Chocolate Leaves For Pistachio Chocolate Buche De Noel Recipes

Steps:

• Make the Meringue Mushrooms:
• Preheat oven to 250°F. Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt in a large bowl until foamy and the yellowish tinge has disappeared, about 2 minutes. With the motor running, add granulated sugar about 1 Tbsp. at a time until mixture is very stiff and shiny, about 5 minutes.
• Transfer meringue to a piping bag fitted with a 1/2" round pastry tip (or a freezer bag with a 1/2" opening cut from one bottom corner). Pipe 12 mounds ranging in size from 1"-1 1/2" in diameter for the mushroom caps on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Pipe 12 cones straight up about 1 1/2" high for the mushroom stems. With a lightly damp finger, tamp down points on rounds. Sprinkle rounds with cocoa powder. Pipe extra tops and stems with remaining meringue as backups.
• Bake meringues until dry and set, about 2 hours. Open oven door 10 minutes to release any steam. Turn oven off, shut door, and let meringues dry out completely, about 2 hours longer or up to overnight.
• When ready to assemble, melt chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl in microwave, stirring every 10 seconds, until melted, about 20 seconds. Using an offset spatula, release meringues from parchment. Using a paring knife, make a small hole in the center of flat side of each mushroom cap. Spread some chocolate on flat side, then stick top of stem into hole. Return to parchment and repeat with remaining tops and stems. Let mushrooms stand at room temperature until chocolate is firm.
• Make the Pistachio Filling:
• Combine pistachios and milk in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until pistachios are very tender, about 20 minutes. Remove and skim off any loose pistachio skins.
• Meanwhile, sprinkle gelatin over 2 Tbsp. water in a small bowl and let stand 5 minutes.
• Transfer pistachio mixture to a food processor and blend until smooth. Return mixture to saucepan and whisk in egg yolks, granulated sugar, and salt. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring, until mixture begins to thicken but do not let boil, 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in gelatin mixture and almond extract. Transfer to a small bowl and let cool.
• Make the Chocolate Buttercream Frosting:
• Whisk egg whites, granulated sugar, and salt in a large heatproof bowl. Set bowl over a pot of simmering water (do not let bowl touch water) and cook, whisking constantly, until mixture becomes fluffy and opaque and you can't feel any grains of sugar when you rub mixture between two fingers, about 5 minutes. Remove bowl from heat.
• Melt chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl in microwave, stirring every 20 seconds, until melted, about 1 minute. Let cool slightly.
• Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat egg white mixture until cool, glossy, and fluffy, about 10 minutes. (A stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment makes this job much easier!) Add butter one piece at a time, beating until fully incorporated before adding the next, until fluffy and smooth, another 4 minutes. If mixture looks curdled, switch to the paddle attachment and/or apply a little bit of heat to underside of bowl with a washcloth dipped in hot water and continue to beat until smooth. Beat in chocolate and vanilla extract until combined.
• Do Ahead: Frosting can be made 3 days ahead. Transfer to an airtight container and chill. Bring to room temperature and beat to desired consistency.
• Make the Cardamom Sponge Cake and Brandy Syrup:
• Place a rack in center of oven; preheat to 375°F. Grease an 18x13" rimmed baking sheet with oil. Line with parchment paper and grease parchment.
• Using electric mixer on high speed, beat egg yolks and 1/4 cup water in a large bowl until doubled in size and thick and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the motor running, gradually add 1 cup granulated sugar, a little at a time, until mixture is very thick. Beat in vanilla.
• Sift flour, baking powder, salt, and 1/4 tsp. cardamom over egg yolk mixture and fold gently to combine (it will be very thick).
• Using electric mixer on high speed, beat egg whites and cream of tartar in another clean large bowl until foamy and the yellowish tinge has disappeared, about 1 minute. Beat in 1/2 cup granulated sugar, about 1 Tbsp. at a time, until shiny, medium stiff peaks form. Fold about one-quarter of egg white mixture into egg yolk mixture to loosen. Fold remaining egg white mixture into egg yolk mixture until combined.
• Transfer batter to prepared pan; smooth top. Bake cake until puffed and set and springs back when gently poked in the center, 15-20 minutes. Transfer cake to a wire rack and let cool 5 minutes.
• Set a clean dish towel on a work surface and dust completely with powdered sugar. Cut around edges of cake with a sharp paring knife. Invert cake onto prepared towel; remove parchment. Without squishing the cake and starting on long side, gently roll up cake in towel. Transfer cake to a wire rack and let cool completely.
• While cake cools, make the brandy syrup. Cook remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 1/4 tsp. cardamom with 2 Tbsp. water in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in brandy. Let cool.
• Make the Chocolate Bark and Assemble:
• Melt chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl in microwave, stirring every 20 seconds, until melted, about 1 minute. Using an offset spatula, spread melted chocolate across a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Sift cocoa over and freeze bark until solid, about 10 minutes.
• Gently unroll cake. With a pastry brush, evenly brush with brandy syrup until all syrup is absorbed. Spread filling evenly over cake and roll it back up without towel.
• Transfer to a platter. Trim ends. Cut off about 3" from both ends on a diagonal. Place angled side of each small piece against roll to create branches, positioning one on top and the other on the side, using a large dab of frosting to adhere. Cover any exposed cake on sides with more frosting.
• Break chocolate bark into long shards and press into cake in a decorative pattern. Top and surround cake with meringue mushrooms. Use pistachios to create "moss" on and around log. Dust with powdered sugar.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a 10x15 inch jellyroll pan with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whip cream, 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, 1/2 cup cocoa, and 1 teaspoon vanilla until thick and stiff. Refrigerate.
• In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat egg yolks with 1/2 cup sugar until thick and pale. Blend in 1/3 cup cocoa, 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla, and salt. In large glass bowl, using clean beaters, whip egg whites to soft peaks. Gradually add 1/4 cup sugar, and beat until whites form stiff peaks. Immediately fold the yolk mixture into the whites. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
• Bake for 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the cake springs back when lightly touched. Dust a clean dishtowel with confectioners' sugar. Run a knife around the edge of the pan, and turn the warm cake out onto the towel. Remove and discard parchment paper. Starting at the short edge of the cake, roll the cake up with the towel. Cool for 30 minutes.
• Unroll the cake, and spread the filling to within 1 inch of the edge. Roll the cake up with the filling inside. Place seam side down onto a serving plate, and refrigerate until serving. Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving.

