Advent Day 23, 2020: Make a Classic Bûche de Noël

This year, we’re going back to the basics and making one of our favourite Bûche de Noël recipes.

Will it be the old school Classic Chocolate Bûche de Noël with Coffee Cream from the 1970s or one of my now-classic originals: Lemon Mascarpone Bûche de Noël or Cannoli Bûche de Noël? Or will I take a new classic out for a spin?

UPDATE: I MADE A “HEALTHIER” TWIST ON ONE OF MY OWN CLASSIC RECIPES!
KETO CANNOLI BÛCHE DE NOËL!
It’s gorgeous!!!

Find all of my Bûche de Noël recipes under Cooking: Cakes.

Here are the ones mentioned in this post!!

Print Recipe

Keto Cannoli Bûche de Noël

Ingredients

Keto Chocolate Jelly Roll

• 2/3 c almond flour
• 1/4 c cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 6 room temperature eggs separated
• 1/4 c Swerve granulated to be added to the beaten egg yolks
• 1/8 tsp cream of tartar
• 1/2 c Swerve granulated to be added to the soft peaked egg whites
• 1 tsp vanilla
• parchment for baking and cocoa powder & a clean kitchen towel for rolling the cake

Keto Boozy Syrup [Optional]

• 1/3 c Swerve granulated
• 1/3 c water
• 1/4 c rum brandy, or (non-creamed) spirit of choice

Keto Cannoli Cream Filling

• 15-16 oz container of ricotta cheese Strained if runny. I used the smooth ricotta meant for cannoli filling
• 3/4 c powdered Swerve
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp orange extract [optional]
• 1/2 c [optional] shaved/finely diced/or processor pulsed 80-95% chocolate [reserve the rest for garnish] I used about 2/3 bar of Lindt 95% chocolate

Keto Chocolate Mascarpone Icing

• 16 oz cold mascarpone cheese
• 3/4 c powdered Swerve
• 2+ tbs milk or cream 2-4, depending on consistency
• 1 tbs vanilla
• 4 oz unsweetened chocolate melted and cooled

Additional Optional Decor

• powdered Swerve
• diced pistachios or other nuts
• fresh or toasted coconut, shredded or flaked

Keto Make-Ahead Meringue Mushrooms

• 2 egg whites room temperature
• 1/8 tsp cream of tartar
• 1/2 cup Swerve granulated
• 1/4 cup chopped 95% chocolate
• 2 tsp cocoa for dusting [optional]

Keto Chocolate Bark

• 2 bars Lindt 95% chocolate 80 grams per bar, substitute 80+% chocolate if desired

Instructions

Keto Chocolate Jelly Roll & Construction

• Heat oven to 375.
• Grease a 15x10x1 baking or jelly roll pan.
• Line it with a parchment rectangle cut 1/2 inch smaller than the pan (14×9).
• Sift the almond flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a bowl or onto another sheet of parchment.
• In a mixer or in a bowl, by hand, beat eggs yolks and vanilla until thick and yellow.
• Add the 1/4 c granulated swerve and beat on high until dissolved.
• Set the mixture aside, removing to a clean bowl if necessary.
• Wash the mixer bowl and beaters.
• Beat the egg whites and cream of tartar on medium until soft peaks form.
• Add the 1/2 cup granulated Swerve slowly and beat until stiff peaks form.
• Fold the egg yolk mixture into the beaten egg white mixture quickly with the mixer or with a spatula.
• Quickly, but gently, by the quarter cup, add the flour mixture, just incorporating with the beaters or a spatula.
• Spread batter into the pan as evenly as possible and smooth as much as possible with a spatula or icing spreader.
• Bake 12-14 minutes until centre springs back when pressed lightly with a fingertip.
• While the cake is baking, dust a large clean piece of parchment generously with cocoa powder.
• Remove baked cake from oven and immediately loosen edges of the cake from the side of the pan with a knife. [The cake may look a bit bubbly or even mountainous! No worries! It will flatten out with the folding, anyway!]
• While the cake is still warm, invert the pan onto the large fresh piece of parchment dusted with cocoa.
• Peel off the original baking parchment.
• Gently roll the wider length of cake jelly roll style in the cocoa-dusted large, fresh piece of parchment. You want a long slim roll, not a short, thick one.
• Wrap the paper-rolled cake in a tea-towel if desired and cool rolled cake completely on a wire rack. [You can store the cake like this for up to one day or re-roll the cake in wax paper and wrap wax-paper-rolled cake in foil and freeze for 2-3 weeks.]
• While the cake is cooling, prepare the Optional Keto Boozy Soak, the Keto Cannoli Cream Filling and the Keto Chocolate Mascarpone Icing. You may also prepare the Keto Chocolate Bark and Keto Make-Ahead Mushrooms, if desired, if you haven’t done so already.
  
