Happy Birthday Yule Log

I am really doing more than just baking - although today it feels like that's all I've been doing.  Baking and visiting. But.... yesterday I ran.  I wanted to bail - it was really cold outside.  It was minus14 with the wind chill.  A bunch of runners from my group were doing a 10k route that I've ran a bazillion times and is not my favourite.  And another smaller group was going around 15k.  I ended up running with the 15k group.  The first 5k of the run I ran on my own, and the rest I ran with Mike and Bob.  It was fun, we chatted about running (ironic) and Mike talked about all the different races he's ran.  It didn't feel like an hour plus long run.

Today I baked a yule log for my mother-in-law's birthday.  I named it a Birthday Log.  I combined a recipe for the cake with my own recipes and it turned out amazing if I can toot my own horn.  I didn't get a really good picture of this cake before everyone arrived, but take my word for it - it was delicious.  This cake is really really rich so make sure you have lots of people around to help you eat it.

Birthday Yule Log

Cake - inspired by Joy the Baker

Ingredients

4 oz semi sweet chocolate, chopped fine
6 large eggs, separated
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
pinch of salt

Melt the chocolate in the microwave.  Stirring every 30 seconds until smooth, making sure chocolate doesn't burn.

Beat egg yolks with sugar until light yellow and they form a ribbon like texture - about 5-7 minutes.  Stir in melted chocolate.  Beat egg whites with remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar and salt until stiff peaks form.  Fold chocolate mixture into egg whites.  Spread on a parchment lined jelly roll pan and bake at 350 for 15 minutes.  Cover cake with a damp tea towel.

Filling

250 ml (half a package) of cream  cheese softened
3/4 cup of icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup of whipping cream - whipped

Beat cream cheese and icing sugar until smooth, stir in vanilla.  Fold in whipping cream until mixture appears uniform.

4 oz semi sweet chocolate, chopped fine
6 large eggs, separated
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
pinch of salt
3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar3 cups of icing sugar
3/4 cup of cocoa powder sifted
1/2 butter softened
1/4 cup coffee

Using electric beaters, whip butter until fluffy, gradually add icing sugar and cocoa powder.  Gradually add coffee until the icing is the desired consistency.

Assembly

Carefully peel cake from parchment paper.  Spread the cream cheese filling evening over the cake.  Roll the cake into a jelly roll from the long side.  Once rolled, place the cake on a serving tray.  Ice the cake making it look like bark on a tree if you would like.  Dust with icing sugar to look like snow.