Buche de Noel

Components:

1- Sponge Roll recipe
1- Pastry Cream recipe
1- Chocolate whipped cream recipe

Procedure:

1. Bake the sponge roll as directed. Cut in half width wise! Brush with simple sugar.
2. Spread both layers with the chilled pastry cream. Starting with the long end, roll-up the cake very tightly and chill for 1 hour. see pictures #1 & 2
3. Create the stump on top of the log, by cutting a 3" section of the roll at a 45 degree angle. Attach this with two toothpicks. see picture #3
4. Create the illusion of tree rings at the ends of the yule log by piping spirals of vanilla and chocolate buttercream.
5. Prepare a pastry bag with a #5 star tip, and fill with the chocolate whipped cream. Pipe the icing onto the yule log.
6. Decorate with chocolate cutouts and meringue mushrooms. Dust lightly with cocoa powder and powdered sugar. see picture #4