• Gently unroll the cake.
• Using a pastry or basting-style brush, spread the Keto Boozy Soak generously onto the [inside] surface of the roll cake. [I only use about 1/16 of a cup of the syrup. Save the rest for cocktails or desserts!]
• Spread the inside/top surface of the unrolled cake with the Cannoli Cream Filling.
• Gently re-roll the cake.
• Cut a 1/2in-or-thicker slice from the ends of the cake roll to use as knots on the cake. If you just want a festive jelly roll, skip this step.
• Place the larger rolled cake on a serving plate.
• Use Keto Chocolate Mascarpone Icing to attach the “knots” to the cake roll.
• [Optional] Take a small bit of icing and “dirty ice” the cake with a thin layer of icing and let cake sit in the refrigerator for a while.
• Frost cake roll with remaining Keto Chocolate Mascarpone Icing. You do not have to ice the open ends and open knots of the cake. This is a bit tricky, but can be done with a clean icing spreader.
• If desired, use the tines of a fork or an icing spatula to make the icing look like realistic “bark.”
• If desired, cover with chocolate bark shards.
• If desired, sprinkle the ends of the roll and/or the knots/limbs with chopped nuts, or flaked or toasted coconut.
• If desired, dust with powdered Swerve.
• If desired, decorate with Keto Meringue Mushrooms.
• Chill until 10-20 minutes before serving time.
  

Keto Boozy Syrup [Optional]

• Place the Swerve and water in a small pan and heat until the sugar has dissolved.
• I suggest boiling this for 2-3 minutes, as the swerve tends to re-crystallize when cool.
• Remove from heat.
• Add alcohol and allow to cool.

Keto Cannoli Cream Filling

• Beat the Swerve and ricotta until smooth.
• Incorporate the vanilla and optional citrus extract.
• [optional] Incorporate up to 1/2 c pulverized chocolate bits to taste.

Keto Chocolate Mascarpone Icing

• Beat the cheese, powdered swerve, and vanilla on high until incorporated.
• Incorporate the cooled melted chocolate.
• Gradually, add the milk or cream 1 tbs at a time until the icing becomes as spreadable as you would like.
• You may also add additional powdered Swerve if desired.
• Refrigerate until ready to use to ice the exterior of rolled, filled cake.

Keto Chocolate Bark*

• Melt the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl in 1 minute bursts at 50% power until melted, or melt over a double-boiler.
  
• Spread Chocolate in a long rectangle on a sheet of parchment and top with another sheet of parchment.
• Roll the parchment in a log, as pictured, and place in the refrigerator.
• Unroll cooled chocolate in parchment and use shards of chocolate to decorate as "bark."

