Disney Tips On Baking a Bûche de Noël
posted on December 23rd, 2011 by Pam Brandon, Disney Parks Food Writer
The Yule Log, or bûche de Noël, is a traditional French Christmas cake shaped and decorated to look like a log. It’s a fancy holiday treat that takes a little time – but is well worth it when you take the first bite of chocolate, chocolate, chocolate.
Pastry chef Deran Lanpher from Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Bakery shows us how it’s done. The delicious treat is on the menu at Yachtsman Steakhouse and Cape May Café for just two days – Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
A couple of tips: rolling the cake is the trickiest part, so make sure it’s still moist when it comes out of the oven. And when whisking the egg whites for the cake, make sure to use a copper, glass or stainless steel bowl for maximum volume.
Enjoy!
Yule Log
Serves 6 to 8
Chocolate chiffon cake
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/3 cup plus 3 teaspoons sugar, divided
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 egg whites
Pinch cream of tartar
Chocolate Mousse Cremeux
2 eggs, separated
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons sugar, divided
6 ounces dark semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup extra heavy cream
Chocolate Ganache
8 ounces dark chocolate
3/4 cups heavy cream
Crushed peppermint candy, for garnish
For chiffon cake:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 13x9x2-inch baking pan with nonstick spray. Measure and cut a piece of parchment paper to line bottom of pan and spray with nonstick spray.
- Sift together flour, cocoa powder, 1/3 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt and place in bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment. With mixer running at slow speed, add egg, oil, milk, and vanilla extract one at a time, scraping bowl after each addition until mixture is smooth. Transfer batter to a large bowl.
- After thoroughly cleaning mixer bowl, combine egg whites, remaining 3 teaspoons sugar, and cream of tartar. Whip on high speed until soft peaks form. Fold one-third of egg white mixture into cake batter, then fold remaining egg white mixture into batter.
- Spread batter evenly into prepared pan. Batter will be only 1/4-inch deep. Bake 6 to 10 minutes, just until set. Do not overbake.
- Remove cake from oven, let cool for 10 minutes. While cake is still warm, slide it out of pan, with parchment still attached, onto a clean kitchen towel. Trim crispy edges off the long sides of the cake. Beginning at one narrow end, use the towel to roll cake—along with parchment paper—into a cylinder.
For mousse cremeux:
- Combine egg yolks and 2 tablespoons sugar in a large bowl; whisk until light in color and thickened to a soft peak, about 3 minutes.
- Fill a medium saucepan about halfway with water. Bring water to a simmer. Combine chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and place bowl over simmering water, making sure bowl does not touch water. Stir chocolate mixture constantly until completely melted. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.
- When chocolate mixture is room temperature, stir into egg yolk mixture.
- Place egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Beat until frothy, then add remaining 2 teaspoons sugar, beating until medium peaks form.
- Whip heavy cream on high speed until soft peaks form.
- Gently fold egg white mixture into chocolate mixture, then gently fold in whipped cream. (Some streaks of cream may remain, do not overmix.) Refrigerate until cold.
For ganache:
Place chocolate in a large heatproof bowl. Heat heavy cream in a medium saucepan over medium heat until hot but not boiling. Whisk in cream until combined. Set aside until slightly cool but still spreadable.
To assemble:
- Carefully unroll cake from towel; remove towel. Spread mousse over cake surface. Using parchment paper to lift up a narrow edge of the cake, roll it back up, over the mousse, peeling off parchment paper as you go.
- Once cake is rolled, wrap parchment paper around it to keep it round and place cake seam side down on a platter. Refrigerate about 1 hour, until firm.
- Remove parchment paper from cake and ice with ganache. Sprinkle with crushed peppermint candy. Refrigerate until ganache is set, about 30 minutes, before serving.
A Unique Point of View: Santa at Disneyland Park
posted on December 23rd, 2011 by Shannon Swanson, Senior Publicist, Disneyland Resort
Do you see what he sees? Well now you can when you take a look at this video of Santa in “A Christmas Fantasy” parade at Disneyland park. Four cameras were used to capture every angle of Santa’s journey starting just backstage at ‘it’s a small world’ Holiday and continuing all the way down Main Street, U.S.A.
Santa’s Sleigh is the last float in the parade and one of the largest, measuring 30’ long x 11’ wide x 18’ high and weighing 16,600 pounds … without Santa!
