Daring Bakers December Challenge: Chocolate Cinnamon Yule Log, better known as my Christmas ChocolateComa

I could hardly wait to find out what our December Challenge would be for the Daring Bakers. Christmas is my favourite time of year, and I am all for putting in the effort for a  great holiday dessert, so I was geared up for a complicated, long recipe that would turn out some fabulous feast.  However I was shocked when it was announced:  The Challenge this Month is - a French Yule Log!

Huh?

There is more than one kind of yule log?  Something other than the rolled-up, larger than life Ho-Ho we generally call a yule log here in the States?  Oh yes, there is!  This is more like an ice cream cake, with layers of goodness surrounded by a mousse covered in chocolate.  Our challenge, hosted by Hilda of Saffron and Blueberry and Marion of Il en Faut Peu Pour Etre Hereux, needed to have six elements: a dacquoise layer, a mousse layer, a creme brulee layer, a praline crisp layer, a ganache layer, and an icing layer.   That was a little intimidating to say the least!  But when you broke it down into the individual elements, it wasn't so bad.  All the elements are assembled with the icing topping it all off, so when you cut into it there is a really nice effect.  This being my first attempt at a yule log I decided to keep it simple - a chocolate hazelnut dacquoise, chocolate mousse, dark chocolate ganache, a cinnamon creme brulee, and used Special K in the praline crisp.  It was topped off with a Cinnamon chocolate icing.  

I have mentioned before that I do not own a food processor, a stand mixer, or even a hand mixer.  Even now that I am living at my parents I often do not use their hand mixer or food processor - if it was fine for my grams without one, it would be fine for me was my thinking.  Well... lets say that I have altered my opinion on this one!   Mom's handmixer was the same one she received as a wedding present in 1969.  For 39 years it did the job (that gives you a sense of how often mom bakes).  Earlier in the month I burned out the motor making Christmas cookies for my sister's cookie swap so I knew I needed to go at this one on my own.  After making the dacquoise layer and attempting the mousse my arm gave out and I gave up... and ran to Target for a new mixer.  The eggs just wouldn't beat enough with my limited arm strength and I had to start over.   I also had some trouble with the creme brulee setting even though it baked for a LONG time.  Finally that was frozen knowing it was less than scrumptious but ready to move on.   I have a feeling it might be better the next time I try making this, now that I am familiar with all the steps.  The basic recipe for a French-style yule log by Flore of Florilege Gourmand is translated splendidly here.

During Assembly:  Putting it all together in the metal pipe of some sort that Dad spent two days sourcing.  (Completely DIY - note the duct tape to protect my fingers from the jagged edges!  He didn't want to spend the $14.95 to buy the PVC pipe, I knew I could never tell him the mold from Sur La Table was $41.00!  After everything was in the pipe I trimmed the edges so there would be every element in every slice.

The layers looking pretty!  Boy was this rich, next time I think a little lightening up is in order, or a little more creativity on my part.

New Year's Resolution - to put more time and thought into these challenges, including the presentation.  I am so inspired by the work of my fellow DBers I look forwards to stepping things up a bit!

Happy New Year all,

Amy