A BUCHE DE NOEL -- FRENCH YULE LOG CAKE

      Title: A BUCHE DE NOEL   --   FRENCH YULE LOG CAKE
  Categories: Xmas, Holidays, Cakes, French
       Yield: 10 Servings
  
            This file completes the
            .  directions.
  
   **  THE FILLING AND FROSTING  **
   
   Beat the smoothly melted chocolate into the meringue, along with the
   vanilla, rum, and soft butter. Remove two-thirds of the mixture to a
   bowl and refrigerate; this is the frosting. Beat the additional half
   stick of soft butter into the remaining meringue this is the filling.
   
   **  FILLING THE CAKE  **
   
   Unroll the sponge sheet and slice a quarter inch off the long sides
   so that the cake will roll easily. Spread the filling over the top of
   the sheet. Roll it up from one of the small ends and you have made
   the log shape. Neatly slice a narrow slanting piece from each end of
   the log. With a small knife dig a hole in an upper side of the log
   and insert a piece of the scrap to simulate a bump or a branch. Place
   the log seam-side down on the serving board and slip double sheets of
   wax paper under the edge of each side and the two ends-to catch
   frosting spills.
   
   **  FROSTING THE LOG  **
   
   Beat 2 or more spoonfuls of sifted cocoa into the frosting mixture to
   make it a spreadable consistency. (Reserve 2 spoonfuls of frosting
   for the mushrooms.) Leaving the two ends free, frost the cake using a
   flexible metal spatula, then scumble it with the spatula and a fork
   to give it a rough barklike look.
   
   ** Ahead-of-time note: Refrigerate the log if you are not contin-
   uing; it will keep nicely for a day-if you can find a non-mashing
   cover for it.
   
   **  FINAL DECORATIONS, JUST BEFORE SERVING  **
   
   The mushrooms. With a small knife, pierce a hole in the bottom of each
   meringue mushroom cap, insert a bit of the frosting (or softened
   butter) into the hole and then the pointed end of a meringue stem.
   Arrange the mushrooms in tasteful clusters upon the log and sprinkle
   the log with a dusting of confectioner's sugar to give a snowy
   effect. Dust the tops of the mushrooms with cocoa powder tapped from
   the sieve.
   
   The caramel veil. Bring the sugar to the simmer with the corn syrup
   and one-third cup water in a small saucepan; when the mixture is
   completely dissolved and clear, cover tightly and boil to the caramel
   stage. Let it cool two to three minutes, until it forms thick strands
   when lifted with a fork. Then dip the fork into the syrup and wave it
   over the broomstick, to form long hanging threads of caramel.
   
   The finale. Lift the caramel strands off the broomstick; drape them
   over the yule log. Decorate the serving board with sprigs of holly if
   you wish, and the buche de Noel is ready to serve.
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