When is a Birch Tree Not a Tree? - When it's a Bûche... de Noël that is.

OK, we are finally at the finish... 5 previous posts and 98 pictures later.... Whew!!!!!

Normally I make this for Christmas Dinner, but things have been so crazy this year that it was delayed. Not to mention there were PLENTY of treats and sweets floating around at Christmas time. So this was moved to the celebration of the New Calendar Year. And why not, it has been snowing outside off and on since the 29th so it's quite fitting in it's frosty appeal.

Granted, there are no mushrooms "blooming" right now and Birch trees are very seldom, if ever, found in Fir forests.... at least not here in the Pacific Northwest. But hey, it's a cake and its delectable and festive. I don't think anyone is gonna bother calling me on it, cause their mouths are either full of meringue mushrooms, or big bites of rum laced chocolate genoise-esque cake filled with white chocolate mousse... ;) Yeah, it does sound good doesn't it?

I cannot take all the credit for this Bûche de Noël. I had originally seen this in a Martha Stewart magazine back in 2001... Normally I resist being a Martha zombie, (Cause I REALLY don't know where the heck she finds the time for all these projects she does) but I did purchase the magazine, because I had always wanted to make a Bûche for Yule. There are a lot of steps and it takes a little planning, but it was such a success that it has become a traditional Christmas favorite. I have made one every year since then. Well, except for last year (Christmas '08) due to my traveling fiasco and lack of time. I leave out the accompanying Almond truffles that the recipe originally called for though... I think it's a little too much... ;) HA HA

So let's get the ball, or rather, log rollin by revisiting a recipe from the past.... 7 Minute Frosting... Cause in all honesty, what could POSSIBLY be better than a White Chocolate Mouse filled Rum soaked Chocolate Log covered in 7 Minute Marshmallow-y goodness? Yeah, I got nothin.

7 Minute Frosting

1/2 Cup plus 4 tsp Granulated Sugar; Divided
2 tsp light corn syrup
4 tsp TB water
2 Large Egg Whites
1/8 tsp Cream of Tarter
1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract

In a small saucepan, combine 1/2 cup Sugar, Corn Syrup and Water and boil over low heat and cook until they syrup reaches 232 degrees.

Meanwhile, in a grease free bowl, begin whisking or beating the Egg Whites with the Cream of Tartar until soft peaks form; then sprinkle in the remaining 4 tsp Sugar while continuing to beat until firm peaks form (this take about 3 minutes) then mix or fold in the vanilla.

Remove the syrup from the flame

and slowly pour it into the meringue, in a steady stream while continuing to beat the meringue on medium speed; being careful not to hit the whisk or beater with the syrup cause it will fling little shards of sugar into your frosting.

Once the syrup is completely added (do not scrape the pan) continue beating until the meringue (frosting) cools down; somewhere between 5 - 10 minutes (7 Minutes on average).

The frosting should be thick and shiny, very Marshmallow-y.

Bûche de Noël Assembly

Remove the Bûche from refrigerator, unwrap it and trim the ends of the roll, with a serrated knife, cutting on the bias. (I cut one side smaller than the other)

Place the larger cut piece, cut-side up, on the log, to form a branch.

If desired, use the other cut end for a second branch. (personally, I look at it as a treat for the chef... So I eat it while I am decorating.... One delicious bite after another)

Transfer the log to a serving platter and slide strips of folded waxed paper under the log to protect the cake plate from the 7 minute frosting, cause it's REALLY gooey and will make a big mess.

Coat with Seven Minute Frosting using an offset spatula, working back and forth to create more of a Birch bark texture.

(After this the cake can no longer be refrigerated due to the high humidity)

Carefully remove the waxed paper.

Decorate with the Coconut Shavings to simulate birch bark.

Add Sugared Rosemary Sprigs to represent fallen fir boughs.

Place Meringue Mushrooms here and there for that forest floor look.

If you like, dust the whole ensemble lightly with confectioners' sugar for freshly fallen snow.

Pretty darned cool lookin, huh? :)


Mangia!!
~~

I've Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconut

Well, I really only have one, but by the time I get done 'processing' it, it will be plenty....

Have you ever wondered where coconut comes from, aside from the blue bag. ;) This is my meager attempt at step by step instructions for processing your own Coconut, so we no longer have to depend on "Baker's" (which is sweetened) or, more recently, "Mounds" coconut (which is also sweetened)....

Which I don't fully understand, cause coconut is sweet enough already (just like me - har har ) and really doesn't need any added sugar.

So grab a coconut and follow me.... :)

Heat oven to 350°.
Poke a whole in the soft eye (one is softer than the other 2)

Drain out all that delicious coconut water and save it. (You can even freeze it)

I drained out over 1 cup of juice from my coconut. (that's a lot, in coconut terms, considering it wasn't that big) Still had plenty of meat in it though.

I strained it and gave it to my dad (cause he LOVES coconut water) It's an extremely nutritious and refreshing drink. 1 cup of coconut water contains more potassium than a banana and more electrolytes than those nasty high-fructose corn syrup ridden "Sports" drinks.

Wrap coconut in a kitchen towel, and place in oven for 20 minutes.

Remove from oven, and place on a work surface until cool enough to handle.
Reduce oven to 225° because you are going to want to dry some of the resulting coconut shavings.
Hold the coconut in your hand, and tap with a hammer, around the middle, until it cracks in a line all around the middle; separate into halves.

The white flesh should be slightly pulling away from the hard shell.

Separate it, keeping pieces of coconut as large as possible. (I had a whole half separate and pop out of the shell this time, the other half came out in 3 pieces)
(I use a pie server to slip into the space where the meat separated; use a side to side twisting motion to "pop" the meat completely free of the shell)

Using a vegetable peeler, shave the largest pieces of coconut into long curls,

Place on a baking sheet and move to the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until just dry.

Grate the smaller pieces on the small holes of a box grater.

Package in a Zip Loc bag until ready to use (your gonna need at least 1/2 cup)

Place any remaining coconut that you do not wish to process right now, in a freezer bag and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Let the shaved coconut cool after removing from the oven and place in a Zip-Loc baggie as well. (this will be for decor purposes)

Mangia!!
~~