December Daring Bakers Challenge:French Yule Cake
December 28, 2008 by Marye Audet
Filed under Daring bakers
This month’s challenge is brought to us by the adventurous Hilda from Saffron and Blueberry and Marion from Il en Faut Peu Pour Etre Heureux.
They have chosen a French Yule Log by Flore from Florilege Gourmand.
Florilège Gourmand is all in French and the hosts this month, Hilda of Saffron and Blueberry and Marion of Il en Faut Peu Pour Etre Heureux, created 12 pages of recipe for us to experiment with.
YAY.
Needless to say I will not be copying it off here.
I put a white chocolate design on the top and allowed it to drip down the edges.
The cake had numerous layers.
1) Dacquoise (almond)
2) Ganache Insert (chocolate)
3) Mousse (coffee and chocolate)
4) Praline/Crisp Insert
5) Mousse (Coffee and chocolate)
6) Creme Brulee Insert (Vanilla)
7) Chocolate Cream Chantilly
8 OPTIONAL) Dacquoise (didn’t do)
And then a chocolate glaze over all.
I left off the dacquoise on the top. I used my 9 inch spring from pan and it was too big for the filling ingredients so I also made a layer of chocolate cream chantilly to go over the creme brulee. It then had to be frozen. It was still frozen when I took the picture. You had to serve it at just the rigth temperature for optimum flavor and texure but by then it was sort of too gooey to get good slices. Thus, the picture.
It wasn’t difficult to do but it was tedious. The chocolate flavor was rich and intense. I probably would not make this cake again because it seemed like too much work for a cake that even my family of sweet-lovers thought was just ‘o.k.”
My daughter, Erin, and I talked about it and decided that if I was to do it again the mousse would be flavored with Bailey’s Irish Cream to cut some of the cloying sweetness of the chocolate.
I also decided that sometime this spring I am buying a Kitchen-Aide. Not my favorite mixer because it doesn’t do a great job on bread in the amounts that I make it BUT I hate having to hand whisk everything because mine doesn’t get to the bottom on small amounts (like three egg whites). I am going to get a Bosch as well as a KA! Just as soon as I sell a body part or something.
Check out the other Daring Bakers cakes…they are pretty amazing.
Images: (c) Marye Audet
Great job!
Thanks Chris…
From whagt I have seen other Dbs have doen some amazing stuff.
This is truly gorgeous, Marye. I’m loving the challenge for this month! BTW… I have a kitchen aid, and it doesn’t do egg whites well, either – It does not get to the bottom of things. If I need to do egg whites for meringues or whatever, I use my old hand mixer.
This looks amazing! My KA is ok with getting to the bottom of the bowl with egg whites, although sometimes I have to adjust the head to get it to reach to the bottom.
I love the photo by the fire, very inviting! Your cake came out wonderfully even if you had problems with your egg whites, one would never know!
Wonderful job! I like the idea of Baileys in another version.
That definitely looks daring! Great job.
Great job! I’m glad you breeze through it although I’m sorry it wasn’t to your taste. And yes a stand mixer definitely makes life easier sometimes. Have a Happy New Year!
I’m impressed that you hand whisk everything – I love my KA! Sorry it wasn’t quite what you were hoping for, but it looks wonderful.
Jen…I am jonesing after a Hobart…but I am not sure if I want to put out that kind of cash.
Sara-thanks!
Denise- I love that picture too! Our house is old and we have a fireplace in the dining room.
Gretchen-baileys would be great…if you took enough sips you wouldn’t care about the problems, right?
Katrina Thanks!
Hilda- I have a stand mixer..just not one I am happy with…
Caitlin I do not hand whisk everything..just when it is small amounts.
Great job! I think my dad had the same reaction as your family…just okay. Not such a fun reaction when it took such a long time to make…oh well. Hope you enjoy your kitchen Aide!
great job! i got a KA last december and LOVE it!
thanks claire!
that is great Sarah
A great log! Very well done!
Cheers,
Rosa
I have the smaller Kitchen Aid mixer (5 quart bowl) and it doesn’t quite reach the small amounts (like 3 whites for the dacquoise or the 3 yolks for the mousse). I had to start off by hand whisking just to get some volume before attaching it to the mixer. But nevertheless, I still love my mixer. Nice job on your dessert this month.
Your cake looks just super Marye! I love the white choc design on top! Blessed Christmas to you and yours!
thanks Mary..I am wondering if I want a KA after all….
Dharm! Merry Christmas, Bond.
A little Baileys would add that little something extra Marye. Great job!!
Thanks Valli.
Yes, you do need to get a kitchen aide. I have a super duper one, that is able to knead bread dough with no problem, worth the extra cost.
I, also, think it was super sweet and next time I would eliminate two of the mousse layers.
I think that your yule log looks amazing. Very well done.
Oh, wow! Your log is beautiful, and so creatively decorated!
Thanks Lynn… I am still debating on the mixer..I still am thinking Hobart
Christi-thanks!
Love how you got so pretty with the decorations of your log.
Thanks! I wanted it to look festive.
Love the design on top!
thanks Barbara!
Wow! This looks so yummy!