INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

FOR CAKE: Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Butter llxl7-inch jelly roll
pan. Line with parchment. Butter and flour parchment. Coarsely grind
toasted almonds with flour in processor. Using electric mixer, beat
yolks with 5 tablespoons brown sugar in medium bowl until slowly
dissolving ribbons form when beaters are lifted. Stir in orange peel
and vanilla extract. Using clean dry beaters, beat whites with cream
of tartar and salt in large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add
remaining 5 tablespoons brown sugar and beat until stiff but not dry.
Fold whites into yolk mixture. Gently fold in almond mixture.  Spread
batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake until toothpick inserted  into
center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Run small sharp knife  around
pan sides if necessary to loosen cake. Slide cake on parchment  onto
rack. Cool.  Slide cake on parchment onto work surface. Loosen cake
from parchment  using heavy large knife as aid. Sift powdered sugar
over cake. Invert  onto cookie sheet. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and
invert onto  another parchment sheet. Using electric mixer, beat butter
in large  bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in Grand Marnier. Add
pastry cream  1/4 cup at a time, beating after each addition until just
blended.  Spread half of buttercream over cake, leaving 1/2-inch
border.  Starting at 1 long side, roll up cake jelly roll fashion.
Arrange  seam side down on parchment. Set aside 1/2 cup buttercream;
spread  remaining buttercream over cake. Cut 2 inches off each end of
cake,  cutting on diagonal. Transfer cake to platter. Attach ends to
top of  cake, forming branches. Spread reserved 1/2 cup buttercream
over cake  ends and seams. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour to
firm  buttercream. (Cake can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and
refrigerate. Let cake stand at room temperature 20 minutes before
serving.)  Arrange pine twigs on cake and on platter. Garnish with
cranberries.  Posted to MM-Recipes Digest V4 #209 by Polly/Lisa
<liwo@nb.net> on  Aug 10, 1997

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