Bûche de Noël — French Christmas log cake

i. Origin & history

The Yule-log tradition has pre-Christian roots; the cake-shaped version reportedly emerged in 19th-century Paris among patisseries seeking a more refined replacement for the actual log burnt at the hearth.

ii. Ingredients

Makes 10 servings · scroll the side panel to adjust

• 4 large eggs
• 100 g sugar
• 100 g plain flour
• 30 g cocoa
• Pinch salt
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 tbsp milk
• 300 ml double cream
• 2 tbsp icing sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 200 g dark chocolate
• 100 g unsalted butter, soft
• 1 tbsp coffee
• 2 tbsp icing sugar
• Marzipan mushrooms, holly leaves to decorate

iii. Method

1. Heat oven to 180 °C. Line a 33×23 cm Swiss roll tin.
2. Whip eggs and sugar 4 min until ribboned. Fold in flour, cocoa, salt, vanilla and milk. Spread in the tin.
3. Bake 10 min. Turn out onto sugar-dusted parchment; trim crisp edges; roll up tightly in the parchment while warm. Cool.
4. Whip cream with icing sugar and vanilla. Unroll the sponge; spread cream; reroll.
5. Make ganache: melt chocolate; beat with butter, coffee and sugar to a spreadable frosting.
6. Place log seam-down on a plate. Cover with chocolate; drag a fork along to create bark lines. Decorate with marzipan.

iv. Tips & common mistakes

• Use the freshest ingredients you can. The recipe relies on them.
• Read the method through first. Several steps must be ready in advance.
• Season patiently. Sweetness and salt are tuned at the end, not the start.

v. Variations

Coffee bûche uses coffee cream throughout. Chestnut bûche incorporates chestnut paste. Modern bûches from Parisian patisseries are elaborately sculpted entremets that bear little resemblance to a log.

vii. More from French

• Matcha Roll Cake — Japanese roll cake
• Religieuse — stacked choux nun pastry
• Paris-Brest — praline cream choux ring
• Gateau Saint-Honoré — patisserie classic
• Pionono — Argentine rolled sponge
• Strawberry Shortcake — strawberry sponge