Good Tidings Yule Log

Good Tidings Yule Log

Yule log

3 eggs

1 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup water

1 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Powdered sugar

Frosting

1/3 cup butter, softened

1/3 cup unsweetened baking cocoa

2 cups powdered sugar

1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1 to 2 tablespoons hot water

Filling

1 cup whipping cream

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1-1/2 teaspoons instant coffee granules or crystals

Chocolate leaves, if desired

12 to 18 fresh nonpoisonous (unsprayed) leaves, (such as lemon, grape, mint or rose leaves or pliable plastic leaves)

1/2 cup semisweet, milk chocolate or white vanilla baking chips

1 teaspoon shortening

Chocolate decorations, if desired

1/2 cup semisweet, milk chocolate or white vanilla baking chips

1 teaspoon shortening

Fresh cranberries, if desired

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Line 15x10x1 inch pan with foil or waxed paper; grease foil with shortening. In small bowl, beat eggs with electric mixer on high speed about 5 minutes or until very thick and lemon colored. Pour eggs into large bowl; gradually beat in 1 cup granulated sugar. On low speed, beat in 1/3 cup water and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Gradually add flour, baking powder and salt, beating just until batter is smooth. Pour into pan, spreading batter to corners.

Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Meanwhile, generously sprinkle clean towel with powdered sugar. Immediately loosen cake from edges of pan; turn upside down onto sugared towel. Carefully remove foil; trim off stiff edges of cake if necessary. While hot, carefully roll cake and towel from narrow end; place on cooling rack. Cool at least 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in medium bowl, mix butter and baking cocoa until well blended. Stir in 2 cups powdered sugar. Beat in 1-1/2 teaspoon vanilla and 1 to 2 tablespoons hot water until frosting is smooth and spreadable. Cover; set aside.

In chilled medium bowl, beat whipping cream, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and the coffee granules with electric mixer on high speed until stiff. Unroll cake; remove towel. Spread whipped cream mixture over cake. Roll up cake. For stump, cut off 2 inch diagonal slice from one end. Attach stump to one side of cake using 1 tablespoon frosting. Frost cake with frosting. Make strokes in frosting with tines of fork to resemble bark. Loosely cover cake; refrigerate while making chocolate leaves and chocolate decorations.

To make chocolate leaves, wash and dry leaves. In 1 quart saucepan, melt 1/2 cup chips and 1 teaspoon shortening over low heat, stirring until smooth. With small brush, brush melted chocolate about 1/8 inch thick over backside of leaves (leave small amount of stem uncovered so it is easier to peel off leaf). Refrigerate at least 1 hour or until firm. Peel off leaves, handling as little as possible so chocolate leaves do not become dull or melt. Refrigerate chocolate leaves until ready to use.

To make chocolate decorations, in 1 quart saucepan, melt 1/2 cup chips and 1 teaspoon shortening over low heat, stirring until smooth. Pour chocolate mixture into small plastic bag, large envelope, squeeze bottle or pastry bag fitted with small pastry tip; cut off small corner of bag or envelope to pipe out chocolate. Draw desired designs, such as twigs, on plain paper using dark pen or pencil. Place paper with designs on cookie sheet; cover paper with waxed paper. Pipe chocolate over outline of designs. If desired, sprinkle with granulated sugar. Refrigerate 30 minutes or until firm. Carefully remove designs from waxed paper, handling as little as possible.

Decorate cake with chocolate leaves, chocolate decorations and cranberries. Store cake covered in refrigerator.

Recipe and picture from Pillsbury.com