Chocolate Yule Log (Bûche de Noël au chocolat) For Christmas—with Step by Step Pictorial

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow….

Sorry for the cheesy opening of this post, I really couldn’t help it.    But seriously, I envy those of you who get to enjoy a white Christmas.  Although I hate don’t like extremely cold temperature, I don’t mind it for the Holidays.  Oh, who am I kidding!?  If I live in an area that snows, I probably will stay indoor the whole winter with the heater on full blast! Please excuse my mumbling and let’s get to the cake.



Now, you know what I did with these Vanilla Meringue Mushrooms from the previous post!  They were made for decorating this Chocolate Yule Log Cake.  This is a very festive cake to make for the Holiday and it’s much easier to prepare than you think.  I make this chocolate roll cake all the time.  The chocolate roll cake is a very popular cake in Asian bakeries.  The only differences of this Chocolate Yule Log cake are the extras chocolate frosting that I spread on to imitate/resembling the log patterns and the Vanilla Meringue Mushrooms on top for decorations.

Here’s the step-by-step pictorial.  First, preheat the oven to 375 degree F. and grease a 10 by 15-inch baking pan with cooking spray.  Then, line the pan with parchment paper.  Make sure the parchment pager is large enough to have at least 2-inch excess on all sides for easy removal when the cake is done.



Next, beat the egg whites with cream of tartar and a pinch of salt until frothy.  Then slowly add around 1/2 of the sugar as stated in the recipe.



Beat until the meringue reach a medium peak.



In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks with the remaining sugar until light and pale yellow.  Then add the vanilla, instant coffee, melted butter and heavy cream until incorporated.  Sift the cocoa powder and cake flour into the egg yolk mixture.  Fold until the dry and wet ingredients are just combined. 



Add 1/3 of the egg whites into the batter and stir until batter is lightened.  Do not worry about deflating the egg white here.



See how much lighter the batter is? 





Then, gently fold in the remaining egg whites in two batches.  Need to be careful now not to over beat the batter and deflate the egg whites too much. 





Gently spread the cake batter evenly onto the prepared cake pan. 





Bake at 375 degree F for 8 to 10 minutes, or until a tooth pick inserted into the cake and comes out clean.  Let cool on a wiring rack completely.





To prepare the filling, beat the whipped cream with powdered sugar and vanilla until stiff peak formed.  Spread evenly onto the cooled cake.





Roll the cake up, from the shorter end.




To prepare the chocolate frosting, whip the whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla until stiff peak forms.  Sift in the cocoa powder and fold until well incorporated.  Cut about 2 inches off the rolled cake at an angle, set aside.  Reserve 2 tablespoons of chocolate frosting and spread the rest evenly onto the log.  With the back of a fork, gently press over the chocolate frosting to create the log patterns.  Place the cut off portion on the side of the log and spread the reserved 2 tablespoons of frosting on the side of the smaller log.  Use the fork to create the log patter on this piece as well.  Top with Vanilla Meringue Mushrooms and sprinkle the powdered sugar for the snow effect. 




This Chocolate Yule Log truly brings back many childhood memories.  I remember having my very first Yule Log cake for Christmas when I was about 7 years old.  The cake was bought at a store.  My Grandparents, Parents, Aunts, Uncles, my Brothers and Cousins were all there to celebrate together.  Spending time with family and enjoying good food together are precious and priceless.  I’ll forever treasure and cherish those sweet and warm memories.  I hope you and your family are creating new memories together during this Holiday Season.








Chocolate Yule Log (Bûche de Noël au chocolat)
(Printable Recipe)


Ingredients for the cake:
5 egg whites
5/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoon caster sugar, divided
Pinch of kosher salt
5 egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon instant coffee granulate
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup cake flour

To prepare the cake:

Preheat the oven to 375 degree F.  Grease a 10 by 15-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Then, line the pan with parchment paper.  Make sure the parchment pager is large enough to have at least 2-inch excess on all sides for easy removal when the cake is done. 

Next, beat the egg whites with cream of tartart and a pinch of salt until frothy. Then slowly add in around 1/2 of the sugar and beat until medium peak forms.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks with the remaining sugar until light and pale yellow. Then add the vanilla, instant coffee, melted butter and heavy cream until incorporated. Sift the cocoa powder and cake flour into the egg yolk mixture. Fold until the dry and wet ingredients are just combined.

Add 1/3 of the egg whites into the batter and stir until batter is lightened. Then, gently fold in the remaining egg whites in two batches.  Be careful not to deflate the egg whites too much.