Look Inside the ‘Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade’ Taping
posted on December 23rd, 2011 by Jennifer Fickley-Baker, Social Media Manager
Happy holidays, everyone!
Who’s excited to tune in to the “Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade” this weekend? It’s set to air here on the East coast Dec. 25, at noon, and I know my family and I will be watching.
Earlier in December, our photographers attended the tapings here at the Walt Disney World Resort, and at Disneyland Resort. Check out the photo gallery below for an inside look at the fun that is in store.
And again, happy holidays!
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Candlelight in Motion at Disneyland Park
posted on December 23rd, 2011 by Paul Hiffmeyer, Chief Photographer for Public Relations, Disneyland Resort
One of my favorite times of year at the Disneyland Resort is the holidays, and I always look forward to photographing the Candlelight Processional. So I wanted to share my favorite photo from this year’s Candlelight. This was taken from the roof of the Disney Showcase, looking down at more than 500 choir members as they made their way down Main Street, U.S.A., to where they perform in front of the Main Street Train Station.
For those of you that are interested in the camera settings, here you go: ISO was 2000, the aperture was set to F4 and the shutter was 4 seconds.
What are your favorite photos to take at the Disneyland Resort over the holidays?
Winter Holidays with Disney Cruise Line
posted on December 23rd, 2011 by Jonathan Frontado, Disney Cruise Line
Earlier this month we gave you an inside look at decorating the Disney Dream for her very first holiday season. Now that the trees are up, the garland is hung and holiday spirit is in the air, we checked in with Mickey Mouse and his friends to see how they are celebrating this special time of year on the ship.
Along with Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Pluto, Chip and Dale, Mickey Mouse flashed his smile in front of the 20-foot-tall tree in the atrium lobby of the Disney Dream.
He told us about some of the special onboard holiday events including:
- Nightly tree lighting in the atrium lobby, where a young guest helps Disney characters light the glittering, three-deck-tall tree
- Family holiday crafts such as decorating stockings, building gingerbread houses and making holiday cards
- Holiday storytellers sharing tales of Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa
- Traditional holiday feasts in the themed dining rooms
At Castaway Cay, Santa Goofy snuck off to do some decorating of his own…
…while Pluto started playing in the “snow flurries” amidst the island’s special decorations.
There’s no doubt about it, holidays with Disney Cruise Line are magical. But even if you aren’t celebrating this year on a Disney ship, the crew sends this special message:
Sights & Sounds at Disney Parks: Last-Minute Music Downloads from Walt Disney Records
posted on December 23rd, 2011 by Greg Ehrbar, Writer/Author, Disney's Yellow Shoes Creative Group
Walt Disney’s Babes in Toyland Original Cast Album
What you get: The musical score from Walt Disney’s first live-action musical (also available on DVD) starring Ray Bolger (The Wizard of Oz), Ed Wynn (Mary Poppins) and our own Queen of Walt Disney World Resort, Annette Funicello.
Why it’s cool: It’s a stereo re-creation of the score (not actually the soundtrack as stated on iTunes) with a magnificent overture by Camarata. Listen for Henry Calvin (Sgt. Garcia on Zorro), a young Ann Jillian as Bo-Peep, and a rousing rendition of “March of the Toys,” which accompanied Walt’s vision of the toy soldiers, introduced in the movie and now a Disney Parks parade tradition.
Mickey’s Christmas Carol Storyteller Version
What you get: An album length adaptation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol combining soundtrack elements from the 1983 featurette with songs and dialogue from the original 1974 album – which actually inspired the film.
Why it’s cool: Film, radio and TV star Alan Young (beloved as Wilbur on TV’s “Mister Ed”) wrote and starred on the album. He’s the voice of Uncle Scrooge McDuck (also on DuckTales and in Disney Parks shows), and also voices Mickey! All the female roles are played by the great Janet Waldo, voice of Judy Jetson, Penelope Pitstop and Josie (of Josie and the Pussycats). Goofy is voiced by Walker Edmiston (Sigmund and the Sea Monsters, H.R. Pufnstuf).
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Walt Disney’s Lady and the Tramp
Why it’s cool: The Christmas song, “Peace On Earth” opens and closes the Walt Disney Pictures animated classic, coming to Diamond Edition Blu-ray and DVD in February. The whole soundtrack album is available for download, as well as the 1962 song album, conducted by Camarata with top Hollywood soloists Robie Lester, Teri York, Bob Grabeau and Marilyn Hooven – who sings “Peace On Earth” in counterpoint with “Silent Night.”