Keto Make-Ahead Meringue Mushrooms

• Heat oven to 200.
• Line two large cookie sheets with parchment.
• Beat egg whites and cream of tartar at medium speed until soft peaks form.
• Increase speed and, one tablespoon at a time, sprinkle in the Swerve until it dissolves and the meringue forms stiff peaks. It will be thick and shiny, a cross between marshmallow fluff and taffy.
• Attach a 1/2-inch round tip to a pastry bag or ziploc bag.
• Fill the bag halfway with meringue and make an equal number of caps and stems, as described in the next two steps.
• For the mushroom caps, squeeze meringue into 1.5-in rounds, pulling off to the side to avoid pointy tips.
• For the stems, hold pastry bag upright and squeeze out meringue, creating either an elongated cylinder or a “kiss” shape with a fairly pointy tip, about an inch tall.
• Place the sheeet sin the oven and bake for approximately 1-2 hours, until firm but not brown. You’ll want to rotate the sheets at the first [and third] half hour and swap them at the 1 hour point.
• Let the caps and tips stand for a few moments on the cookie sheets.
• Then, remove the mushrooms on their parchment to wire racks to cool completely.
• When the mushrooms are cool, you may store them in pieces in a spacious air-tight container or assemble right away.
• To assemble, melt the chocolate in a heat-proof bowl over boiling water or in slow bursts at half-power in the microwave.
• OPTION A: Carefully make a small indentation in the centre underside of each mushroom cap with the back of a spoon or the tip of a knife. Working one at a time, fill the hollow in a cap with about a 1/4 teaspoon of melted chocolate. Then, press the top of a stem into the indentation. If possible, cool cap-side down on a tray until the seal is firm.
• OPTION B: Coat the undersides of the caps with a bit of chocolate. With snips or a sharp knife, cut off any of the pointy “tips” of the stems you might have made. Use additional chocolate to attach the stems to the caps. Cool completely until the seal is firm.
• [Optional] Place the cocoa in a tea ball or fine mesh strainer and censor it over the meringue shapes.
• Store in a dry, air-tight container until ready to use.
  

Notes

*The idea and technique for the chocolate bark comes from: https://veenaazmanov.com/eggnog-yule-log-cake-buche-de-noel/. She has a great video tutorial on the subject!

Print Recipe

Chocolate Bûche de Noël with Coffee Cream

Ingredients

Chocolate Jelly Roll

• 1 cup sifted cake flour* or 1 cup minus 2 tbs all purpose flour + 2 tbs corn starch OR arrowroot flour sifted 5-7 times. [see note on cake flour, below]
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 tsp vanilla
• icing sugar & a clean kitchen towel for rolling the cake

Easy Coffee Cream

• 1 cup  whipping cream
• 1-3 tbs espresso or strong coffee [made from ~2tsp instant crystals]
• 1/2 cup sifted icing sugar

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

• 4 tbs butter
• 2 oz unsweetened chocolate
• 2 cups sifted icing sugar
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 tsp  vanilla

Additional Optional Decor 

• icing sugar
• diced pistachios or other nuts
• fresh or toasted coconut shredded or flaked

Make-Ahead Meringue Mushrooms

• 2 egg whites room temperature
• 1/8 tsp cream of tartar
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate pieces
• 2 tsp cocoa for dusting [optional]

Instructions

Easy Chocolate Jelly Roll & Construction

• Heat oven to 375.
• Grease a 15x10x1 baking or jelly roll pan.
• Line it with a waxed paper rectangle cut 1/2 inch smaller than the pan (14×9).
• Grease the paper.
• Sift flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt into a bowl or onto another sheet of waxed paper.
• Beat eggs until thick and creamy.
• Beat in sugar, 1 tbsp a time until mixture is thick.
• Stir in water and vanilla.
• Fold in flour mixture.
• Spread batter evenly into prepared pan.
• Bake 12-15 minutes until centre springs back when pressed lightly with a fingertip.
• While the cake is baking, dust a large clean tea towel generously with icing sugar.
• Remove baked cake from oven and immediately EITHER cut around the warm cake, 1/4-inch from the edges of the pan with a sharp knife, “discarding” scraps, OR loosen the edges of the cake from the sides of the pan with a knife.
• Invert the pan onto the clean towel dusted generously with icing sugar.
• Peel off waxed paper.
• Gently roll the wider length of cake jelly roll style in towel. You want a long slim roll, not a short, thick one. 
• Cool rolled and wrapped cake completely on a wire rack. [You can store the cake like this for up to one day or re-roll the cake in wax paper, wrap wax-paper rolled cake in foil and freeze for 2-3 weeks.]
• While the cake is cooling, prepare the Coffee Cream and Chocolate Buttercream Frosting. You may also prepare the Make-Ahead Mushrooms, if desired, if you haven’t done so already.
• Unroll cake.
• Spread with Coffee Cream filling, below.
• Reroll the cake.
• Cut a 1/2in-or-thicker slice from the ends of the cake roll to use as knots on the cake. If you just want a festive jelly roll, move on to step 25.
• Place the larger rolled cake on a serving plate.
• Use Chocolate Butter Frosting [below] to attach the “knots” to the cake roll.
• [Optional] Take a small bit of icing and “dirty ice” the cake with a thin layer of icing and let cake sit in the refrigerator for a while.
• Frost cake roll with remaining Chocolate Butter Frosting.  You do not have to ice the open ends and open knots of the cake. This is a bit tricky, but can be done with a clean icing spreader.
• If desired, use the tines of a fork or an icing spatula to make the icing look like realistic “bark.”
• If desired, sprinkle the ends of the roll and/or the knots/limbs with chopped pistachios, or flaked or toasted coconut.
• If desired, dust with icing sugar.
• If desired, decorate with Meringue Mushrooms [below]
• Chill until 10-20 minutes before serving time.

