Christmas Yule Log

Directions

1. 1
   Beat the egg whites with the salt until they stand in soft peaks.
2. 2
   Add 4 tablespoons of the sugar, one tablespoon at a time, and continue beating until meringue is very stiff.
3. 3
   In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks with the remaining sugar and vanilla. Sift together the flour and cocoa.
4. 4
   Gently fold about 1/4 of the meringue into the egg yolk mixture.
5. 5
   Then pour back into the bowl of meringue.
6. 6
   Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of the flour-cocoa mixture and fold together.
7. 7
   Repeat until all the flour is blended. Be careful not to overmix.
8. 8
   Pour into a buttered 10 x 15-inch jelly roll pan that has been lined with buttered wax paper.
9. 9
   Bake 10 to 12 minutes at 400° until cake springs back at a touch. Sprinkle a tea towel with confectioners sugar.
10. 10
    As soon as the cake has baked, take it out of the oven and invert on the towel, so the waxed paper is on top.
11. 11
    Do not remove wax paper.
12. 12
    Roll the cake tightly in the towel to a 16-inch long cylinder.
13. 13
    Cool; carefully unroll and peel off the wax paper.
14. 14
    Trim off the crusty edges and spread the cake thinly with Butter Cream, then thickly with the whipped cream mixture.
15. 15
    Re-roll and refrigerate for half an hour.