Julia Child "The Way to Cook"

BUCHE DE NOEL (YULE LOG)

Preparation time: 50 minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Yield: 8 servings

Adapted from "The Way To Cook."

Cake:

3 large eggs, separated

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup plus 1/4 cup cake flour, sifted

3 tablespoons butter, melted, cooled

Confectioners' sugar

Frosting/filling:

2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted

1 tablespoon instant espresso coffee powder

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Confectioners' sugar

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. For cake, beat egg yolks in bowl of electric mixer, 1 minute. Gradually add 1/2 cup of the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, with motor running, until mixture thickens, turns pale yellow and forms a ribbon off beaters, about 3 minutes. Beat in vanilla.

2. Beat egg whites in separate bowl until foamy. Add cream of tartar and salt; beat until soft peaks form. Beat in remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form.


3. Stir 1/4 of whites into yolk mixture to lighten mixture. Fold in 1/3 of remaining whites until combined; fold in 1/4 cup of the flour. Continue adding, alternating egg whites and flour, ending with flour. Fold in cooled butter.

4. Grease jellyroll pan, line with wax paper and grease wax paper. Pour batter into pan. Bang pan against counter once to remove air pockets. Bake until lightly colored and top is springy to the touch, about 10 minutes.

5. Sprinkle cake with confectioners' sugar. Immediately turn out onto damp kitchen towel lined with wax paper. Remove wax paper from bottom of cake; sprinkle bottom side of cake with confectioners' sugar. Cut 1/4 inch of the cake off edges. Roll up unfrosted cake in wax paper-lined towel. Cool completely.

FROSTING:
In a large bowl, whip 2 cups heavy cream, 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, 1/2 cup cocoa, and 1 teaspoon vanilla until thick and stiff. Refrigerate.


6. For frosting, beat confectioners' sugar and butter in bowl of electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add chocolate, coffee powder and vanilla; beat until smooth.

7. Unroll cake; spread with 1/2 of the frosting. Roll cake up; place seam side down on serving plate. Cut 1 diagonal slice off each end, making one larger than the other. Spread diagonal end of each slice with frosting; place on log for "branches." Frost cake and sides of branches with frosting; leave ends unfrosted. Run fork along log to create "bark." Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar for "snow."

New: December 2014

INGREDIENTS:
1.5 pounds Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed and yellow leaves removed
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
0.5 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C).
2. Place trimmed Brussels sprouts, olive oil, kosher salt, and pepper in a large resealable plastic bag. Seal tightly, and shake to coat. Pour onto a baking sheet, and place on center oven rack.
3. Roast in the preheated oven for 30 to 45 minutes, shaking pan every 5 to 7 minutes for even browning. Reduce heat when necessary to prevent burning. Brussels sprouts should be darkest brown, almost black, when done. Adjust seasoning with kosher salt, if necessary. Serve immediately.

Put chicken on vertical roaster.
Smear with butter/herbs de provence/salt/pepper


Sear at 450 ˚F for 15 minutes
Cook at 350 ˚F for 16 minutes per pound (minus 15 initial time)
Finish at 450 ˚F for 10 minutes


4 lb chicken: cook time= (16*4)-15= 49 minutes
5 lb chicken: cook time= (16*5)-15= 65 minutes
6 lb chicken: cook time= (16*6)-15= 81 minutes

Total Time:
13 hr 20 min
Prep:
15 min
Inactive:
12 hr
Cook:
1 hr 5 min
Yield:18 servings
Level:Easy


Ingredients
1 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup corn syrup
1/3 cup salted butter, melted
3 whole eggs, beaten
3/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup finely chopped pecans
1 whole unbaked pie crust
Whipped cream

Whiskey Maple Cream Sauce, recipe follows

Whiskey Maple Cream Sauce:
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
5 tablespoons real maple syrup
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 tablespoon whiskey

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix the white sugar, brown sugar, salt, corn syrup, butter, eggs, and vanilla together in a bowl. Pour the chopped pecans in the bottom of the unbaked pie shell.

Pour the syrup mixture over the top. Bake the pie until it's no longer loose and jiggly, 1 hour 10 minutes, being careful not to burn pecans and crust. (Cover with foil for part of the baking time if it browns too quickly).

Allow to cool for several hours or overnight. Serve in thin slivers with freshly whipped cream. Serve with a drizzle of cold Whiskey Maple Cream Sauce.

Whiskey Maple Cream Sauce:
Pour the whipping cream into a saucepan. Add the maple syrup and corn syrup and stir over moderate heat until thickened and reduced by about 1/3, approximately 15 minutes. Stir in the whiskey. Refrigerate mixture until it is cold and thick. Drizzle over warm pecan pie.
tgiving
 
One day ahead:

Make pecan pie and sauce
Make sweet potato casserole, store uncooked in fridge till tomorrow
Make cranberry sauce

Set the table now so you won't have to worry about it later.

Buy your salad greens and perishable vegetables. Wash lettuce leaves now, dry well, and store by packing them in paper towels in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.
Calculate your cooking time (and cooking order) for tomorrow.
Figure out what can't be cooked along with the turkey in the oven, either in terms of temperature or space. Plan to cook those things before or after the turkey is done, or on the stovetop while it's cooking; better still, make them today.

Thanksgiving Day:

First off:
Prepare stuffing for the turkey (if you're stuffing the turkey) and/or the dressing to cook on the side.
Prepare your vegetables for cooking-clean, peel and chop. Cover the ready-to-go vegetables and put them in the refrigerator. Boil potatoes and mash them; they can be reheated just before serving.
Stuff the turkey and get it in the oven according to the schedule you calculated yesterday.

Then:
After the turkey is in the oven, you should have a little time to relax away from the kitchen.
Just before the turkey's done, begin cooking fresh vegetables, and get anything else that needs to go into the oven ready (stuffing, storebought rolls, etc.)

While the cooked turkey is resting:
Put a foil tent over the turkey. You now have about an hour to do the remaining cooking.
If you have a pan of stuffing/dressing on the side to bake, put it in now.
Warm whatever needs to be warmed, including mashed potatoes, rolls, soups and casseroles.
Make the gravy.
Put all the food on the table or buffet. Don't hesitate to press guests into service to put food in bowls, open wine bottles, fill glasses and dish up the cranberry sauce.
Get a plate and eat! Don't spend the meal running back and forth to the kitchen and end up missing out on the Thanksgiving feast you've created.

Ingredients

 

Directions

Total Time:
2 hr
Prep:
15 min
Cook:
1 hr 45 min
Yield:6 servings
Level:Easy


Ingredients
2 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 3 large), scrubbed
2 large eggs, lightly beaten with a fork
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted plus more for the preparing the pan
2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans


Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Put the sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and pierce each one 2 or 3 times with a fork. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes or until tender. Set aside to cool.

Turn the oven down to 350 degrees F. Scoop the sweet potato out of their skins and into a medium bowl. Discard the skins. Mash the potatoes until smooth. Add the eggs, butter, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and pepper to taste. Whisk the mixture until smooth.

Butter an 8 by 8-inch casserole. Pour the sweet potato mixture into the pan and sprinkle the top with the pecans. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until a bit puffy. Serve immediately.