Easy Coffee Cream

• Combine all ingredients in a cold mixing bowl and beat with cold beaters until stiff.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

• Melt butter and chocolate in a double boiler and cool slightly.
• Combine icing sugar, milk and vanilla in a separate bowl.
• Slowly beat in chocolate mixture until frosting is smooth and spreadable.

Make-Ahead Meringue Mushrooms

• Heat oven to 200.
• Line two large cookie sheets with parchment.
• Beat egg whites and cream of tartar at medium speed until soft peaks form.
• Increase speed and, one tablespoon at a time, sprinkle in the sugar until the sugar dissolves and the meringue forms stiff peaks. It will be thick and shiny, a cross between marshmallow fluff and taffy.
• Attach a 1/2-inch round tip to a pastry bag or ziploc bag.
• Fill the bag halfway with meringue and make an equal number of caps and stems, as described in the next two steps. 
• For the mushroom caps, squeeze meringue into 1.5-in rounds, pulling off to the side to avoid pointy tips.
• For the stems, hold pastry bag upright and squeeze out meringue, creating either an elongated cylinder or a “kiss” shape with a fairly pointy tip, about an inch tall.
• Place the sheets in the oven and bake for approximately 1-2 hours, until firm but not brown. You'll want to rotate the sheets at the first [and third] half hour and swap them at the 1 hour point.  
• Let the caps and tips stand for a few moments on the cookie sheets.
• Then, remove the mushrooms on their parchment to wire racks to cool completely.
• When the mushrooms are cool, you may store them in pieces in a spacious air-tight container or assemble right away.
• To assemble, melt the chocolate in a heat-proof bowl over boiling water or in slow bursts at half-power in the microwave.
• OPTION A: Carefully make a small indentation in the centre underside of each mushroom cap with the back of a spoon or the tip of a knife. Working one at a time, fill the hollow in a cap with about a 1/4 teaspoon of melted chocolate. Then, press the top of a stem into the indentation. If possible, cool cap-side down on a tray until the seal is firm. 
• OPTION B: Coat the undersides of the caps with a bit of chocolate. With snips or a sharp knife, cut off any of the pointy “tips” of the stems you might have made. Use additional chocolate to attach the stems to the caps. Cool completely until the seal is firm.
• [Optional] Place the cocoa in a tea ball or fine mesh strainer and censor it over the meringue shapes.
• Store in a dry, air-tight container until ready to use.

Notes

*By cake flour, I mean traditional super-fine cake flour, which is not always available in stores. Be aware that most “cake and pastry flour” I’ve seen at the grocery is not the old “boxed” cake flour of my childhood (and from which this recipe was born) and that these modern, readily available mixes very often contain benzoyl peroxide. A solid choice for good cake flour is Bob’s Red Mill.  When I can’t source it, the substitute flour and cornstarch or flour and arrowroot powder combo has become my preferred method of preparation. The general rule is 1 cup minus 2 tbs flour with 2 tbs of cornstarch or arrowroot powder added, sifted 5-7 times. 

