Christmas Log: Buche De Noel
Submitted by Witte
A classic French Buche de Noel with a light sponge cake rolled around chocolate butter cream filling, then coated in chocolate frosting scored to look like bark. The centerpiece of any Christmas table.
YIELD
1 LogPREP
20 minCOOK
20 minREADY
1 hrsEvery French Christmas table has one of these, and once you make it, yours will too.
A Buche de Noel starts with a featherlight sponge cake baked in a jelly roll pan, turned out onto a sugar-dusted towel, and rolled while still warm so it learns its shape.
Once cooled, it unrolls to reveal a soft, pliable sheet ready for a thick layer of chocolate butter cream. Roll it back up, seam side down, and coat the whole thing in chocolate frosting.
Drag a fork through the frosting to create bark-like ridges. Tuck a few candied cherries or nuts along the top and you’ve got a log so convincing it belongs in a fireplace, not on a dessert plate.
Chef Tips
- Beat the eggs until very thick and ivory colored. This is the only leavening in the cake. Underbeating means a flat, dense sponge that cracks when rolled.
- Roll the cake in the towel immediately after turning it out. If it cools flat, it will crack when you try to shape it later.
- Chill the butter cream thoroughly before filling. Soft filling oozes out when you roll and makes a mess.
- Use a fork for the bark effect. Long, confident strokes in one direction look the most realistic. Add a few knots and swirls for extra detail.
Ingredients
Directions
Beat eggs until foamy. Gradually add sugar, salt and vanilla. Continue beating until very thick and ivory colored. Do not underbeat.
Fold in flour, one-fourth at a time. Fold gently but thoroughly after each addition.
Pour into 15½ x 15½ x 1-inch jelly roll pan, well greased on the bottom, lined with waxed paper, then greased again.
Bake in moderate oven (350 degrees) 18 to 22 minutes.
Turn out immediately on towel sprinkled with confectioners’ sugar.
Remove paper. Roll in towel, starting from 15-inch side; cool.
Unroll and spread Chocolate Butter Cream down center. Bring 15-inch sides together so they just meet. Place seam-side down on serving plate; chill.
Cover with Chocolate Frosting. Draw tines of fork lengthwise through frosting to resemble bark.
If desired, garnish with candied cherries or Funsten’s Nuts.
Chocolate Butter Cream: Combine sugar and cornstarch in saucepan.
Add eggs or egg yolks.
Beat until light and fluffy. Stir in milk; cook over medium heat stirring constantly, until thick.
Remove from heat. Blend in melted chocolate; mix well.
Cool to lukewarm. Blend in well-creamed butter and vanilla. Chill thoroughly.
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