Steps:

• Gently clean the leaves with a damp paper towel. Let dry on a baking sheet.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. Heat 4 ounces chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water until chocolate registers 118 degrees on a candy thermometer. Remove bowl from heat; add remaining 2 ounces chocolate, and stir with a rubber spatula (avoid using a wooden spoon which can impart other flavors) until chocolate cools to 84 degrees. Remove any unmelted pieces; discard, and return bowl to pan. Stir until chocolate reaches 88 degrees to 90 degrees.
• Using a pastry brush, paint veiny undersides of leaves generously with chocolate, covering entire surface. Place leaves, chocolate side up, on lined sheet; refrigerate until chocolate is firm, about 10 minutes.
• Starting from stem ends, carefully peel leaves from chocolate; discard the leaves. Transfer chocolate leaves to a parchment-lined baking sheet; refrigerate until ready to use.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 12-by-17-inch rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. Line with parchment paper; spray paper. Into a small bowl, sift flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, whisk yolks and half the sugar until thick and pale. Beat in vanilla. In a clean bowl, beat egg whites, with clean whisk, until soft peaks form. Slowly add remaining sugar; beat until stiff (but not dry) peaks form. Fold egg whites into yolk mixture in three batches; add flour mixture with last batch.
• Spread batter evenly on prepared baking sheet. Bake until cake springs back to touch, 15 to 20 minutes. Run a small, sharp knive around edges to loosen, and invert cake onto clean kitchen towel dusted with cocoa powder. Peel off parchment paper. starting at a short side, roll into a log, incorporating towel. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool, about 1 hour.
• Unroll cake; spread ice cream evenly over top, leaving 1/2-inch border on all sides. Reroll (without towel). Arrange, seam side down, on parchment-lined baking sheet; freeze until ice cream is firm, at least 1 hour. Run a serrated knife under hot water and pat dry. Trim ends of log as desired.
• Wrap log in chocolate wood-grain: Tuck one end of chocolate-coated acetate under cake while lifting other end up and over cake (chocolate side should be facing cake), being careful not to let chocolate touch the cake until the sheet is ready to be tucked under at other side. Place, seam side down, on an inverted baking sheet, and return to freezer. Let stand until the chocolate has hardened, about 10 minutes.
• When ready to serve, remove cake from freezer. Carefully peel acetate from cake; gently break off ends of chocolate wrapping to line up with ends of cake. Garnish with chocolate leaves, if desired.