I'm A Bad Bad Daring Baker

I know this looks nothing like a Buche de Noel . And quite frankly today I don't care. I don't know why I thought I could complete this month's challenge. I'm packing to move, I'm lunching out every day, dinner out every night this week. Tomorrow I have breakfast, lunch and dinner out. Today I scheduled a free day to make my Buche de Noel and also to give my body a rest from the wine.
The sponge was in the oven, I started on the coffee cream...oops ...not enough butter...run next door to the neighbour to borrow butter.... offer to share dessert with them tonight....ooops....there goes my plan for a wine free day.......butter cream curdles...I know..... I didn't heat the eggs whites high enough as the recipe said... put it in the fridge to harden up a bit......cup of tea and a sit down...... cream now hard but still curdled....throw in some flour that should fix it....it does and surprise surprise you can't taste the flour....oh sh*t not enough eggs for meringue mushrooms.... I can use those very expensive griottines...perhaps they will look like toadstools....no they don't....reread the instructions...you MUST decorate with either meringue mushrooms or marzipan mushrooms..... oh damn, just take a photo and make it blurry.....at least every one can see you tried....anyway when this comes out I'll be lying on an island in the sun and I won't care.
Thank you Ivonne and Lis , hosts for this month and also the founders of the Daring Bakers - check out their Yule logs . Please don't send me to stand in the corner for not completing the challenge. I promise to do better next month.......if my possessions have arrived at my new home in Australia.
UPDATE: The neighbours enjoyed it, Bryan loved it, a bit rich for me, too sweet for Michael and he thinks the butter taste is too strong. It paired nicely with a Yering Station Late Harvest Pinot Gris. Looks like Bryan will be eating the leftovers for lunch today while I'm out.
I think you did great... it's the effort that counts. And I certainly appreciate the wine pairing recommendation! Merry Christmas Barbara. And a happy, healthy new year!
Posted by: Dolores | December 22, 2007 at 07:39 AM
I'm amazed you did it with all you have going on.You are Super Woman Merry Christmas.Great Job.
Posted by: Courtney | December 22, 2007 at 07:48 AM
Amazing that you did it all while getting ready to move!! Happy Holidays, Barbara! Have a delicious 2008!
Posted by: Kat | December 22, 2007 at 11:41 AM
Well done. Despite the drama, it was still enjoyed. I hope things settle down a bit for you and you get to have a relaxing Christmas.
Posted by: desie the maybahay | December 22, 2007 at 04:17 PM
You are a good baker to do this challenge with all the drama.
Happy Holidays!
Posted by: Ulrike aka ostwestwind | December 22, 2007 at 07:28 PM
No worries, Your other recipes are great enough !!
Posted by: foodie froggy | December 22, 2007 at 08:37 PM
Merry Christmas, LOL, have some wine, this post was hilarious, and every dessert should have cherries on top!
Posted by: Rosemary in Utah | December 23, 2007 at 01:42 AM
Hey, in the end, it's the taste that counts, no? :) Merry Christmas!
Posted by: maria~ | December 23, 2007 at 02:33 AM
With everything going on,no one will hold that one against you!! I love the toasdstools idea!!
Posted by: Tartelette | December 23, 2007 at 04:25 AM
You should be proud of yourself for giving it a go even in spite of all that you have going on. Enjoy your holiday!
Posted by: Michelle | December 23, 2007 at 05:36 AM
Bad DBer? I think not! You completed the task. Well done! :) Happy Holidays, Barbara!
Posted by: Chris | December 23, 2007 at 03:09 PM
Oh, thanks for the wind suggestion with it.
And I don't think you are a bad DB'er.
Posted by: peabody | December 23, 2007 at 04:12 PM
I'm planning to make this on Christmas Eve, and I think I just got a preview of what's to come! :-) Hope you're enjoying your trip!
Posted by: Alice Q. Foodie | December 23, 2007 at 05:32 PM
Hats off to you! The fact that you were able to even complete the challenge with a schedule like that gets my admiration. The griottines are a great touch and seem like a complementary addition to the recipe.
Posted by: Danielle | December 23, 2007 at 09:13 PM
"take a photo...make it blurry" hahaha
My experience wasn't much better. Merry Christmas!
Posted by: Maryann | December 24, 2007 at 03:36 AM
It sounds like you ahve had a very hectic few days. Even if you are not happy with how it looks I bet it still tastes great.
Posted by: Katie | December 24, 2007 at 04:40 AM
Or.. you could've tried dusting a few button mushrooms with cocoa powder so that they looked like meringue mushrooms! :-D
I like the idea of the cherries anyway. Adds a little more interest than just plain sugary meringue!
Posted by: Y | December 24, 2007 at 05:56 AM
with all the drama, a challenge completed and now you're baking again (or was that basking?). Well done!
Posted by: baking soda | December 24, 2007 at 06:13 AM
Task completed! Better than all the bloggers out there who didn't even try! Happy holiday to you!
Posted by: Claudia | December 24, 2007 at 08:44 AM
You did a wonderful job on your yule log in spite of all the challenges. That's what being a Daring Baker is all about. Have a lovely vacation.
Happy Holidays!
Natalie @ Gluten A Go Go
Posted by: Sheltie Girl | December 24, 2007 at 02:41 PM
If I squint past the blurryness of the photo I can see a beautiful, delicious Yule Log! Who needs mushrooms anyway? You did a great job amongst everything else you have going on... Good work..
Posted by: Tara | December 26, 2007 at 09:42 PM
I think you are a great Daring Baker for going for it! :) I am the bad one for missing out completely this month...
Happy Holidays, enjoy your vacation, and best wishes for 2008 and your new home! :)
Posted by: joey | December 26, 2007 at 09:45 PM
I admire you for even giving it a shot with all you've got going on. Looks great to me:)
Posted by: Paula | December 28, 2007 at 12:17 AM
You are a courageous person! If I were you, I would have been too stressed to bake anything, let alone that log!!!
Well done! I find it looks good...
Cheers and Happy New Year 2008!
Rosa
Posted by: Rosa | December 28, 2007 at 11:58 PM
At least you tried, especially with such a busy month! I hope you have a wonderful New Year!
Posted by: Deborah | December 29, 2007 at 03:01 AM
I commend you for squeezing this into your crazy schedule! And the log looks fine in the photo :) You're a true DBer. Kudos to you and I hope you have a great new year!!
Posted by: Jen Yu | December 31, 2007 at 10:47 AM
Hahaha take a blurry photo cracked me up. I think your log looks beautiful in it's differnce from all the logs with mushrooms. Very creative to use the cherries instead.
Posted by: Mary | January 04, 2008 at 01:19 PM
i have been quite busy too last Christmas holidays that i failed to visit some DBers buche de noel...anyways even if you think your yule log didnt look that great..as my father often says..its what the mouth tells that counts and not the eyes!! your friends loved it, it was your proof :-) happy new year!
Posted by: dhanggit | January 06, 2008 at 12:19 AM
Hilarious post, and kudos for making it amidst a very busy schedule!
Posted by: Christina | January 07, 2008 at 07:27 AM