc…

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (115g) heavy cream (35% fat content)
½ cup (115g) whole milk
4 medium-sized (72g) egg yolks
0.75 oz (2 Tbsp / 25g) granulated sugar
Zest of one orange
1 Tablespoon Brandy

1.    Heat the milk, and cream to just boiling. Add the brandy
2.    Whisk together the sugar, orange zest and egg yolks (but do not beat until white).
3.    Pour the heated milk over the sugar/yolk mixture. Mix well.
4.    Wipe with a very wet cloth and then cover your baking mold (whatever shape is going to fit on the inside of your Yule log/cake) with parchment paper. Pour the cream into the mold and bake  it in a water bath at 300°F (100°C) for about 1 hour or until firm on the edges and slightly wobbly in the center.

5.    Let cool and put in the freezer for at least 1 hour to firm up and facilitate the final assembly.

Element #6 Dark Chocolate Icing

Preparation time: 25 minutes (10mn if you don’t count softening the gelatin)

Equipment: Small bowl, small saucepan

Note: Because the icing gelifies quickly, you should make it at the last minute.
For other gelatin equivalencies or gelatin to agar-agar equivalencies, look at the notes for the mousse component.

Ingredients:
4g / ½ Tbsp powdered gelatin or 2 sheets gelatin
¼ cup (60g) heavy cream (35 % fat content)
2.1 oz (5 Tbsp / 60g) granulated sugar
¼ cup (50g) water
1/3 cup (30g) unsweetened cocoa powder

1.    Soften the gelatin in cold water for 15 minutes.
2.    Boil the rest of the ingredients and cook an additional 3 minutes after boiling.
3.    Add gelatin to the chocolate mixture. Mix well.
4.    Let cool while checking the texture regularly. As soon as the mixture is smooth and coats a spoon well (it is starting to gelify), use immediately.

How To Assemble your French Yule Log

Depending on whether your mold is going to hold the assembly upside down until you unmold it or right side up, this order will be different.
THIS IS FOR UNMOLDING FROM UPSIDE DOWN TO RIGHT SIDE UP.
You will want to tap your mold gently on the countertop after each time you pipe mousse in to get rid of any air bubbles.

1)    Line your mold or pan, whatever its shape, with rhodoid (clear hard plastic, I usually use transparencies cut to the desired shape, it’s easier to find than cellulose acetate which is what rhodoid translates to in English) OR plastic film. Rhodoid will give you a smoother shape but you may have a hard time using it depending on the kind of mold you’re using.
* I just used a long, thin loaf pan, which was still chilled from the crème brûlée insert.

2A)  Cut the Dacquoise into a shape fitting your mold and set it in there. If you are using an actual Yule mold which is in the shape of a half-pipe, you want the Dacquoise to cover the entire half-pipe portion of the mold.
3A)  Pipe one third of the Mousse component on the Dacquoise.
4A)  Take the Creme Brulee Insert out of the freezer at the last minute and set on top of the mousse. Press down gently to slightly ensconce it in the mousse.
5A)  Pipe second third of the Mousse component around and on top of the Creme Brulee Insert.
6A)  Cut the Praline/Crisp Insert to a size slightly smaller than your mold so that it can be surrounded by mousse. Lay it on top of the mousse you just piped into the mold.
7A)  Pipe the last third of the Mousse component on top of the Praline Insert.
8A)  Freeze for a few hours to set. Take out of the freezer.
9A)  Pipe the Ganache Insert onto the frozen mousse leaving a slight eidge so that ganache doesn’t seep out when you set the Dacquoise on top.
10A)  Close with the last strip of Dacquoise.
Freeze until the next day.

If you are doing the assembly UPSIDE DOWN with TWO pieces of Dacquoise the order is:
1)  Dacquoise
2)  Mousse
3)  Creme Brulee Insert
4)  Mousse
5)  Praline/Crisp Insert
6)  Mousse
7)  Ganache Insert
8)  Dacquoise

THE NEXT DAY…
Unmold your yule log to ice the cake.
Let set. Returning it to the freezer (if you’re not going to eat in the next bit).
You may decorate your cake however you wish. The decorations can be set in the icing after it sets but before you return the cake to the freezer or you may attach them on top using extra ganache or leftover mousse.
Transfer to the refrigerator no longer than ½ hour before serving as it may start to melt quickly depending on the elements you chose.

For different variations and a complete recipe which includes all alternatives, visit the Daring Baker blogroll.

From my fractional polish heritage, I was so lucky to have been included in my sister in laws family Christmas Eve tradition.

Once horrified by the memories of beet soup with homogonized milk, that puce nightmare was no comparison to the hard work and detail which had been presented before us to gobble up.

The bright colour and warmth of this simple, smooth broth sets the perfect stage for the celebration ahead. Borscht is may be peasant food, but like it’s counterparts, it is pure comfort. Served as the first course during the Christmas Eve feast with miniature mushroom filled pierogi packages called uszka, this wonderful tradition becomes the delight of the Holiday table.

