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1
Place cooled hazelnuts on a kitchen towel and rub together to remove skins.
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2
Place the skinned hazelnuts in a food processor fitted with a steel blade.
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3
Process for l minute.
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4
Add the hazelnut oil through the feeder tube and process until a paste forms.
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5
Melt chocolate in a medium bowl placed over simmering water, or melt in a microwave oven.
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6
Add the melted chocolate to the hazelnut paste and set aside.
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7
Whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form.
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8
Fold in the hazelnut/chocolate mixture.
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9
Keep covered in the refrigerator until needed.
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10
To assemble the cake roll:
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11
Trim the edges of the sponge cake.
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12
Place the Hazelnut mousse on the cake layer.
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13
Spread the mixture evenly over the cake, leaving a l inch space along the long side.
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14
Using the parchment paper to aid you, carefully roll up the cake into a thick log, enclosing the mousse.
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15
Leave the wrapped, rolled-up cake on the sheet pan and refrigerate until filling is firm, at least 2 hours.
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16
Melt the chocolate.
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17
In a small pot, heat the coffee and cocoa.
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18
Add the sour cream.
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19
In the bowl of a mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and creamy.
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20
Add the chocolate mixture and combine completely.
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21
Transfer to a medium bowl and set aside until of spreading consistency.
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22
Preheat oven to 200 degrees.
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23
Line l or 2 baking trays with parchment paper and set aside.
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24
Fit a large pastry bag with a #4 or #5 plain tip and set aside.
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25
Beat the egg whites on medium speed until frothy.
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26
Turn speed to high, slowly pour in half the sugar, add vanilla and continue to beat for l minute.
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27
Slowly pour in the remaining sugar and beat until the whites are very thick and shiny, about 3 to 4 minutes longer.
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28
Immediately spoon half the mixture into the prepared pastry bag.
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29
(Meringue will begin to break down if not used soon after it is ready.)
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30
Hold the pastry bag upright over the prepared baking trays, squeeze out 26 to 30 mushroom caps, making different sizes, placed about l inch apart.
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31
The caps can be different sizes, since real mushroom caps are never identical.
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32
Again, holding the bag upright over the other tray, lifting the bag as you squeeze out the meringue, form 26 to 30 stems, each l/2 inch to l inch high, placed about l inch apart.
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33
Place the trays in the oven and bake until the meringues are firm to the touch and can be lifted easily from the trays, about l l/2 hours.
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34
The meringues should be dry, but should not take on any color.
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35
Remove the trays to a cool dry spot.
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36
When cool, with a small knife, trim any pointed tips on the caps and stems, if desired.
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37
Melt the chocolate in a small bowl, and holding the caps upside down, spread a little chocolate on each one.
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38
Attach a stem and leave them upside down until the chocolate hardens.
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39
When ready, turn mushroom cap side up, and dust lightly with sifted cocoa.
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40
Set aside until ready to use for decoration.
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41
To decorate and serve:
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42
Remove pan with cake from refrigerator and place wrapped cake on a firm surface.
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43
Carefully unwrap cake.
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44
Using a serrated knife, from one end cut a 2-inch piece of cake on the diagonal.
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45
Set the cut piece aside.
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46
Cut out a piece of cardboard the length and width of the cake.
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47
Cover the cardboard with foil and place the cake on it.
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48
Spread a little frosting on the bottom of the small cut piece and set on top of the cake roll.
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49
Using a small spatula, spread the frosting over the entire cake as well as the small piece atop the cake.
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50
With a wooden skewer or the point of a small knife, make furrows to simulate bark along the sides and top of the cake.
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51
Arrange Christmas greens, plastic holly, and Meringue Mushrooms around the Yule Log.
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52
Sift powdered sugar over the whole thing to simulate snow.
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53
Fresh cranberries can be scattered around for added color.