Gently spread the cake batter evenly onto the prepared cake pan.  Bake at 375 degree F for 8 to 10 minutes, or until a tooth pick inserted into the cake and comes out clean. Let cool on a wiring rack completely.

Mean while, work on the filling and frosting.

Ingredients for the filling:
3/4 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

To prepare the filling:

Beat the heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla until stiff peak formed. Spread evenly onto the cooled cake.

Ingredients for the chocolate frosting:

1/2 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

To prepare the chocolate frosting:

Beat the whipped cream with powdered sugar and vanilla until stiff peak formed.  Sift and fold the cocoa powder into the whipped cream mixture until well combined.

To Assemble:

Gently spread the filling onto completely cooled cake.  Roll the cake up, from the shorter end.   
Cut about 2 inches off the rolled cake at an angle, set aside. Reserve 2 tablespoons of chocolate frosting and spread the rest evenly onto the log. With the back of a fork, gently press over the chocolate frosting to create the log patterns. Place the cut off portion on the side of the log and spread the reserved 2 tablespoons of the frosting onto the side of the smaller log. Use the fork to create the log pattern on this piece as well. Top with Vanilla Meringue Mushrooms and a sprinkle of powdered sugar for the snow effect. Take some pictures and enjoy the cake.  If not serve immediately, cover loosely and keep refrigerated.


This recipe is shared with:

Pity Party
Friday Potluck
Melt in Your Mouth Monday
Mingle Monday
Do Something Crafty Friday
Tuesday Talent Show
Success U

Matcha (Japanese Green Tea) Tiramisu—Happy Anniversary

Last October, my husband and I celebrated our 6th wedding Anniversary at Maison Riz, a French and Japanese-fusion restaurant.  With our busy schedule this year, we went somewhere nearby instead.  Don’t you see a trend here? Yes, we both love Japanese food.    On the Maison Riz's post, if you scrolled all the way down to the dessert plate, you’ll see the little green cake in the middle.  That was an amazing piece of Green Tea Tiramisu.  Yes, this recipe is a replicate of that dessert.  It’s so wonderful that I just have to recreate it again.  Why did I waited for almost a year to make this dessert?  I'll explain to you later on in this post.



Tiramisu in Italian means “pick me up”.  Traditionally, this famous dessert is made of ladyfingers dipped in a mixture of espresso and liquor, layered with a whipped mixture of egg yolks, cream and mascarpone cheese and cocoa powder.  The texture is so soft and fluffy, hence, it’s called “pick me up”.  I’m sure many of you have tried this dessert at a restaurant or even made some at home.  If you’re a Matcha (Japanese Green Tea) lover, you’ve got to try this recipe out.  Even if you’re not a big time fan for Green Tea, this is still an amazing dessert.



So, why did I waited for almost a year to make this Matcha Tiramisu?  Actually, I have wanted to make them for a long while.  Unfortunately, I had a hard time tracking down the ladyfingers in the neighborhood markets.  I tried homemade ladyfingers and my Tiramisu turned out to be a mess!    Luckily, one of my good friends knew I was on the quest to hunt down the ladyfingers and she came to the rescue and got me a huge package!  I’ve made a few batches of the traditional Tiramisu and a couple of batches of these Matcha version and they all turned out amazing!  Thank you for the fingers, my dear friend!



A message for my hubby: The past seven years has been nothing but amazing memories.  After having our first condo, changing of career, having two gorgeous kids, moving to another house, and starting an MBA together (yes, together because I feel like I’m taking the courses with you, Honey), I realized I love you more and more every day.  Thank you, my caring and loving husband for this amazing journey together.  I look forward to celebrate many more anniversaries, to accomplish many more milestones, and to grow old (if we’re not already old) with you together. 








Matcha Tiramisu Printable Recipe
Makes 9 by 5-inch
2 large egg yolks, room temperature
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup Matcha powder, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup heavy cream, chilled
1/4 cup powdered sugar
8 oz. mascarpone cheese, room temperature
12 to 14 Savaiordi ladyfingers


In a medium pot, fill with 2 inches of water, set a mixing bowl over the pot of water. Make sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Bring the water to a simmer and reduce the heat to low.
Add egg yolks, salt and sugar to the mixing bowl and whisk until the mixture thicken and lighten. When lifting the whisk, the mixture should fall back on itself looks like thick ribbons. Place the bowl over an ice bath to cool.

