Chocolate Roll or Buche De Noel

6 eggs

¾ cup sugar

1/3 cup cocoa

1 tsp. vanilla

½ tsp almond extract

Separate egg yolks into small bowl and egg white into large bowl of electric mixer. Let egg whites warm to room temperature-about 1 hour.

Preheat over to 375°. Lightly grease bottom of a 15 ½ x 10 ½ in jelly –roll pan; then line with parchment paper letting paper extend over the sides of the pan.

At high speed, beat egg whites just until soft peaks form when beater is slowly raised. Gradually beat in ¼ cup sugar, beating until stiff peaks form. Meringue will be shiny and moist.

With same beater, at high speed, beat egg yolks with rest of sugar until thick and lemon-colored-about 5 minutes. At low speed, beat in cocoa and extracts just until combined.

With wire whisk or rubber scraper, using an under-and-over motion, gently fold yolk mixture into egg whites just until combined.

Turn into prepared pan, spreading evenly. Bake 12 to 14 minutes, or just until surface springs back when gently pressed with finger-tip.

Remove cake from oven and sprinkle with powered sugar. Starting with long edge, use the parchment paper to roll up cake in jelly-roll fashion. (Cake tends to crack slightly when rolled.) Place, seam side down, on wire rack 30 minutes, or until cool.

Meanwhile, make Filling.

Gently unroll cake; remove parchment paper. Spread cake with filling, reroll. Place seam side down, on serving plate. Cover roll with Frosting. Decorate with green and red candied cherries.

Cover loosely with foil. Refrigerate 1 hour, or until serving time. To serve, slice on diagonal with serrated knife.

Filling

1 cup whipping cream

2 T sugar

Beat whipping cream until stiff. Add sugar.

Ice Cream Filling

Fill roll with 1 pint slightly soft vanilla ice cream. Roll up as directed. Freezer-wrap, and freeze about 1 hour, or until serving time.

Frosting

1/3 cup cocoa

1/3 cup butter, softened

2 cups powdered sugar

1 ½ tsp vanilla

1 to 2 T cream or more as needed for proper consistency

Mix cocoa, butter, 2 cups powdered sugar, and vanilla. Add cream until smooth and of spread consistency. Cover roll with frosting, making strokes with tines of fork to resemble bark.

Makes 10-12 servings.

Alternative recipe for cake roll

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup water

1 tsp vanilla

¾ cup flour

¼ cup cocoa

1 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

Powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 375°. Line jelly-roll pan with parchment paper; grease paper.

Beat eggs in mixer bowl on high speed until thick and lemon colored, about 5 minutes. Gradually beat in 1 cup sugar. Beat in water and 1 tsp vanilla on low speed. Sift together flour, ¼ cup cocoa, baking powder, and salt; add to egg and sugar mixture, beating just until batter is smooth. Pour into jelly roll pan. Bake for 15 minutes. Cool 5 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, use edges of parchment paper to roll the cake from short end; cool.