I make - Gluten Free Bûche de Noël 2021

This is my 2021 version of Bûche. In fact, I tried another recipe first but failed big time so I used my old recipe which is reliable. I've increased the cake body and tinker the frosting. It's pretty good.

Bûche de Noël 2021

For the cake
4 large eggs, whites separated from the yolks
100 g sugar, split into 75 g and 25 g
1/4 tsp cream of tartar powder or vinegar
1 tsp corn starch
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup melted butter (2 tbsps oil next time)
45 g gluten-free flour (I used Asda)
25 g cocoa powder
1/4 tsp xanthan gum 

For the filling
80 g unsalted butter, room temperature
120 g icing sugar, sifted
1/4 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp instant coffee granules dissolved in 1 tbsp hot water
100 g mascarpone cheese
1-2 tbsp rum (optional)

For the frosting
100 g dark chocolate, in chunks
30 g unsalted butter
100 ml whipping or double cream

Preheat the oven at 180C. Grease a large baking tray (mine is 38cm x 26 cm) and line a parchment paper on top. Combine flour, cocoa powder and xanthan gum.

To make the cake, beat egg yolks with 25 g of sugar, salt and vanilla until light and fluffy. Pour in the melted butter and beat again. Sift in flour, cocoa powder and xanthan gum (sifting is important for light sponge). Beat until everything is well combined. The mixture will be thick.

In another bowl, combine egg whites, cornstarch and cream of tartar. Beat for 30 seconds and add 75 sugar in three goes. Whip until hard peak is formed. It may take 3-5 minutes depending on your mixer.

Scoop 1/4 of the whipped egg white into the yolk bowl. Stir vigorously to mix well. Then pour the yolk mixture to the egg white bowl. Fold gently to incorporate the whipped egg white thoroughly.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking tray and spread evenly with an offset spatula. Bake at 180C for 10 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean. High heat is necessary to set the sponge. 160C creates a sponge too soft to roll.

Remove from the oven. Dust icing sugar on top of the cake (no need to let it cool), then line a large piece of baking parchment on top with excess on both short ends. Put on your oven gloves and flip the tray upside down onto the bench top. Peel away carefully the baking parchment (the one used for baking in the oven) from the cake. Make pleats (fold a few times) on one short end of the baking parchment on the bottom (the one you put on after baking) up until the edge of the cake. Then start rolling the cake with the parchment in. The pleats serve a role to encourage the roulade shape. Leave the rolled cake on the side to cool for 30 minutes.

During this time, make the filling by beating the butter and half of the icing sugar until well incorporated. Add the rest of icing sugar, vanilla, salt and coffee. Stir to combine. Beat in mascarpone cheese until light and fluffy. If the mixture is too thick, add dash of milk. If using alcohol, beat in the rum now. Chill the filling before using.

When the cake is completely cooled, unroll the cake and spread the coffee filling on top. Smooth over evenly to the cake roll and start making the swiss roll shape with the help of the bottom parchment paper. When the rolling is done, chill the rolled cake before frosting.

To prepare the frosting, heat the cream on low heat until small bubbles arise from the sides. Put in chopped chocolate and butter so that they melt in the warm cream. When everything is melted, let the mixture cool to room temperature. Whip the cooled chocolate ganache for a couple of minutes before icing. Decorate as desired.

Tasting note: the thickness of the sponge is good but I may sub oil for butter next time. Butter makes the sponge a bit hard after storing in the cold.