Yule Log Battle - Dueling Dishes

Pastry Chef Marc Aumont of The Modern's Recipe:

Chestnut Mousseline
€ 417 grams Milk
€ 223 grams Egg Yolks
€ 27 grams Sugar
€ 23 grams Gelatin
€ 1115 grams Chestnut Spread
€ Optional: 87gr Bailey's Irish Cream

Make ahead: Heat the milk. Mix the yolks and sugar together, and pour back into the milk. Cook together to 175F° for 3minutes. Mix with a hand blender. Strain. Add the bloomed gelatin and the chestnut spread. Cool down and reserve for 24-hours. The next day, whip using a KitchenAid until fluffy in texture.

Carrot Cake
€ 125 grams Egg Yolks
€ 75 grams Sugar, plus 50 grams Sugar
€ 25 grams Inverted Sugar (or Honey)
€ 163 grams Egg Whites
€ 150 grams Almond Flour
€ 150 grams Hazelnut Flour
€ 50 grams Hazelnuts, toasted and chopped
€ 100 grams All-Purpose Flour
€ 10 grams Baking Powder
€ 1 pinch Salt
€ 1/2 Orange Zest
€ 200 grams Carrot, shredded
€ 125 grams Carrot Puree

Whip 75 grams sugar, yolks and inverted sugar (or honey) until thick and forms a ribbon. Whip the whites to peaks and add 50 grams sugar gradually. Add the yolk mixture to the whites mixture. Fold in the dry elements. At the end, add the shredded carrot, carrot puree, and orange zest. Pour into a pan and bake at 350F° for 20 minutes.

Cream Cheese Frosting
€ ½ cup Butter
€ 2 cups Confectioner's Sugar
€ 1 cup Cream Cheese
€ A few drops of Orange Food Coloring

Cream the butter and add the sugar. Add the cream cheese and mix until creamy and fluffy. Add the food coloring to desired color.

Mushroom Meringue
€ 50 grams Egg Whites
€ 100 grams Sugar

Mix the egg whites and sugar and warm to 125F°. Whisk the mixture in the KitchenAid on medium speed until it cools down. Pipe into desired shape and cook at 200F° for 30 minutes.

Pastry Chef Emma Bengtsson of Aquavit's Recipe:

Sponge cake
€ 4 large Eggs, plus 1 Yolk
€ 135 grams Sugar
€ 120 grams All Purpose Flour
€ 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
€ 1 teaspoon Water

Whip the eggs, yolk and the sugar until they become white and fluffy by using a KitchenAid or electrical whisk. Mix the flour together with the baking powder and sift it. Fold the flour mixture in to the whipped egg batter. Line a half sheet tray with parchment paper and pour out the sponge cake on to it. Spread thin al over by using a spatula. Bake in the oven at 325F for 6 min turning it half way through for more equal baking. Remove from oven, turn it upside down and remove the parchment paper before cooling it down.

Pastry Cream
€ ½ quart Milk
€ 1 Vanilla Bean
€ 100 grams Sugar
€ 40 grams Cornstarch
€ 120 grams Egg Yolk
€ 25 grams Butter

Boil milk and vanilla bean. Mix together sugar, cornstarch and egg yolk. Pour the boiling milk over the egg mixture and whisk it together. Pour the batter back into the pot and bring to boil under constant stirring. Boil for another 3 minutes to dissolve the cornstarch completely. Add the butter and pour it into a cold pan. Cover in plastic and cool down in refrigerator for 1 hour. When set take out and strain it through a sifter.

Assembly
€ ½ pound Marzipan
€ Green Food Coloring
€ 1 jar Lingonberry Jam
€ 500 grams Whipped Cream
€ 200 grams Dark Chocolate, for shaving

Color the marzipan green and roll out thin between 2 plastic sheets. Make sure that it is the same size as the sponge cake. Place the sponge cake on top of the marzipan. Leave the bottom plastic. Slide the sponge down so 2 inches of the marzipan are showing in front of you. Cover the entire sponge with the jam in a thin layer. Repeat with the pastry cream. Be careful so you don't mix the pastry cream with the jam.

With help of the plastic that you still have under the marzipan, lift it up closest to you and start very carefully to roll it. Cover the whole log and place it in the refrigerator for another hour to set.

Cut a slice from the edge of the roll. Cut that slice diagonal and place on opposite side of the log. Whip the cream to firm consistency and cover the whole cake with it. Shave the chocolate and cover the cream with shavings. Decoration is up to your imagination but I decorated mine with some sugar tuile, pistachio cake, white chocolate and fresh micro greens.