In a small pot, bring the milk to a simmer, remove from heat and whisk in 2 tablespoons of Matcha Powder and vanilla extract until melted and no lumps. Transfer to a shallow dish and let it cool slightly.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the heavy cream and powdered sugar until medium peak forms. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat mascarpone cheese until smooth. Gently fold the egg mixture into the mascarpone until incorporated. Then fold the cream mixture into the mascarpone mixture until well combined.

To assemble, line a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan with plastic wraps, allowing the excess to hang over the ends and sides. Quickly dip both sides of the ladyfingers in the Matcha mixture (just long enough to moisten the cookies without making them soggy) and place them on the bottom of the pan. Spoon 1/2 of the mascarpone mixture on top of the cookies, smooth the surface and sprinkle the top with Matcha powder. Dip the remaining cookies and place on top of the cream. Spoon the remaining mascarpone mixture over the cookies. Smooth the top and fold the plastic wrap to cover the cream. Refrigerate for at least six hours, preferably overnight. Your patient will be rewarded. Before serving, dust with more Matcha powder and leave at room temperature for 15 minutes.


This Recipe is Shared with:

Sweet Treat Thursday
Foodie Friday
Full Plate Thursday
Sweets for Saturday
Anything Goes
MomTrend's Friday Food

Lavender Biscotti with Pistachio and Cranberries

Recently, there were many “first” in my life and in my kitchen.  I had my very first time going back to school as a Mom, and it felt amazing because my little boy smiled, not cried; my first time baking Brioche and adored the perfect imperfection; my first time making Mooncakes for Mid-Autumn Festival and they turned out beautiful... surprisingly; and now, first time baking with lavender and I felt in love with the scent and aroma of these little flowers.



I guess these are the reasons why I love trying new things so much. Weather it’s cooking with a new ingredient, tasting a new cuisine from an exotic country, or engaging in a new adventure or activity, the end result could be amazing and full of surprises.  Just like how these Lavender Biscotti with Pistachio and Cranberries turned out.  I didn’t expect them to be so amazing until the very first bite.  The aroma just filled all my senses and I found myself going back for more, helplessly.



These little flower buds added a wonderful floral and slightly sweet flavor to the biscotti.  The biscotti got the perfect crunch and crumbling texture and are perfect for dunking.  I love the nutty flavor from the pistachio and the slightly sweet and tang flavors from the dried cranberries.  I paired the biscotti with a cup of lavender and chamomile tea.  This afternoon tea just left me feeling relax and let me slow down a bit to enjoy my quiet afternoon a little longer.  It’s always nice to be able to slow down in our life every once in a while to unwind.



If you’re looking for a new and exotic recipe to try, search no more.  I’m sure you’ll love this recipe. With the holiday season approaching, I think theses biscotti would be a lovely addition to your holiday cookies to share with friends and family or as gift-giving. I would certainly add this to my list. 





These Lavender Biscotti filled with Pistachio and Cranberries are certainly festive for the holiday seasons! I'm submitting this to the Holiday Recipe Swap. Come join the fun at the My Baking Addiction and GoodLife Eats Holiday Recipe Swap sponsored by Chicago Metallic.




Lavender Biscotti with Pistachio and Cranberries:
Makes 24
Printable Recipe


2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup sugar
4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon dried lavender (I got mine from Asian Supermarket, also available online here)
Zest of 1/2 a lemon, grated
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup pistachios, coarsely chopped
3/4 cup dried cranberries

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or silpat, set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour and baking powder together. In the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment on medium speed, cream the sugar, butter, lavender, lemon zest, and salt until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time.  Turn mixer to low, add the flour mixture slowly until just combined. Fold in the pistachios and cranberries with a rubber spatula.

Slightly flour both hands, transfer the dough onto the prepared baking sheet.  Form the dough into a log.  Approximately 14-inch in length and 3-inch in width. Bake for 35 minutes or until light golden on the edges. Let it cool on a wiring rack for 30 minutes.

Transfer the log onto the cutting board. With a sharp serrated knife, cut the log on a diagonal into 1/2-inch thick slices. Return biscotti to the same baking sheet, arrange the biscotti cut side down. Bake the biscotti for another 15 minutes or until they are pale golden. Transfer the biscotti to a wiring rack and let them cool completely.


This recipe is shared with:

On the Menu Monday
Made By You Monday
These Chicks Cooked
Homemaker Monday
Tuesday Talent Show
Success U Wednesday
Full Plate Thursday
Friday Favorite
I'm Lovin' It
Anything Goes
Foodie Friday

Pinwheels Cookies, The Cookiepedia Review and a Giveaway

My Mom was staying with me when my hubby was out of town for a few days last week.  It was one of the relaxing afternoons, with no plans of going out but just hung out in the kitchen.  We wanted to bake something together, then relax and enjoy the afternoon at the backyard with a cup of tea.  So, we were flipping through The Cookiepedia, searching for something fun to make. 