The Night Before Christmas
What you get: The Clement Moore poem set to music by Hollywood vocal director Ken Darby (The Wizard of Oz, Finian’s Rainbow). Look for the versions by Fred Waring and His Pennsylvanians or The Harry Simeone Chorale.
Why it’s cool: You may remember this version from the Disney Parks stage show, “Mickey’s ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas.” It was introduced on the 1940’s radio sitcom, Fibber McGee and Molly and animated for TV in 1968.
These songs and albums are available for download on selected websites including iTunes and amazon.
Walt Disney World Resort Brightens the Holidays With ‘Season of Sharing’
posted on December 23rd, 2011 by Kathleen Prihoda, Manager of Media Relations, Walt Disney World Resort
Happy holidays everyone! I’m happy to report the spirit of giving is alive and well at Walt Disney World Resort, where cast members are sharing their magic to make the season brighter for many Central Floridians.
As part of the “Season of Sharing” during the past few weeks, Disney VoluntEARS have:
- Collected 38,323 toys for the U.S. Marines Toys for Tots campaign;
- Spent more than 4,500 hours sorting and distributing Toys for Tots donations;
- Outfitted more than 2,000 teddy bears for the Salvation Army;
- Prepared more than 1,500 meals at Coalition for the Homeless; and
- Packaged more than 30,000 pounds of prepared food for the Disney Harvest program benefitting Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida.
While these efforts clearly help during the holidays, they go well beyond, as Disney gives cash and in-kind support year round at hundreds of local nonprofits that focus on improving the lives of children and families.
Time and time again, I’m impressed and amazed by what happens when Disney steps up to help address community needs.
These acts of generosity are deeply appreciated by those who benefit from them and are truly making a difference during a time when it’s needed most.
Toy Soldier Holiday Jam at Disneyland Park
posted on December 22nd, 2011 by Valarie Sukovaty, Disneyland Public Relations
If you want to jam out to some holiday sounds, go to the area outside “it’s a small world” known as “small world mall” at Disneyland park for a front row seat to the new street show, “Toy Soldier Holiday Jam.” This show stars some very talented drummers who get up-close with guests, showcasing their expert precision drumming to the sounds of the holidays. The show runs seven days a week through January 8, 2012. For a sample of this fun show, watch the video below. Enjoy!
‘Twas the Night Before Christmas at Walt Disney World Resort
posted on December 22nd, 2011 by Thomas Smith, Social Media Director, Disney Parks
To celebrate the holidays, Mickey Mouse has recruited some familiar faces from around Walt Disney World parks and resorts to help him recite the poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas” (or as it’s often called, “’Twas the Night Before Christmas”). I’d tell you who is in the video, but that’d ruin the fun, right? Just know that you’ll see characters, crew and cast from all four theme parks, the resorts, Blizzard Beach, ESPN Wide World of Sports and some areas guests usually don’t visit. Merry Christmas.
Test Your Disneyland Resort Holiday Knowledge
posted on December 22nd, 2011 by Erin Glover, Manager, Social Media and Print
Alright you Disneyland Resort experts, here’s the chance for you to really show your stuff! I’ve dug up some interesting tidbits of information about Holidays at the Disneyland Resort and I wondered how many Disney Parks Blog readers knew (or could at least guess) the answers to the following questions. Put on your thinking ears!
- How many trees are decorated by the Disneyland Resort team for the holidays?
- Where can you find the smallest ornaments at the Disneyland Resort?
- How tall is the Haunted Mansion Holiday gingerbread house, and how much does it weigh?
- If all the cables and conductors used to create Sleeping Beauty’s Winter Castle show were laid end to end, how far would they stretch?
I’ll be back later today with the answers!
UPDATE: Tricky, huh? Let’s see how you did:
- Decorating experts at the Disneyland Resort trim nearly 700 trees for the holiday season.
- The smallest ornaments are in the Storybook Land attraction at Disneyland park.
- The 2011 Haunted Mansion Holiday gingerbread house stands six feet tall, consisting of 500 pounds of gingerbread and miles of frosting.
- If all the cables and conductors used to create Sleeping Beauty’s Winter Castle show were laid end to end, they would stretch 48 miles from the Disneyland Resort – enough to pass the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank.
