Holiday Yule Log

COOKING TIPS

OLIVER GOES BACK TO SCHOOL

In order to comply with Pennsylvania Law, we just completed a sixteen hour course in safe food handling as required for all managers of eateries by July 2001. I didn't learn anything earthshatteringly new, but the course helped weigh many common sense principles with scientific facts. The instructor was the ever sunny Marg Malehorn and the other students were a varied bunch, yet all terribly intent to preserve public health.

What's in it for you, the household cook? 

Many cases of food borne illness occur at home, so I will pass on to you a few points that still apply in a household kitchen:

#1. Wash hands often - Nothing matters more than this. Wash hands before starting dinner, and before and after handling meat and fish. Dry your hands with paper towels, never on your apron or a dishtowel.

#2. Keep surfaces clean and dry - That includes your counter top, and especially your cutting board. If someone in your house has a weakened immune system, use a sanitizing spray.

#3. Chill items promptly - wrap leftovers and refrigerate them soon. Don't overload your refrigerator. If butter kept in your refrigerator is not very firm when you pinch it, your refrigerator is not cold enough (it should be at 41°F. or less). Discard most leftovers after 3 or 4 days.

#4. Cook poultry and stuffing separately

#5. Watch the dates on your food purchases

#6. When in doubt, throw it out

RECIPE

BÛCHE DE NOËL (Christmas Yule Log)

This year, you can make this fancy French Christmas cake. It is a roll cake with a filling and a frosting which makes it look like a log. There are many different recipes. Mine is a bit time consuming but not tricky. Good luck.

Chocolate Roll 

Preheat oven to 375°F. Position rack in center of oven.
Line (with foil or wax paper) and butter a jelly roll pan (15 1/2" x 10 1/2").
Combine cocoa powder, flour, baking powder soda and salt. Sift if lumpy.
Beat egg whites in a bowl to a soft shape. Add the 1/2 cup sugar and beat until firm but not dry.
With the same unwashed beaters, beat yolks with the 1/3 cup sugar in another bowl for 2 minutes then add the dry ingredients in three additions alternating with the water in two additions.
Fold the whites gently in the chocolate batter with a large rubber spatula.
Pour into the prepared pan and smooth into corners.
Bake for 12 to 17 minutes. The cake will be done when you hear a slight crinkling sound and the surface springs back when pressed lightly.
While the cake is beating you will spread a clean towel on your counter and dust it with confectioners sugar using a little strainer.
When the cake is done, place a long side of the pan at the edge of the towel and let the cake and the pan fall upside down on the towel. Remove the pan. Quickly strip the foil or wax paper and roll the cake and the towel the long way.
Transfer the wrapped cake to a cooling rack and let cool completely. The hard part is done.

Buttercream

2 sticks unsalted butter, cut up and not too cold
  1 egg
  6 tablespoons sugar
  1/4 cup light corn syrup
  2 oz semi sweet chocolate (=1/3 cup Nestlé chips)
  2 tablespoons Grand Marnier (or strong espresso, or raspberry purée)

Melt chocolate in a double boiler. Cool but don't harden again.
Beat the egg very well in a bowl. Keep beaters handy.
Combine sugar and syrup in a small saucepan and bring to a full boil. As soon as the mixture is boiling well, lift the pan, turn the mixer back on and pour the boiling syrup slowly on the egg while beating. Don't burn yourself. Keep beating for several minutes until mixture is not hot anymore.
Slowly incorporate little butter cubes while beating. When all the butter is in, your buttercream will suddenly "catch" and thicken. If it doesn't happen, chill it for a minute in the freezer and beat again.
Keep half or a bit less of the buttercream in a bowl and combine with the Grand Marnier or any other flavor of your choice. Combine the other half or a bit more with the cooled chocolate.
Place the cake on its "back" and gently unwrap the towel.  Without opening it too much, fill the inside with the NON-CHOCOLATE buttercream. Don't worry about peeling or cracks. Chill in the freezer ten minutes.
Place the cake with the opening at the bottom on a platter. Cover the cake and the edges with the chocolate buttercream as smoothly as possible. 
Now, with the back of the tines of a fork, make a woodgrain pattern. That's the fun part.
Chill for at least one hour before serving. Decorate with bows or meringue mushrooms or Christmas greens. Slice with a hot, wet knife.