Recipe - Caramel-Orange Buche De Noel Part 2

See Part One

FOR CAKE: Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Butter llxl7inch jelly roll pan.
Line with parchment. Butter and flour parchment. Coarsely grind toasted
almonds with flour in processor. Using electric mixer, beat yolks with 5
tablespoons brown sugar in medium bowl until slowly dissolving ribbons form
when beaters are lifted. Stir in orange peel and vanilla extract. Using
clean dry beaters, beat whites with cream of tartar and salt in large bowl
until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 5 tablespoons brown sugar
and beat until stiff but not dry. Fold whites into yolk mixture. Gently
fold in almond mixture.

Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake until toothpick inserted into
center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Run small sharp knife around pan
sides if necessary to loosen cake. Slide cake on parchment onto rack. Cool.

Slide cake on parchment onto work surface. Loosen cake from parchment
using heavy large knife as aid. Sift powdered sugar over cake. Invert onto
cookie sheet. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and invert onto another
parchment sheet. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until
light and fluffy. Beat in Grand Marnier. Add pastry cream One fourth cup at a
time, beating after each addition until just blended.

Spread half of buttercream over cake, leaving 1/2inch border. Starting at
1 long side, roll up cake jelly roll fashion. Arrange seam side down on
parchment. Set aside One half cup buttercream; spread remaining buttercream over
cake. Cut 2 inches off each end of cake, cutting on diagonal. Transfer cake
to platter. Attach ends to top of cake, forming branches. Spread reserved
One half cup buttercream over cake ends and seams. Cover and refrigerate at
least 1 hour to firm buttercream. (Cake can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover
and refrigerate. Let cake stand at room temperature 20 minutes before
serving.)

Arrange pine twigs on cake and on platter. Garnish with cranberries.

Posted to MMRecipes Digest V4 #209 by Polly/Lisa liwo@nb.net on Aug 10,
1997