A Little Bit of All Right

This year I decided to make another attempt at a Yule Log.  I used the same chocolate cake recipe I used last year, but I filled it with a cranberry-raspberry mascarpone filling and topped with chocolate buttercream.  I again had issues with the cracking as I rolled the filled log, and it actually split in half, though that was okay because I was going to cut it into two pieces anyway.  I think next year I will try a different cake recipe Cranberry Mascarpone Filling 1 Cup Heavy Cream 3 T granulated sugar 1 container of Mascarpone 1 container of raspberries, chopped 1/2 can of whole berry cranberry sauce 1.  Puree the cranberry sauce. 2.  Whip the heavy cream with sugar until thickened. 3.  Add the Mascarpone to the whip cream and continue to whip until medium peaks form. 4.  Add raspberries and cranberry sauce and whip for another 2-3 seconds.  Continue to mix by hand with a rubber spatula until it looks mixed.

Inspired by an article in the Washington Post, I decided this would be the Christmas to attempt a Yule Log. Their cake was a vanilla cake with nutella filling and whipped cream topping.  We're a chocolate family, so I spent some time searching for an alternate recipe.  I finally decided on the cake recipe from Bon Appetit, but decided to fill it with a chocolate Mascarpone mouse.  The recipe said to bake for 10-12 minutes at 375.  I checked at 10 minutes, and it was obviously finished.  That recipe has you pre-roll, let cool, unroll and then paint with a simple syrup before spreading on the filling.  the cake was definitely over-cooked, and it completely fell apart when I attempted to re-roll it filled. Attempt two: same recipe for the cake, but I lowered the temperature to 350.  Also, I followed the technique in World Class Cakes of painting when it first comes out of the oven, filling, and then rolling inside the towel.  I had issues with ...