Aside from the mushrooms, this recipe is based upon a a family classic. I believe it was taken from one of the long out of print Family Circle Illustrated Library Cookbooks. 

Print Recipe

Lemon Bûche de Noël with Lemon Mascarpone Icing

Servings: 12

Ingredients

Lemon Jelly Roll Cake

• 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 room temperature eggs separated
• 1/4 c sugar to be added to the beaten egg yolks
• 1/2 c sugar to be added to the soft peaked egg whites
• 2 tbs lemon juice
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 tsp lemon zest
• icing sugar and clean towel for rolling the cake

Lemon Soak

• 1/2 c sugar
• 1/3 c water
• zest of 1/2 lemon
• 1/4 c lemon juice OR 1/8 c lemon juice and 1/8 c rum, brandy, or other (non-creamed) spirit of choice

Lemon Cream Filling

• 1 cup  whipping cream
• 2-3 tbs lemon juice
• 1/2 cup sifted icing sugar
• zest of 1/2 lemon

Lemon Mascarpone Icing

• 16 oz ~475 g Cold Mascarpone Cheese [2 of the small tubs]
• 1 c icing sugar
• 3 tbs lemon juice
• 1 tsp vanilla
• zest of 1/2 lemon if desired
• 4-6 tbs milk or cream

Candied Lemon Slices

• 1 lemon
• Pot of Boiling Water
• Ice Water Bath
• 1+ c sugar
• 1 c water

Make-Ahead Meringue Mushrooms

• 2 egg whites room temperature
• 1/8 tsp cream of tartar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup white or semisweet chocolate pieces
• lemon zest and/or icing sugar for dusting [optional]

Instructions

Lemon Jelly Roll & Assembly

• Heat oven to 375.
• Grease a 15x10x1 baking or jelly roll pan or spray it with baking spray.
• Line it with a waxed or parchment paper rectangle cut 1/2 inch smaller than the pan (14×9).
• Grease the paper or spray it with baking spray.
• Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl or onto another sheet of waxed paper and set aside.
• In a mixer, beat eggs yolks, lemon juice, and vanilla until thick and yellow.
• Add the 1/4 cup sugar and beat on high until dissolved.
• Add zest.
• Pour mixture into a clean bowl and set aside.
• Wash the mixing bowl and beaters.
• Beat the egg whites on medium until soft peaks form.
• Add the 1/2 c sugar by the tablespoon and beat until stiff peaks form.
• Fold the reserved egg yolk mixture into the beaten egg white mixture quickly with the mixer or with a spatula.
• Gently and quickly, fold in the flour mixture with a spatula.
• Spread batter into the pan as evenly as possible.
• Bake 12-15 minutes until center spring back when pressed lightly with a fingertip. [The cake may look a bit bubbly or even mountainous! No worries! It will flatten out with the folding, anyway!]
• Immediately loosen the edges of the cake with a knife.
• While the cake is still quite warm, Invert pan onto a clean towel dusted generously with icing sugar.
• Peel off waxed paper.
• Gently roll wider length of cake jelly roll style in towel. You want a long thin roll, not short and thick.
• Cool rolled and wrapped cake completely on a wire rack.  [You can store the cake like this for up to one day or re-roll the cake in wax paper, wrap wax-paper rolled cake in foil and freeze for 2-3 weeks.]
• Unroll your cake from the towel.
• [Optional] Using a pastry or basting-style brush, spread the Lemon Soak generously onto the [inside] surface of the roll cake. [I only used about 1/16 of a cup.]
• Spread the inside/top surface of the unrolled cake with the Lemon Cream.
• Gently re-roll the cake.
• Place the filled cake on a serving plate.
• Cut a 1/2in-or-thicker slice(s) from the ends of the cake roll to use as knot(s) or trimmed limb(s) of cake. Or, if using as a jelly roll, skip to Step 29.
• Use the Lemon Mascarpone Icing to attach these knots and limbs to the cake roll.
• Frost the cake roll with the remaining Lemon Mascarpone Icing.

