Recipe of the Month

To prepare the chocolate chiffon cake roll
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a baking sheet pan (with 1 inch sides) with nonstick food spray.  Line with parchment paper.  Spray paper with nonstick food spray.  Set aside

Place the egg yolks, water, vegetable oil and 1 cup sugar in a large bowl.  Whisk to combine.   In another bowl, place the flour, sifted cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. .

Place the egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.   Whip the eggs until almost stiff.  Gradually add the remaining 1/2 cup sugar

Fold the flour mixture into the egg yolk mixture. Gradually fold in the egg white mixture.

Pour batter into the prepared pan.  Smooth batter with an offset spatula.  Bake in the middle rack of the preheated oven until the cake is set and cake begins to pull slightly from the sides.  This should take between 15 and 18 minutes.

Remove the cake and let cool. While cooling, have another piece of parchment paper laid out on a work surface.   Spray it with nonstick spray and dust is with cocoa powder.

After the cake has cooled for about 1/2 hour loosen the sides with a paring knife. Carefully "flip" the cake onto the prepared parchment paper so the baked piece of parchment is on top.  Carefully peel the parchment off of the cake. (see photo)

To make the ganache
Place the ganache chocolate and cream in a stainless steel bowl. 

Place about 2 inches of water in a large saucepot.  The bowl of chocolate should rest on top of the saucepot without having the bottom of the bowl touch the water.

Bring the water to a simmer. When you reach this point, put the bowl of chocolate on top.   Melt the chocolate into the cream, stirring occassionally.  Do not get the simmering water too hot or it will burn the chocolate.

Remove the bowl from the simmering water when melted. Place the ganache mix the bowl for your mixer.    Refrigerate the ganache until cool - about 1 1/2 hours.

When the mixture is cooled, remove from the refrigerator.  Place bowl on your mixer and whip with the whip attachment until lightened.  Becareful not to over whip the ganache or it will become grainy.

TIP:  This can be difficult.   It is hard to judge the temperature of the unwhipped ganache.  I always have a bowl of  ice at hand.   If the ganache is not cool enough, it will not whip properly.   To cool the ganache while whipping it, place the bowl of ganache over the ice and use a wire whip to hand whip the ganache. (see photo to the left)    Believe it or not, this is easier than it sounds!

Unroll the cake.    Place the ganache over the cake and frost the entire cake roll evenly with the frosting. 

Reroll the cake, again using the parchment paper as a guide.   Again keep the parchment around the cake and refrigerate it for one hour to harden.   While the cake is in the refrigerate, begin the buttercream (You can also make the cake to this point and refrigerate it for up to one day.  Be sure the cake is covered with parchment or saran wrap so it doesn't get dry).   

To make the butter cream
While the cake is is the refrigerator, start the butter cream.  Place the sugar, water and cream of tartar in a heavy small sauce pot (it is best to use a stainless steel pot - aluminum made pans do not melt the sugar properly).   Heat until the mixture reaches 238 degrees (the soft ball stage)  You will need to use a candy thermometer for this.

White the sugar water is cooking, start whipping the 5 egg yolks in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment.  You will want the egg yolks to become thick and light yellow.  You should achieve this by the time the sugar mixture is done.

Carefully pour the hot sugar mixture into the egg yolks, beating on medium.   

You are cooking the eggs with the sugar mixture and thickening the buttercream base at the same time.   Keep the mixer going on medium high until the mixture is cool.  The bottom of the bowl should feel cool when touched.  This will take about 20 minutes.

Cut a three inche piece off the end of the log.   Adhere this piece to the larger part of the cake log to make a "knob" on the log.   Use long toothpicks to make sure it stays attached to the cake.

Frost the entire cake with the butter cream frosting. Frost the "knob" and the ends. .

Use the back of a fork to gently form the "bark."   Refrigerate until ready to serve.

To make the mushrooms
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.  Set aside while making the meringue.

Place the 6 egg whites and pinch of salt in a clean room temperature mixing bowl.  Begin mixing with the whisk attachment of the mixer.  When frothy, add the cream of tartar.

When the egg whites begin to get firm, start adding the sugar, about 2 tablespoons at a time.   It is important that the whites be almost stiff before you start putting in the sugar.   When all the sugar has been added, whip the egg whites for another 3 to 4 minutes.

Place 2/3 of the meringue in a pastry bag fitted with either a large star tip or a large round tip.   Pipe mushroom "tops" on a parchment lined bakign sheet.

Place the remaining meringue in a pastry bag fitted with a smaller tip.   Carefully pipe long (1 inch) stems.   Place the bag on the paper and pull "up" to make the stem.  Make some extra in case a few collapse during baking. (see photo to right)

Place the meringues in the 250 degree oven. Reduce heat to 225 degrees. Bake for approximately 1 1/2 hours until the meringues are dry.  If the meringues are still tacky, keep in the oven a little longer.

To assemble the mushrooms
To put the mushrooms together, use a toothpick or skewer to make a very small indentation in the bottom of the caps (see photo)   Put a small amount of melted chocolate on the bottom of the cap.  Carefully "glue" the stem on.  

Store in an airtight container at room temperature until ready to use.   Meringues will keep for a few days.