Eggnog Yule Log and Giveaway

When I was a little girl, Ma used to make fresh eggnog at Christmastime. So thick and rich, this proved to be a great treat. I can remember Ma’s pretty Poinsettia Cake, how she used to give tiny bottles of booze to my uncles, her big bowl of nuts and oranges on the table, old fashioned tinsel on the tree, and how incredibly creative she was at stuffing our stockings. Moms sure do know how to make Christmas special! One thing I love having during the Christmas Season is a Yule Log. In the past, I have served my Red Velvet Cake Yule Log and last Thanksgiving a Busch de Merci a Pumpkin Cake Roll Yule log. This year I bring you the Eggnog Yule Log created for Safest Choice Eggs- 12 Days of Eggnog. Using leftover, homemade eggnog made with Safest Choice Pasteurized Eggs, I made a rich and decadent eggnog pastry cream which was then rolled up inside a light and fluffy blanket of angel food cake for this delightful and festive Yule Log.

Here’s to dreaming of a White Christmas…

Eggnog Yule Log

For the Nog- adapted from Safest Choice™ Classic Eggnog
6 Safest Choice™ eggs, separated
¾ cup sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
Set aside egg whites for the Cake Roll. In a large mixing bowl beat together 6 egg yolks and sugar until pale yellow, creamy, and fluffy. Add cream, milk, vanilla, and nutmeg, stirring until smooth. Recipe makes about 4 cups of Eggnog. Set aside 2 cups for the Yule Log and enjoy the rest with a sprinkle of nutmeg.

Eggnog Custard
2 cups Eggnog
½ cups milk
1 T. sugar
4 T. corn starch
½ tsp. Kosher salt
1 T. Butter
1 T. Dark Rum, optional
2/3 cup, heavy whipping cream whipped, store in refrigerator until later
In a medium pan, over medium heat, whisk together eggnog, milk, sugar, corn starch, and salt. Continue stirring until mixture becomes very thick. Lower heat and stir one minute more. Do not get your custard too hot, and do not stop stirring, or you will scramble the eggs! Remove from heat and stir in butter and rum. Pour into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap, being sure the film touches the custard to prevent a thick layer. Store in refrigerator until custard is completely chilled. Meanwhile bake the cake roll.

Cake Roll
½ cup sifted cake flour
2/3 cups sifted powdered sugar
6 egg whites, room temperature
¾ tsp. cream of tartar
¼ tsp. Kosher salt
1 tsp. vanilla
½ cup sugar
Preheat oven to 350°. Whisk together cake flour and powdered sugar; set aside. Beat egg whites with cream of tartar, salt, and vanilla until soft peaks form; about 4 minutes. Beat in sugar, two tablespoons at a time until well incorporated and the egg whites form stiff and glossy peaks. By fourths, fold in the flour mixture until smooth. Pour batter into 8×11 inch jellyroll pan with sides that has been lined with waxed paper, do not grease. Bake for 9 minutes. Cake will look puffed and golden. Remove to a wire rack to cool.

Assembly
Fold whipped cream into the eggnog custard and spread over cooled cake. Starting at the long end, start rolling the log toward you while peeling the waxed paper from the cake. Place the log on a pretty platter and cut a one inch slice from one end and place it on top of the log. Decorate with mint leaves and candy mushrooms made from bell-shaped or kiss-shaped chocolates, and mini marshmallows that have been threaded onto a toothpick. Sprinkle the log with powdered sugar and nutmeg. Chill until ready to serve. Serves 10.
Note- to get the powdered sugar to stick to the chocolates, (which are Nestle Crunch™ Jingles) I dipped the chocolates in water then rolled them in powdered sugar.

GIVEAWAY!
Giuliano Hazan’s Thirty Minute Pasta Book
Coupons for Safest Choice
Two spatulas
Two stress eggs- my kids like to throw these at me, gets me every time!
Pen

1. So if you are a US resident, leave a comment letting me know your favorite Holiday Movie.
2. A tweet out or Facebook mention will get you another comment.
3. I must have contact information (email) to contact the winner.
4. Contest ends 10pm EST 12/22/11, winner will be chosen with the Random Generator.

Also, “like” Davidson’s Safest Choice Eggs FB page for their latest updates.

CONTEST CLOSED! The winner is Heather!
“Heather (Heather’s Dish) said… lately my favorite movie has been Christmas Vacation, although Home Alone is my all-time favorite tree-decorating movie this is beautiful!”

This post has been sponsored by Davidson’s Safest Choice Eggs, all opinions, photos, and recipe are my own.