It didn’t take long for us to decide and we had a winner.  There were many classic and fun cookie recipes in this book, but the pinwheels really caught my eyes (pun intended).  These pinwheels looks whimsical and I know my little boy would enjoy them as much as we did when he returned from school.




“Full of delightful hand-drawn illustrations and mouth-watering full-color photographs, The Cookiepedia, by Stacy Adimando, features delicious recipes and inventive variations for all the cookies everyone loves, from Amaretti, Butter Balls, and Chocolate Spritz to Gingersnaps, Rugelach, and Snickerdoodles, as well as dozens of other favorites—more than 50 in all.”  



There were many things I love about this book.  I summarized them into ten main points:

1) Hard cover—I intended to use this recipe book over and over again and the durability is important to me.  I don’t know about you, but I had some other cookbooks that I used so often that the cover is coming off.

2) The spiral binding—This let the middle pages of the book stay opened easily, without having to press hard and winkle the pages.  Imagine your recipe book stay nicely opened on the book holder (if you have one of those fancy thingy) or on your counter top, making it easier to read.



3) Mouth-watering full-color photographs—Don’t you want to know how the end-products supposed to look like?  That’s how the Pinwheels caught my eyes!  Don’t people always say a picture is worth a thousand words?

4) Easy to follow instructions—Very important in any recipes book. 



5) Tips—Tips in this book are very helpful.  Some gave me the “ah-ha” moments.

6) Variations—These are all classic cookie recipes that we all familiar with, in The Cookiepedia.  It’s fun to try the original, but then it adds a little more excitement with the variations added. 



7) Note space area next to the recipe—I love writing my own notes on recipes.  Weather it is the variation I made on a recipe, or an idea for a tweak I wanted to try next time; the note space to me is a thoughtful gift from the author to the end users.

8) Personal experience—On each recipe, Adimando added a little background of the the recipe.  Some are her own childhood memories, some are the experiences she had with that recipes, some are just facts about the cookies.  I love reading those little stories and memories.  The stories made it more personal than just a recipe book.



9) Varieties—From Italian Biscutts, Chocolate sandwich cookies, to fig bars and Molasses Spice Cookies, the variety is broad and for sure you’ll find something you like.


10) I love and adore cookies, period.  I mean, who doesn’t?  Do I need a better reason to love this book? 


This Giveaway is now closed.  Winner will be announced shortly.  

Rules for the Giveaway:

With the courtesy of Quirk Books and Stacy, one lucky uTry.it reader (with an U.S. mailing address only) will have a chance to win a copy of The Cookiepedia.  Must be a uTry.it public follower/member through Google Friends Connect to participate.  (See the right hand side bar under “Follower” with the button “Join this site”).  You have until September 30th, 12 midnight PST to enter this giveaway.  Winner will be announced and contacted via email shortly after the giveaway is closed.

Mandatory Entry: 

Simply leave a comment and tell me what your favorite cookie is.  Or you can describe if you like your cookies buttery, crunchy, or chewy?  Or how much you love cookies!  Let's have a cookie talk, shall we?

Additional Entries: (you can do any or all of the following, just leave a separate comments for each entry)

1) “Like” uTry.it’s Facebook page.  Here’s the link. 

2) Share this giveaway with your friends on Facebook.  Please include the link to this post when you share.

3) Follow uTry.it on Twitter.  Here’s the link.

4) Tweet about this giveaway.  Please include my Twitter handle @utry_it and the link to this post in your tweet.

5) Subscribe to my blog via email.  You’ll receive an email to verify the subscription.  

6) Subscribe via RSS feed.

Good luck everyone!

These Pinwheel cookies are whimsical and perfect for gift-giving for the holiday season.   I'm entering this to the Holiday Recipe Swap.  Come join the fun at the My Baking Addiction and GoodLife Eats Holiday Recipe Swap sponsored by Beanilla.


Disclaimer: I was given a copy of The Cookiepedia free of charge for the purpose of this review. I was not compensated in any other way.  All opinions are 100% my own and always will be.





Pinwheels: (from The Cookiespedia) Printable Recipe
Makes 4 Dozen Cookies

3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons cocoa powder

Get to work sifting the flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl.  Set it aside for the moment.