  You do not have to ice the open ends and open knots of the cake. This is a bit tricky, but can be done with a clean icing spreader.
• If desired, use the tines of a fork or an icing spatula to make the icing look like realistic “bark.”
• If desired, decorate with Make-Ahead Mushrooms, Candied Lemon Slices, and additional lemon zest.
• Chill until 10-20 minutes before serving time.

Lemon Soak

• Place the sugar and water in a small pan and heat until the sugar has dissolved completely.
• You do not need to boil this.
• Remove from heat.
• Add juice and/or alcohol.

Lemon Cream

• Combine all ingredients in a cold stand mixer or bowl and beat with cold beaters until stiff.

Lemon Mascarpone Icing

• Beat the mascarpone, sugar, zest, vanilla, and lemon juice on high until incorporated.
• Gradually add the milk or cream 1 tbs at a time until the icing becomes as spreadable as you would like.
• You may also add additional icing sugar if desired.
• Refrigerate until ready to use.

Candied Lemon Slices

• Slice lemons into 10- 12 thin slices [use a mandoline if necessary].
• Compost lemon seeds and top and tail of lemon.
• Arrange a bowl of ice water on the counter.
• In a pot of boiling water boil lemons for one minute.
• Drain and place lemons in ice bath.
• In a flat low pan, bring 1 c water and 1 c sugar to simmer to dissolve.
• Reduce heat to medium low.
• Drain lemon slices again.
• Arrange lemon slices flat on pan in sugar syrup.
• Simmer for 1 hour.
• Remove slices to a parchment-lined rack or plate to cool.

Make-Ahead Meringue Mushrooms

• Heat oven to 200.
• Line two large cookie sheets with parchment.
• Beat egg whites and cream of tartar at medium speed until soft peaks form.*
• Increase speed and, one tablespoon at a time, sprinkle in the sugar until the sugar dissolves and the meringue forms stiff peaks. It will be thick and shiny, a cross between marshmallow fluff and taffy.
• Attach a 1/2-inch round tip to a pastry bag or ziploc bag.
• Fill the bag halfway with meringue and make an equal number of caps and stems, as described in the next two steps. 
• For the mushroom caps, squeeze meringue into 1.5-in rounds, pulling off to the side to avoid pointy tips.
• For the stems, hold pastry bag upright and squeeze out meringue, creating either an elongated cylinder or a “kiss” shape with a fairly pointy tip, about an inch tall.
• Place the sheeets in the oven and bake for approximately 1 to 2 hours, until firm but not brown. You'll want to rotate the sheets at the first [and third] half hour and swap them at the 1 hour point.  
• Let the caps and tips stand for a few moments on the cookie sheets.
• Then, remove the mushrooms on their parchment to wire racks to cool completely.
• When the mushrooms are cool, you may store them in pieces in a spacious air-tight container or assemble right away.
• To assemble, melt the chocolate in a heat-proof bowl over boiling water or in slow bursts at half-power in the microwave.
• OPTION A: Carefully make a small indentation in the centre underside of each mushroom cap with the back of a spoon or the tip of a knife. Working one at a time, fill the hollow in a cap with about a 1/4 teaspoon of melted chocolate. Then, press the top of a stem into the indentation. If possible, cool cap-side down on a tray until the seal is firm. 
• OPTION B: Coat the undersides of the caps with a bit of chocolate. With snips or a sharp knife, cut off any of the pointy “tips” of the stems you might have made. Use additional chocolate to attach the stems to the caps. Cool completely until the seal is firm.
• Store in a dry, air-tight container until ready to use.
• If desired, dust with lemon zest and icing sugar when you assemble the cake.

Notes

*Note: If you’re having trouble getting your egg-whites to peak, try incorporating 1/4 tsp Cream of Tartar.

This recipe is an amended form of a version I published on my former website, The Lunchbox Season.