RED BORSCHT WITH PORCINI MUSHROOM PIEROGIES

4 Beets, trimmed and scrubbed
1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
1 Onion, roughly chopped
1 Carrot, roughly chopped
1 Stalk Celery, roughly chopped
2 Cups Shredded Red Cabbage
3 Sprigs Thyme
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
1 teaspoon Sugar
1 teaspoon Salt
Freshly Cracked Pepper, to taste
9 Cups Water
3/4 Cup Reserved Mushroom Liquid, see below

Trim and scrub the beets, leaving at least 1″ of stem.
Loosely wrap them in foil and roast in a 400ºF oven for 1 hour, or until fork tender.
Once the beets are cool enough to handle, trim the stems and peel. Chop the beets into small cubes.
In a large stockpot, heat the oil and sweat the onion and garlic.
Add the chopped carrot,celery and beets.
Top with the water, thyme sprigs, salt and cabbage.
Bring the pot to a rolling simmer and cook until the carrots are soft; about 40 minutes.
Strain the soup through a sieve into a new stockpot.
Pour the reserved mushroom liquid through a cheesecloth and add along with the fresh pepper, sugar and lemon, adjusting salt and other seasonings if and where necessary.
Keep warm on a low heat until ready to serve.

PORCINI MUSHROOM PIEROGIES

1 Cup Dried Porcini Mushrooms
1 Cup Boiling Water, or enough to cover mushrooms
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Clove Garlic, minced
1 Leek, white and light green parts
1/4 teaspoon Dried Thyme Leaves
1 teaspoon Fresh Parsley, finely chopped
Pinch of Salt and Pepper

Pour the boiling water over the mushrooms to reconstitute. Let them sit for about 30 minutes.
Strain and reserve liquid.
Trim, rinse and finely chop the leeks.
Heat the oil in a large sauté pan.
Add the leeks and garlic, sautéing until soft.
Finely chop the mushrooms and add to the leeks along with the thyme, salt and pepper; sauté for 2 minutes more.
Remove from heat and add the parsley.
Cool mixture and make the dough.

PIEROGI DOUGH

2 Cups Unbleached All Purpose Flour
2/3 Cup plus 2 Tablespoons Hot Water
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
Pinch of Salt

Add the flour and salt to the bowl of a food processor.
With the motor running, add the oil and drizzle hot water through the feed tube just until the mixture comes together as a dough. (You may not end up using all of the water.)
Cut the dough in half, cover and let it rest for 5 – 10 minutes.
Roll out the first piece of dough about 1/8″ thick.
Cut 2″ rounds and either using a pierog/ravioli press or by hand, add a small amount of the mushroom filling to the center.
Dampen the edges, fold the dough in half and seal tightly.
You may either pinch the two opposite edges together to create the uszka’s “tiny ear” appearance, which also resembles tortellini or leave the edges flat.
Repeat with the remaining dough.
To cook, drop the pierogies into rapidly boiling water for about 3 -4 minutes, removing them once they float.
Add the pierogies to the borscht just before serving.

Not that I’m the authority but I think that it’s safe to say that Holiday baking is may “officially” begin, now that it’s actually December.

Be it that we took our kids to the community Santa Claus parade or that was today was the first of December, Holidays get me to hum classic carols and remember highlights of Christmas Past. With my brain swirling of roasting chestnuts and the clementine I almost mistook as a lump of coal down in the depths of my stocking toe, I decided the first cookie of the year should be able to last as long as that heart wrenching childhood memory.

Memory aside, it’s always a thrill to bring home the first box of “Christmas Oranges”, as my daughter refers to them. Cracking into them fills a room with a special kind of happiness only little orange packages can bring.

With clementines and cookies on my mind, it wasn’t too tough a decision to get that this biscotti would be the first cookie of the season.

Biscotti is a double baked, super crunchy cookie, perfect for packing in just about any flavour combination and, of course, dipping into mulled wine, coffee or nog.

CHOCOLATE CHESTNUT BISCOTTI WITH CANDIED CLEMENTINE

1/4 Cup Margarine
1 Cup Sugar
1 Banana, mashed well
1/2 Cup Cocoa Powder
2 Cups Unbleached All Purpose Flour
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
10 Chestnuts, roasted

1 Tablespoon Candied Clementine Peel, finely chopped
1/2 Cup Sugar
1/4 Cup Water

Preheat the the oven to 400ºF.
Peel four clementines removing as much of the white pith from the rind as possible.
In a medium saucepan, dissolve the 1/2 Cup of the sugar in the 1/4 Cup water and bring to a low simmer over a medium heat setting.
Simmer for about 20 minutes or until the peels have soaked up much of the syrup, leaving them translucent.
Place a cooling rack over a baking sheet or parchment. Remove the candied peels with a slotted spoon and lay them on the rack to cool and dry.
Meanwhile, score the bottom of each chestnut with an “x”.
Lay the nuts “x” up in a baking pan and roast for 15 – 20 minutes, until the chestnuts open and are fragrant.
Reduce the oven temperature to 350ºF.
With a hand or stand mixer, blend the margarine and banana until very smooth.
Add the sugar and continue to mix until creamy, scraping the sides as necessary.
Peel and chop the chestnuts.
Chop enough of the prepared peel to equal 1 tablespoon (or slightly more if your tastebuds can’t deny it.)
Add the nuts and peel to the batter.
Sift the cocoa, flour, salt and baking soda.
Slowly add the dry ingredients to form a firm dough.
Line a cookie sheet with parchment and remove the biscotti dough from the mixer bowl.
With dampened hands, shape the dough into a wide, shallow log about 9″x4″.
Bake for about 25 minutes, remove and reduce the oven again, to 300ºF.
Once the biscotti is cool enough to handle, use a serrated bread knife to slice the biscotti on a slight angle, about 3/4″ widthwise.
Lay the biscotti cut side down and bake for an additional 8 minutes. Flip and bake the other side for another 8 minutes or until the biscotti is very crisp and dry.

View this and other great shots this month in the Click contest. The theme is nuts. Do you think there will be other chestnuts?? It is the Holidays after all….