A buche de noel (french yule log cake) - part 1

----------------------------ALMOND SPONGE SHEET----------------------------
      3 ea Egg yolks
    1/2 c  Sugar, granulated
      1 md Orange; grated rind & juice
    3/4 c  Almonds; blanched & ground
           .  with 3 Tbsp granulated
           .  sugar
    1/4 ts Almond extract
    1/2 c  flour, cake
      3 ea Egg whites
      3 tb Sugar, granulated
           Confectioner's sugar; in a
           .  sifter

-------------------------------meringue BASE-------------------------------
      3 lg Egg whites
        pn Salt
    1/4 ts Cream of tartar; scant
  1 1/3 c  Sugar, granulated

--------------------------------FILLING BASE--------------------------------
     12 oz Semisweet baker's chocolate
           .  melted with 1/3 cup
           .  strong coffee
      1 tb vanilla extract
      3 tb Rum, dark, jamaican
      4 tb butter, unsalted, softened

----------------------------------FILLING----------------------------------
      4 tb butter, unsalted, softened

---------------------------------DECORATION---------------------------------
      3 tb Unsweetened cocoa; in a tea
           .  strainer
           Confectioner's sugar; in a
           .  sifter

-----------------------------SPUN CARAMEL VEIL-----------------------------
      1 c  Sugar, granualted
      3 tb Syrup, corn, white
 
     SPECIAL EQUIPMENT SUGGESTED
  
  A jelly-roll pan about 11 by 17 inches; butter, wax paper, and flour for
  the pan; an electric blender or food processor for the aImonds; a
  table-model electric mixer for the meringue; a pastry bag with 3/8-inch
  tube opening and a separate tube with l/8-inch opening, for the mushrooms;
  a buttered and floured no-stick pas try sheet for the mushrooms; a serving
  board to hold the log plenty of wax paper; an oiled broom handle suspended
  between 2 chair backs and newspapers on the floor, for the caramel. ** For
  the directions, please see part #2 **
 
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