Yule Log Cake

Buttercream:
14 oz. bittersweet or semi sweet chocolate
4 egg yolks
1 1/2 C confectioners sugar
3/4 lb. softened unsalted butter
1 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. instant coffee (espresso is nice)
1 tsp. boiling water

Sponge Cake
14 tbsp. softened butter
1 cup plus 3 tbsp. cake flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup sugar 
3 eggs

Meringue Mushrooms (recipe follows)
2 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
cocoa powder
confectioners sugar

For the buttercream, chop the chocolate into small pieces and put them into a heatproof
bowl.  Melt in the microwave on 30 percent power in 30 seconds shots until melted. Stir
until smooth. Allow to cool to room temperature.
Put the egg yolks and the sugar in the a medium bowl and mix with an electric mixer
until very pale - about 3 minutes. Add the butter, a tbsp. at a time. and beat well after
each addition. Beat about five minutes longer. Remove half the buttercream to a
separate bowl and stir the melted chcolate into one batch of the buttercream. Dissolve
the instant coffee in the boiling water and stir in the vanilla. Add to the other
buttercream. Can cover and refrigerate for 48 hours if need be.

For the sponge cake, coat a 5x10 nch jelly roll pan with 1 tgbps. butter and line it with
parchment paper or wax paper. Butter the paper and set aside. Sift the flour with the
baking powder and salt. Beat the remaining butter and the sugar in a medium bowl with
an electric mixer until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at  a time, beating well after each
addition. Add the flour mixture and beat about 3 minutes. Adjust the oven rack to the
middle position and heat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Evenly spread the batter
in the pan and bake until the cake layer is lightly browned and springy -- about ten
minutes. Remove from heat. Run a small knife along the rim of the cake to loosen it.
Flip the cake gently onto a linen towel that has been dusted with confectioners sugar.
Carefully peel away the paper.  Trim off the crisp brown edges (handy to feed these to a
nearby child). Flip the cake again onto another linen towel that has been dusted with
confectioners sugar and take away the first towel. Fold the bottom edge of the towel up
over the cake and tightly roll the cake. Set aside rolled up on a wire rack until cake cools.
This takes about thirty minutes.

If you have your buttercream refrigerated, bring to to room temperature at this point
and stir untilsmooth. Set aside 1/2 cup of the coffee buttercream. Unroll the cake and
spread with the remaining coffee buttercream Roll it back up tighlty. Cut a diagonal slice
from one end of the cake - about 1 1/4 inch long at its longest point. Reserve slice and sit
the cake seam side down on the serving dish. Edge it with wax paper in order not to
mess up the plate while icing the log. Set the reserved slice on top of the "log" so it
protrudes like a stump off the main log. Spread the ends of the log and the end of the
stump with the coffee buttercream. Then frost the rest of the log and sides of the stump
with the chocolate buttercream (stripe with fork tines to appear like bark). If desired,
pipe rings on the light ends of the log with the chocolate buttercream. You may get as
fancy as you please here, and if you have a hand for decorated, pipe on green vines and
leaves if desired. Make the meringue mushrooms and sit on the log and around it. Dust
whole thing with powdered sugar if desired for snow. Arrange sprigs of holly, or
whatever you choose around the log on the serving tray. Use as a centerpiece and an
elegant dessert.