Birch Log Cake

Ingredients:

Cake

• 6 large eggs (separate the whites from the yolks), room temperature
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 0.5 tsp almond extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar + extra for dusting
• 1.5 cups almond flour
• 0.5 cups premium flour

Glaze and filling

• 1 cup chilled heavy cream
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• A pinch of salt
• 2 cups mascarpone cheese, room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup cherry jam or preserves
• 90 g semi-sweet chocolate, chopped

Preparation:

1. Bake a cake:

   
   Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly spray a 10 x 17-inch (27 x 42.5 cm) rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray, then line it with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, beat the egg yolks, brown sugar, and vanilla and almond extracts with a mixer on medium-high speed until thick and pale yellow, about 3 minutes.
   
2. In a large bowl, beat the egg whites and salt with clean beaters on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 1 minute. Gradually beat in the powdered sugar, then increase the mixer speed to medium-high and beat until stiff peaks form, 2-3 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, fold one-quarter of the beaten egg whites into the egg yolk mixture. Gently fold the egg yolk mixture into the remaining egg whites until no white streaks remain.
3. In a medium bowl, combine both types of flour and gently fold into the egg mixture. Transfer the batter to the prepared baking sheet. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 13-15 minutes.
4. As soon as you remove the cake from the oven, dust it with powdered sugar. Lift the edges with a small knife. Place another baking sheet on top of the cake and invert the sponge onto it. Remove the top baking sheet and parchment. Sprinkle more powdered sugar over the exposed sponge. Cover with a clean kitchen towel (not terrycloth) and place a baking sheet on top. Invert the sponge so that it is now on the towel and remove the top baking sheet. Roll the sponge along the long edge, using the towel as a roll. Place the sponge, seam-side down, on a wire rack and let cool for about 45 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, prepare the glaze:

   
   In a large bowl, beat the heavy cream, sugar, and salt with a mixer on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Reduce the speed to medium and beat in the mascarpone cheese and vanilla extract until thickened, about 30 seconds (do not overbeat). Refrigerate the frosting until firm.
   
6. Carefully unroll the roll, placing it with the long side facing you. Spread 1.5 cups of glaze on top, leaving a 0.5 cm margin on both short sides and a 2.5 cm margin on the far long side. Place the cherry jam on top and carefully spread it to cover the glaze. Roll the sponge with the filling back into a roll (without the towel) and place it seam-side down on a serving plate. Trim both ends, then cut a 2 cm-thick piece from the log. Unroll the slice slightly to cut a 7.5 cm spiral; roll the slice into a spiral again (this will be the knot of the log).
7. Cover the cake with almost all of the frosting, reserving 1/2 cup, using a small offset spatula to create a pattern on the log to resemble tree bark. Place a small piece of cake on the side to resemble a knot in the log; cover it with the remaining frosting.
8. Place the chocolate in a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring, until smooth. Let cool, then transfer to a small zip-lock plastic bag and snip off the corner. Pipe thin lines of chocolate onto the surface of the log, pressing it into the glaze with the tip of the bag. Refrigerate the cake until ready to serve.