DB: Yule Log

Yes, yes, I got ‘er done. But my only picture is on my cell phone. My cell phone is in the room Im staying in at my Gram’s house for the holidays. And my kids are currently asleep in that room. So… I will get a picture up, but it will be tomorrow.

My step-Mom, Chris, helped me with this months challenge. Letting me trash her kitchen in the process. LOVE YOU CHRIS! I had the best time!!! The recipe was fairly easy. I chose to do the meringue mushrooms. Which piped out in various shapes. The stems never really “stood” up. But I made the best of it. And we left them in the oven too long, so some of the tops cracked on top. Bygones. They looked cute.

The cake came together easily. And the only issue was when in the oven, it seemed like it was cooking unevenly. One side wasnt rising. And the rest was REALLY rising. But when we took it out, it deflated and it evened out. Good times.

Okay, the last part. The buttercream. Ugh. I was paranoid about that from the start. I have never had an egg based buttercream work out. And I had all but given up on them. But here I was having to make one again. I cooked the eggs/sugar. When I thought it was done, I started to beat it and added the butter very slowly, waiting for it to totally incorporate before adding more. When it didnt break, and all the butter had been added, I felt victorious. However, the consistency was way too runny. Bad times. Okay, off to the “help” files on DB for the post by Tartelette. Runny buttercram solution= Put in the fridge, let cool down totally and rebeat. Okay, I can do that. I kept checking the buttercream in the fridge and now it looked curdled. DAMN! But, when I thought it was cool enough, I took it out and rebeat it. It came out PERFECT! WAHOO! And it tasted oh so good. Better than good. It would be hella good on a chocolate cake. Mmmm.

I quickly slapped the log together and ta-da! Done! I was under the gun, not only because I did this challenge TODAY, but I kept getting txt msgs that I needed to get back to mt Gram’s because my kids were going bonkers.

Im glad I did this challenge. The buttercream is divine and I will make it again. The cake, Eh, Not so much.  The mushrooms were cute, but thats about all they were. Good skill to have both for the cake and shrooms.

Thanks DB! Thanks Ivonne and Lisa for picking such a wicked good Christmas themed challenge. And thanks to all the food bloggers to who push me to do better and learn more. Love you guys!

Pictures and links to come. I was down to the wire on this one. xo