Daring Bakers: French Yule Log

Another Challenge with the DBer's: French Yule Log

To say that this month's recipe was "Daring" is putting it lightly. When I printed it out, in 10 pt. font, it was 12 pages long. I must have looked at the pages a trillion times before I could even come up with a preliminary game plan.

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.

This Buche is quite different than your typical jelly roll. It has elements people. 6 of them. So think of this one recipe as 6 or 7 recipes in one. The elements are:

1. Dacquoise Biscuit (or almond cake)

2. Dark chocolate mousse

3. Dark chocolate ganache insert ( I chose to do a cinnamon-chocolate ganache)

4. Praline Feuillete (crisp) insert (I had to make my own praline paste)

Here is a pic of the praline paste before pulverizing

And After

Here is the final crisp. I ended up using corn flakes. And let me tell you, it was divine all by itself!

5. Vanilla Creme Brulee insert

This took quite a while to cook. Much longer than the 1 hour the recipe states. I think my water bath might not have been hot enough.

6. Dark Chocolate icing

This was by far the most challenging recipe I have made with the DB group. It was a load of fun, although I incurred a lot of dirty dishes, a burn, and a cut, but I'm so happy I pressed on despite the difficulties (the gavottes- thin crispy crepes only found in France, which I attmepted to make myself. ugh, I will need to try this again.)

Merci! Hilda and Marion for a truly daring experience!

You can get the entire recipe for FRENCH YULE LOG OR ENTREMETS RECIPE by Flore of Florilège Gourmand here, it is a doosey. : )