Chocolate Gingerbread Yule Log

Categories: Cakes

Ingredients

• 5 eggs, separated
• 3/4 cup cake flour
• 1 to 1 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1 to 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. each ground nutmeg, pepper and salt
• 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 2 Tbsp. canola oil
• 1 Tbsp. grated fresh gingerroot
• 1/8 tsp. cream of tartar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• Baking cocoa
• Filling
• 1 carton (8 oz.) mascarpone cheese
• 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
• 2 Tbsp. heavy whipping cream
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1/3 cup crystallized ginger, dried cranberries or miniature semisweet chocolate chips
• Buttercream
• 2 egg whites
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/8 tsp. salt3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 4 oz. high- quality milk chocolate, melted and cooled

Directions

1. Place egg whites in a large bowl; let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. Line bottom of a greased 15 × 10 × 1-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Grease paper.
4. Sift flour, spices and salt together twice.
5. In a large bowl, beat egg yolks until slightly thickened. Gradually add brown sugar, beating on high speed until thick.

6. beat in molasses, oil and fresh ginger. Fold in flour mixture (batter will be thick).

7. Add cream of tartar to egg whites; with clean beaters, beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, 1 Tablespoon at a time, beating after each addition until sugar is dissolved. Beat on high until stiff, glossy peaks form. using a large whisk, fold a fourth of the whites into batter, then fold in remaining whites. Transfer to prepared pan, spreading evenly.
8. Bake 10-12 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched. Cool 5 minutes. Invert onto a towel dusted with cocoa. Peel off paper.
9. Roll up cake in towel jelly-roll style. (It works starting with short or long side.) Cool completely on a wire rack.
10. For filling, in a owl, mix mascarpone, confectioners’ sigar, cream and salt just until blended; stir in ginger and refrigerate.
11. For buttercream: place egg whites, sugar and salt in a heat-proof bowl; whisk until blended. Place bowl over simmering water in a saucepan over medium heat.

12. Whisking constantly, heat mixture until a thermometer reads 160 degrees, about 2 minutes.

13. Remove from heat. With the whisk attachment of a hand mixer, beat on high speed until stiff glassy peaks form and mixture has cooled, about 5 minutes. Gradually beat in butter, a few tablespoons at a time, on medium speed until smooth. Beat in cooled chocolate.
14. To assemble, unroll cake and remove towel. Spread filling over cake to within 1/4 inch of edges. Roll up, without towel; trim ends. Transfer to a platter. Spread buttercream on cake.
15. Refrigerate cake, loosely covered, until serving. Using a serrated knife, cut cake into slices.

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