FOOD FOR THOUGHT

I'm getting the ingredients together to make a buche de Noel to top off our Christmas dinner. It will not be simple. In fact, it will almost certainly be a total pain. This Yule cake, if it comes out right, looks like a log, right down to the meringue mushrooms sprouting from faux tree bark frosting, a dusting of sugar snow, and pine sprigs as garnish. The recipe involves making a sheet of rollable sponge cake, a buttercream frosting that requires using a candy thermometer to get it right,