Bûche de Noël a la Cafe Creme

Happy Christmas!!

This year, my Christmas log became coffee flavoured.  Happy Christmas everyone. :) 

 Ingredients

For the coffee sponge

• 3 large free-range eggs
• 75g/3oz caster sugar
• 75g/3oz self-raising flour
• 2 teaspoons coffee granules (crushed to powder)

For the coffee butter cream

• 125g unsalted butter
• 200g icing sugar
• 50ml strong espresso coffee

For the topping 

• crushed walnuts

Method 

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Lightly grease a 33x23cm/13x9in Swiss roll tin, and line with non-stick paper or baking parchment, pushing it into the corners.
2. For the sponge, in a large bowl whisk the eggs and sugar using an electric hand whisk until the mixture is pale in colour, light and frothy. Sift the flour and coffee powder into the bowl and carefully cut and fold together, using a spatula, until all the coffee and flour are incorporated into the egg mixture. (Be careful not to beat any of the air out of the mixture).
3. Pour the mixture into the lined tin and spread evenly out into the corners. Bake in the middle of the preheated oven for 8–10 minutes, or until well risen and firm to the touch and the sides are shrinking away from the edge of the tin.
4. Place a piece of baking parchment bigger than the Swiss roll tin on the work surface. Dust with icing sugar generously. Carefully invert the cake onto the paper and remove the bottom lining piece of paper.
5. Cut a score mark 2.5cm/1in in along one of the longer edges. Starting with this edge, begin to tightly roll up the sponge using the paper. Roll with the paper inside and sit the roll on top of its outside edge to cool completely.
6. While the cake is cooling, make the coffee butter cream; beat the butter and add icing sugar little by little in a small bowl and beat with the electric hand mixer until pale and light. Then add the coffee little by little to make a smooth cream.
7. Uncurl the cold Swiss roll and remove the paper. Spread the coffee butter cream on top and sprinkle the walnuts, and re-roll tightly. Cut a quarter of the cake off from the end on a diagonal. Transfer the large piece of cake to a serving plate and angle the cut end in to the middle of the large cake to make a branch.
8. With a spatula, cover the cake completely with the coffee cream. Create a rough bark texture with a fork. Sprinkle with the walnuts. 
9.  Dust with icing sugar and garnish with fresh holly.