Print Recipe

Cannoli Bûche de Noël

Servings: 12

Ingredients

Heavenly Chocolate Jelly Roll

• 1/2 c all purpose flour
• 1/3 c cocoa powder 
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 room temperature eggs separated
• 1/4 c sugar to be added to the beaten egg yolks
• 1/2 c sugar to be added to the soft peaked egg whites
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/3 c water
• a mix of cocoa powder and icing sugar & a clean kitchen towel for rolling the cake

Boozy Syrup [Optional]

• 1/2 c sugar
• 1/3 c water
• 1/4 c rum, brandy, or (non-creamed) spirit of choice

Cannoli Cream Filling

• 15-16 oz container of Ricotta Cheese strained if runny. I used light ricotta and strained it for only an hour in fine mesh sieve over a bowl.
• 3/4 c icing sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 tsp organic lemon or orange extract [optional]
• 1/2-1 c semi-sweet mini chocolate chips OR shaved/finely diced semi-sweet chocolate I used 1/2 c of bits from a dark chocolate bar I pulsed like crazy in the food processor and I saved the rest for garnish.

Chocolate Mascarpone Icing [Omit Chocolate for Vanilla Option]

• 16 oz Cold Mascarpone Cheese [2 of the small tubs]
• 3/4 + cup icing sugar
• 1/4 c milk or cream
• 1 tbs vanilla
• 4 oz unsweeted chocolate melted and cooled! Omit for Vanilla Version.

Additional Optional Decor 

• icing sugar
• diced pistachios or other nuts
• fresh or toasted coconut shredded or flaked

Make-Ahead Meringue Mushrooms

• 2 egg whites room temperature
• 1/8 tsp cream of tartar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate pieces
• 2 tsp cocoa for dusting [optional]

Instructions

Heavenly Chocolate Jelly Roll & Construction

• Heat oven to 375.
• Grease a 15x10x1 baking or jelly roll pan.
• Line it with a waxed paper rectangle cut 1/2 inch smaller than the pan (14×9).
• Grease the paper.
• Sift flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a bowl or onto another sheet of waxed paper.
• In a mixer or in a bowl, by hand, beat eggs yolks and vanilla until thick and yellow.
• Add the 1/4 c sugar and beat on high until dissolved.
• Set the mixture aside in a clean bowl.
• Wash the mixer bowl and beaters. 
• Beat the egg whites on medium until soft peaks form.
• Add the 1/2 cup sugar slowly and beat until stiff peaks form.
• Fold the egg yolk mixture into the beaten egg white mixture quickly with the mixer or with a spatula.
• Quickly, but gently, by the quarter cup, alternate adding in the flour mixture and the water, just incorporating with a spatula.
• Spread batter into the pan as evenly as possible and smooth as much as possible with a flat spoon or icing spreader.
• Bake 12-15 minutes until centre springs back when pressed lightly with a fingertip.
• While the cake is baking, dust a large clean tea towel generously with icing sugar.
• Remove baked cake from oven and immediately loosen edges of the cake from the side of the pan with a knife. [The cake may look a bit bubbly or even mountainous! No worries! It will flatten out with the folding, anyway!]
• While the cake is still warm, invert the pan onto the clean towel dusted generously with icing sugar.
• Peel off waxed paper.
• Gently roll the wider length of cake jelly roll style in towel. You want a long slim roll, not a short, thick one. 
• Cool rolled and wrapped cake completely on a wire rack.  [You can store the cake like this for up to one day or re-roll the cake in wax paper, wrap wax-paper-rolled cake in foil and freeze for 2-3 weeks.]
• While the cake is cooling, prepare the Optional Boozy Soak, the Cannoli Cream Filling and the Chocolate Mascarpone Icing. You may also prepare the Make-Ahead Mushrooms, if desired, if you haven’t done so already.
• Gently unroll the cake.
• Using a pastry or basting-style brush, spread the Boozy Soak generously onto the [inside] surface of the roll cake. [I only use about 1/16 of a cup of the syrup.]
• Spread the inside/top surface of the unrolled cake with the Cannoli Cream Filling.
• Gently re-roll the cake.
• Cut a 1/2in-or-thicker slice from the ends of the cake roll to use as knots on the cake. If you just want a festive jelly roll, move on to step 26.
• Place the larger rolled cake on a serving plate.
• Use Chocolate Mascarpone Icing to attach the “knots” to the cake roll.
• [Optional] Take a small bit of icing and “dirty ice” the cake with a thin layer of icing and let cake sit in the refrigerator for a while.
• Frost cake roll with remaining Chocolate Mascarpone Icing.  You do not have to ice the open ends and open knots of the cake. This is a bit tricky, but can be done with a clean icing spreader.
• If desired, use the tines of a fork or an icing spatula to make the icing look like realistic “bark.”
• If desired, sprinkle the ends of the roll and/or the knots/limbs with chopped pistachios, or flaked or toasted coconut.
• If desired, dust with icing sugar.
• If desired, decorate with Meringue Mushrooms.
• Chill until 10-20 minutes before serving time.

