a year in the making

Last Christmas Barb Hogan came to a holiday party with a Yule Log.  It was a cake, made to look like a log, that was pure sugary white chocolate heaven.  Well, for some reason, I decided that I was going to make one for Christmas 2010.  Last week Barb, again, brought a Yule Log to a holiday party, thus reminding me of my plan...So I asked for the recipe.  Barb complied and even got me the liquor needed ~ Janice gave me the cake flour and a jelly roll pan.  All set.

Now I remember why I don't bake (or cook).  It takes patience.

I followed the recipe very well.  Separated the eggs.  Beat this.  Beat that.  Folded in this.  Folded in that.  Greased this.  Rolled that.  Cooled this.  Heated that.  Melted butter.  Chilled butter.  Waited 30 minutes here.  Waited 30 minutes there.  Did GREAT...until the icing.  While it tastes out of this world heavenly sugary chocolaty...it won't harden so I can make it look like tree bark.  In fact, it kind of looks greasy.  I'm not planning on serving this Yule Log until Sunday so I have time for it to harden...I just hope it doesn't get gross by then, because it sure tastes good now.

The Rest of the Story (posted 12/27/10):
The frosting did stiffen up, but I was unable to run the tines of a fork through it in order to make it look like tree bark ~ BUT all but one piece was eaten/taken home by the Barton Christmas crowd.  So it was not a wasted effort :)  Janice told me not to feel bad that it didn't look as good as Barb's because Barb's even looks better than the picture on the recipe.