Cream together the butter and sugar for several minutes, until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until incorporated.

Start tipping in the flour a third at a time; stop mixing when it’s just combined.  When the dough forms, divide it into two parts.  Reserve one half in plastic wrap and keep it in the fridge.  Mix the cocoa powder into the other half using a spatula.  Form the chocolate dough into a disk. wrap in plastic wrap, and chill both doughs in the fridge for at least 1 hour, until firm.

Roll out the chocolate dough to about 1/4-inch thickness, using just a little flour as needed.  Move it to a large piece of parchment paper.  Do the same with the vanilla dough, flattening them to around the same height and dimension.  Place the vanilla dough on top of the chocolate and run a rolling pin lightly over the two doughs to press them together.  Trim the doughs into a rectangle shape so they each have the same edges.

Starting at one of the short ends, carefully roll the dough up into a log, using the parchment paper to help.
Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or parchment paper and chill for at least an hour.  Do the same with the reserved pieces of dough.

Line a few cookie sheets with parchment paper.  Unwrap the log and slice it into cookies about 1/4-inch thick using a very sharp knife.  Lay the cookies on the sheets about 2 inches apart.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until you start seeing hints of edges turning golden.  Remove and let cool for a minute, then spatula to a wire rack.

This Recipe is Shared with:
I'm lovin It
Friday Favorites
Sweets for Saturday
On the Menu Monday
Mouth Watering Monday
Tuesday Talent Show
Homemaker Monday
These Chicks Cooked
Sweet Treats Thursday

Mini Brioche

This is my very first time making brioche.  Boy oh boy, it could be another serious and dangerous addiction, right after the Meringue cookies and Almond Cookie Crisps!   Seems like I have quite a few addictions on food/cookies.  What can I say, I'm just a girl who really enjoys eating.  But tell me how can I resist these little cuties?  They are smooth, soft, silky, egg-y and buttery.  So perfect especially when they're still warm from the oven.  So perfect for fall; so perfect whenever I need a small bite to keep me going on a busy day.




Although the egg wash on top cracked a little bit, they are still perfect to me, perfectly imperfect.   If you know why they're cracked and have the solution to solve the "problem", please kindly leave a comment to let me know.  I'm planning to make these mini brioche again and again.  



With a bit of butter and fruit preserve, this is a simple yet scrumptious breakfast.  I re-heated them in the microwave the next day and they tasted just as wonderful.  If you haven't try making bread at home, this could be an easy recipe to get started.  I promise, you're going to love the result.




If you haven't enter the Tom Bihn Shopping Bag (up to $49 Value) giveaway yet, click here to the original post to enter.  Best of luck, my friends.


I'm submitting this recipe to the Holiday Recipe Swap.  Come join the fun at the My Baking Addiction and GoodLife Eats Holiday Recipe Swap sponsored by Red Star Yeast. 





Mini Brioche:  Printable Recipe
Makes 10

1/4 cup warm water (110 to 120 degrees F)
1 1/2 teaspoons active dried yeast
2 tablespoons sugar
3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour (divided)
1 teaspoons kosher salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 egg mixed with 1 tablespoon milk, for egg wash

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, combine the water, yeast, and sugar.  Mix with your hands until the yeast and sugar dissolved.  Allow mixture to stand for 5 minutes. Add the eggs and beat on medium speed for 1 minute, until well combined.  Turn the mixer to low speed, add 1 cup of the flour and the salt; mix for 5 minutes. With the mixer still on low, add 1 more cups plus 2 tablespoons of flour and mix for 5 more minutes.

Transfer the dough into a large buttered bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.
The next day, allow the dough to sit at room temperature for at least 2 hours. Meanwhile, grease 10 mini brioche tins. Set aside.


In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook, add the dough, softened butter in chunks, and mix for 2 minutes.  Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of flour as needed for dough to form a ball. Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface.  Evenly divide the dough into 10 balls and place them in the tins. Cover the tins with a damp towel and set aside at a warm place of the kitchen until doubled in volume, about 2 hours.  (I placed them in the oven uncover with a large bowl of hot water on the side)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. When the dough has doubled in volume, brush the top with the egg wash and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the brioches from the tins and cool on wiring rack.



This recipe is shared with:

Mingle Monday
Makin You Crave Monday
Melt in Your Mouth Monday
On The Menu Monday
Savory Sunday
Tuesday Talent Show
Tasty Tuesday
These Chicks Cooked
Full Plate Thursday
Foodie Friday
Friday Potluck