The Edible Yule Log

The Bûche de Noël

by Mary Jo

Yule logs have a long tradition in Northern European winter festivals, probably a fusion of winter solstice customs with Christian Christmas celebrations.  Traditionally a large log would be dragged into the house and lit on Christmas Eve and it was supposed to burn for at least three days, or better yet, till the New Year. 

This made a great deal of sense when household gathered around a hearth, but as times changed and hearths were replaced by wood burning stoves, what became of the Yule log?

Why, it became a cake!  In 19th century France, the Yule log tradition was transformed into the magnificent Bûche de Noël, a delicious roll cake designed to look like a Yule log.  The filling can be chocolate, vanilla, or perhaps chestnut cream.  (I always go for chocolate. <G>)  The icing is often chocolate but can a pale butter cream.  In either case, the icing is scored with a knife or fork to create the appearance of bark. 

The log is often decorated. There may be holiday items like little Clauses, but I like the traditional bright berries and meringue mushrooms designed to make the log look more foresty. 

I'd heard of Bûche de Noël cakes, but didn't meet up with them in person until fairly recently.  I was delighted when they appeared at my local gourmet market, saddened when the market no longer brought them in, and was ecstatic when a French bakery opened nearby and began to offer the real thing.  They were a stunner at Christmas Eve parties and disappeared until only smear of crumbs and icing were left.

More recently, they have started to appear in multiple markets, a happy benefit of globalization of food.  The one I got this year was less elaborate, but it still tasted very, very good!

Have you experience a Bûche de Noël?  If so, what did you think of it?  Did you imagine ancient northern forest--or was it mostly about the chocolate? <G> Tell me about it!

Mary Jo, with one large slice of log preserved in the freezer to surprise and delight later.

Comments

[Misti]

I've never attempted one myself, but my mom used to make them once in a while during the holidays. I do think they always look so fun, but for me, it's about the chocolate cake with that creamy center. :)

[Andrea Penrose]

What a fun post, Mary Jo!I love the cakes with the meringue mushrooms and chocolate icing for an "authentic" look (and what's not to like about meringue!)

Chestnut filling is very yummy, and also feels woodsy.I have a French friend who insists it should be chestnut, and I am happy to going an long with that!)

And what a brilliant idea to freeze a slice to savor Christmas at some later date!

[Alison Y]

I have only had it once. Last Christmas, 2021, my 14 year old granddaughter, who loves to bake, decided she wanted to make one. All went well until we had to roll the cake. Before we baked it, we watched several videos on how to roll it but, alas, it cracked. Bring on the icing. Once she had it iced, you didn't notice the cracking, until it was sliced. By that time no one really noticed because it tasted so good.

I wasn't with those grandchildren this year, so don't know if she tried another one, but I will be with them next Christmas and might suggest she bakes it again, as it was delicious.

[Annette N]

Thanks for the terrific post....love the sound of the cake.

[Teresa Broderick]

When the children were small I used to do a lot of baking, especially at Christmas. I always made a Yule Log. It takes a bit of time and can be fiddly but it was always eaten:) One daughter and my husband LOVE chocolate so nothing made of it ever gets wasted!!

[Mary Jo Putney]

Misti, that is an entirely defensible position!

[Mary Jo Putney]

Andrea, I've never had the a cake with a chestnut filling, but I'd LOVE to try that some day!

[Mary Jo Putney]

Alison, well done to your granddaughter. It must have been a challenging project the first time, but it sounds like it turned out well. By all means lobby for another one for Christmas 2023--Everyone in the family will enjoy it!

[Mary Jo Putney]

Annette, I hope you find one someday. A chocolate roll cake is always a winner, but the Christmas elements make it even better.

[Mary Jo Putney]

Teresa--ah, to be a guest at your Christmas table! I've never has a home baked Yule cake, which in France is the preferred type.

[Karen S. Clift]

I've never tried an actual Yule Log but have made Jelly Rolls multiple times; various fillings such as Chocolate (of course!) Lemon creme, Lime, Raspberry creme, and just keep going. Sometimes I frost it, sometimes I dust it in powdered sugar; depends on the time of year & audience.

I love that Alison's granddaughter was willing to attempt. Practice the jelly rolls thru the year & she probably won't have to worry about cracking the next Yule Log!

[Anne Gracie]

Looks yummy, Mary Jo. Here we often make a chocolate ripple cake — chocolate biscuits (cookies) that may or may not be quickly dipped in sherry or port or brandy or whatever, then wedged together with whipped cream and arranged in a log. Pop in the fridge for a few hours and the biscuits soften and become cake like. Cut on an angle to serve. Yum. And very easy to make. The ones in the link are decorated with raspberries, but at Christmas we often make them look like a yule log.
https://www.taste.com.au/recipes/choc-ripple-cake/ec490c9f-2a0e-40ea-b741-0606d08a5947

[Mary Jo Putney]

Karen, I agree--practice makes all the difference. It sounds as if you're well qualified to make a Yule log cake if you want to!

[Mary Jo Putney]

Anne, I've seen recipes for these listed as refrigerator cakes. Fun to turn them into Yule log cakes in a part of the world where Christmas falls in summer!

[Robin R]

Ooh! Anne you triggered a nice memory; my mom used to sometimes make me one of those for my birthday! I don't care much for the whip cream but I still buy the cookies, which go great wit coffee.

[Robin R]

We used to have a French bakery near us that made the full size
Buche de Noel on order with the meringue mushrooms and all. Real works of art. They also made perfect little personal size ones to go with their other wonderful tartes and treats. I still have a little gold ax and a golden wood saw that adorned a couple of mine which I use as decorations under a miniature Christmas tree. Chocolate icing and chestnut filling were always my favorite,

[Kareni]

And I am drooling once again! I have never had a Bûche de Noël, but I would happily try one.

[Karin]

I've never eaten or attempted to make a Bûche de Noël, and I suspect the technique takes practice. But I may try Anne's recipe for the easy version made with chocolate biscuits. The last recipe Anne shared, for gluten free orange almond cake, was a huge hit with my family and friends, and I believe it came from that same website.

[Mary Jo Putney]

Robin--YOU DON'T LIKE WHIPPED CREAM?????

[Mary Jo Putney]

Robin, I'd love to try the chestnut filling some day. The Buche de Noel cakes from your French bakery sound extraordinary. I've never seen one with a golden ax and saw, but all the better to dazzle us!

[Mary Jo Putney]

Kareni, these days it might be possible to order one from a premium on line bakery before Christmas. Maybe worth considering for Christmas 2023?

[Mary Jo Putney]

Anne has supplied us with some lovely recipes and pictures over the years. Heck, she had me at her first mention of a proper cream tea!