Boozy Syrup [Optional]

• Place the sugar and water in a small pan and heat until the sugar has dissolved.
• You do not need to boil this.
• Remove from heat.
• Add alcohol.

Cannoli Cream Filling

• Beat the sugar and ricotta until smooth.
• Incorporate the vanilla and optional citrus extract.
• Incorporate up to 1 c chocolate or chips to taste.

Chocolate Mascarpone Icing [Omit Chocolate for a Vanilla Version]

• Beat the cheese, sugar, and vanilla on high until incorporated.
• For the Chocolate version, incorporate the cooled melted chocolate.
• Gradually, add the milk or cream 1 tbs at a time until the icing becomes as spreadable as you would like.
• You may also add additional icing sugar if desired. [I added an additional 1/4 c icing sugar to my most recent batch to balance out the bitterness of the chocolate].
• Refrigerate until ready to use to ice the exterior of the rolled, filled cake.

Make-Ahead Meringue Mushrooms

• Heat oven to 200.
• Line two large cookie sheets with parchment.
• Beat egg whites and cream of tartar at medium speed until soft peaks form.
• Increase speed and, one tablespoon at a time, sprinkle in the sugar until the sugar dissolves and the meringue forms stiff peaks. It will be thick and shiny, a cross between marshmallow fluff and taffy.
• Attach a 1/2-inch round tip to a pastry bag or ziploc bag.
• Fill the bag halfway with meringue and make an equal number of caps and stems, as described in the next two steps. 
• For the mushroom caps, squeeze meringue into 1.5-in rounds, pulling off to the side to avoid pointy tips.
• For the stems, hold pastry bag upright and squeeze out meringue, creating either an elongated cylinder or a “kiss” shape with a fairly pointy tip, about an inch tall.
• Place the sheeet sin the oven and bake for approximately 1-2 hours, until firm but not brown. You'll want to rotate the sheets at the first [and third] half hour and swap them at the 1 hour point.  
• Let the caps and tips stand for a few moments on the cookie sheets.
• Then, remove the mushrooms on their parchment to wire racks to cool completely.
• When the mushrooms are cool, you may store them in pieces in a spacious air-tight container or assemble right away.
• To assemble, melt the chocolate in a heat-proof bowl over boiling water or in slow bursts at half-power in the microwave.
• OPTION A: Carefully make a small indentation in the centre underside of each mushroom cap with the back of a spoon or the tip of a knife. Working one at a time, fill the hollow in a cap with about a 1/4 teaspoon of melted chocolate. Then, press the top of a stem into the indentation. If possible, cool cap-side down on a tray until the seal is firm. 
• OPTION B: Coat the undersides of the caps with a bit of chocolate. With snips or a sharp knife, cut off any of the pointy “tips” of the stems you might have made. Use additional chocolate to attach the stems to the caps. Cool completely until the seal is firm.
• [Optional] Place the cocoa in a tea ball or fine mesh strainer and censor it over the meringue shapes.
• Store in a dry, air-tight container until ready to use.
  

Notes

 

*Note: If you’re having trouble getting soft peaks, try incorporating 1/4 tsp Cream of Tartar in your egg whites.

This recipe is an amended form of a version I published on my previous website, The Lunchbox Season. That version used 1/2 c of cake flour in place of the all-purpose flour, 1/4 c cocoa powder, and omitted the baking soda and the water in the jelly roll portion of the recipe. 

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