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Change is inevitable, which may be why people enjoy their holiday traditions so much. (Unless you come from a truly dysfunctional family, in which case I clearly don't know what the hell I'm talking about.)
The funny thing is, traditions change, too. Think about it - do you spend your Christmas Eve now the same way you did as a child?
My immediate family of three has spent Christmas Eve the same way for the past few years, and we'll spend it thus tonight. We'll have dinner with my dad and stepmom, and we'll open our gifts. There will most likely be consumption of Aquavit (a tradition I could do without, but because I love my dad, I don't.)
I am, however, introducing something new to the mix this year.
I made a Bûche de Noël. I have done this before, but not since high school. I found a better recipe (really, if it uses mascarpone, can you really go wrong?
So, talk amongst yourselves, share your holiday traditions - favorite and those you're glad are gone - and join me as this:
becomes this:
Normally I like to talk about how easy the featured dish is. If I did that tonight, I'd be lying. But hey - I haven't diaried in a long time, and it's Christmas Eve. So I did something fancy. I could have gone even fancier, but don't have a pastry bag, or frankly, the patience. So the meringue mushrooms that typically add to the look didn't happen.
First, you make the ganache frosting, ingredients below: 6 oz bittersweet chocolate, 3/4 cup heavy cream, 2 tbsp butter, 1 tbsp cognac.
Heat the cream and butter in the microwave for about a minute to a minute and a half.
Place the chocolate into a food processor fitted with the metal blade. With the machine running, add the cream and butter and then the cognac. Blend for 3 minutes.
Remove to a bowl and let sit at room temperature for at least an hour. It will go from being watery to frosting-like texture during this time.
Next, you make the filling - and OMG, this is soooo much better than the recipe I used in high school which involved instant coffee. The filling is Espresso-Mascarpone Cream, and uses espresso powder, Mascarpone cheese, heavy cream and powdered sugar.
Bring 1/2 cup cream to a simmer over high heat. Remove from heat and stir in espresso powder and powdered sugar. Set aside to cool.
In a medium bowl, work at mascarpone cheese with a spatula until it is soft.
Whisk cooled cream mixture into mascarpone cheese until blended.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
Now for the roulade. Okay, cake, but it's a roulade because you have to roll it.
The method the recipe uses for melting the chocolate seemed a bit extreme to me - it reminded me almost of tempering (except with added ingredients). I don't know that it's necessary to go to these lengths, but to melt the chocolate, bring 2 inches of water to a simmer over medium heat. Combine chocolate, water, and butter in a medium bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap.
Reduce heat to low and place bowl over water. Leave until butter is mostly melted and chocolate pieces have lost their edges.
Stir to combine. It hasn't seized, really.
See? :)
Set aside.
While chocolate is melting, sift 1/4 cup flour, 1/4 cup dutch process cocoa, and 1/8 tsp salt together into small bowl. Set aside.
In stand mixer, mix egg yolks together at medium high speed, about 15 seconds. Add 1/2 of the granulated sugar.
Mix on medium high speed for about 8 minutes, until egg yolks are light yellow and thickened.
Add 1 tsp vanilla and mix at med-high for about 30 seconds. Remove egg mixture to large bowl.
Clean bowl and whisk of stand mixer. Add six egg whites and 1/8 tsp cream of tartar. Mix on medium until frothy - about 30 seconds. Add 1 tsp of remaining sugar and mix another 40 seconds or so until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining sugar and mix until stiff peaks form. (Don't go there. Just don't. I heard it all day at home.)
Add chocolate mixture to egg yolk mixture.
Fold in 1/4 of egg white mixture to lighten. Then fold in remaining egg white mixture until few streaks remain
Sprinkle dry ingredients over top and gently fold in.
Spread batter over jelly roll pan which has been coated with cooking spray and then a sheet of parchment paper, which is also then coated with cooking spray.
Cook in 400 degree oven until center of cake springs back when touched - 8-10 minutes, turning cake halfway through baking time. Cool five minutes on wire rack.
While cake is cooling, spread (clean, please!) dish towel onto a work surface and sift a tablespoon of cocoa over it. Work cocoa in with hands.
Using paring knife, cut around perimeter of cake and then turn out onto towel.
Roll cake up (starting on a long side) into towel. Yes, you will roll the cake and towel together. Let sit for 15 minutes.
Unroll cake and spread cream filling over it.
Re-roll cake. This part is tricky because it's a very thin cake and it will want to break. I have no tricks here, sorry. :)
Place cake seam side down onto parchment paper on a surface where you can frost it. Cut both edges on a diagonal, reserving end pieces to serve as stumps.
Frost cake, using ganache and an offset spatula. (How I ever lived without one of these remains a mystery.)
Use the tines of a fork to create the look of bark.
If you're ambitious, you can make meringue mushrooms to add to the ambiance. I dust with powdered sugar to give the impression of a light snow coating.
Apply to face.
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TOP COMMENTS
From Dragon5616:
happymisanthropy had this hilarious (if x-rated) remark in kos' Saturday hate mail-a-palooza.
From Warren S:
A Top Comment is this analysis of our predicament, by the single most insightful non-diarist on DK, the inimitable Gooserock.
From Missy's Brother:
JupiterSurf has assembled a group of photographs from this past year's Saturday Morning Garden Blog (SMGB) and woven them together to perform a magical story for everyone to enjoy! It's titled Twas the morning before Christmas.
From Mdmslle:
This comment by GussieFN.
From Samer:
dopeman's response on this thread about Trump's new party is so ridiculously obvious that it wins the Internet.
From JanF:
This comment from Thomasina turned out to have a story behind it.
From ozsea1:
This comment by J Orygun.
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Top Mojo for yesterday, first comments and tip jars excluded! Thank you mik!
1) SouthernINDem gave this a shot last night: by andgarden — 75
2) Thank you for taking by Ms Citizen — 74
3) some kinds of business lending by wilderness voice — 64
4) IMHO, the better question is by gulfgal98 — 58
5) There are plenty of people by Ebby — 54
6) I was in New York city last weekend and we by voracious — 53
7) Teh Porch Pooties nestled all snug in their beds, by NormAl1792 — 51
8) That's wonderful work you do by HLGEM 1 — 50
9) I understand your disagreement, but by slinkerwink — 49
10) Thanks For Stopping By by TexDem — 49
11) Whatever happens, voter fraud is now redefined by Dave in Northridge — 48
12) Mojo Friday Wants You 2 Have A Merry Christmas by TexDem — 48
13) And a Merry Christmas to you too. by Dr Erich Bloodaxe RN — 48
14) Beyond brilliant- GENIUS. I've posted before by nils o — 47
15) The Lounge Is Open by TexDem — 47
16) The holidays can be tough, especially for cats! by kerflooey — 46
17) Praying For Peace by TexDem — 46
18) Happee Friedai! by arizonablue — 46
19) Transformer owl by Horace Boothroyd III — 46
20) Exactly why I thought by Laura Clawson — 45
21) We're moving FORWARD by stcroix cheesehead — 44
22) Happee Friedai! by KrazyKitten — 43
23) Let There Be Peace On Earth by TexDem — 43
24) Merry Christmas by TexDem — 43
25) Since you're one of my many by blueoasis — 43
26) How dare you? by Aji — 42
27) It's the starfish principle by Cali Scribe — 42
28) (sniffles) by marykk — 42
29) Or should we be saying that Mrs. Koch by jpmassar — 42
30) Merry Christmas to you too Hedwig.. by ilyana — 42
31) when little elves dream... by kishik — 42
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Top Pictures! Thank you jotter!