The tradition of baking a Christmas log (or Yule log) came to us from France, where since pagan times there was a custom of burning a beautifully decorated log in the hearth on the day of the winter solstice. In modern houses with hearths and logs, we will make edible, biscuit-chocolate, there is no need to burn it, it is better to serve it for a festive tea party.
This version of the traditional dessert is very simple, with a minimum of ingredients and time. Essentially a sponge roll with chocolate-butter or chocolate-butter cream. All you need is a lot of good quality chocolate and a little witchcraft in the kitchen, and you are guaranteed a luxurious decoration for the holiday table! The big plus of this roll is that it can be prepared in advance, there are no raw ingredients in it, and a thick layer of chocolate ganache protects the dough from drying out. If you expect a large number of guests, make two logs, you are guaranteed to be asked for more!
Total and active cooking time – 1 hour
Cost – 6.5 $
Calorie content per 100 g – 352 kcal
Number of servings – 8-10 servings
How to cook a Christmas log
Ingredients:
Flour – 105 g.
Sugar – 175 g.
Bitter chocolate – 330 g.
Egg – 3 pcs.
Cognac – 50 ml.
Cream – 330 ml.(35% fat)
Butter – 10 g.
Preparation:
For the dough, divide the eggs into yolks and whites. Beat the yolks with ninety-five grams of sugar until white. 
Beat the whites into a thick foam. 
Gently fold the white foam into the yolks with a spatula. 
Sift the flour on top and mix, being careful not to crush the whites too much. 
Grease a baking tray or baking dish measuring twenty by thirty centimeters with butter and sprinkle with flour. Pour out the dough and smooth it out. Bake at one hundred and eighty degrees for ten to twenty minutes, until golden brown. Drain the finished biscuit onto a clean kitchen towel. 
Prepare syrup. To do this, pour eighty grams of sugar into a small saucepan, pour in one hundred milliliters of water and bring to a boil. Cook for a couple of minutes, remove from heat and pour in cognac. Let the syrup cool. 
Using a spoon, carefully soak the biscuit layer completely with syrup. 
Prepare chocolate ganache for filling. To do this, heat one hundred and fifty milliliters of cream to a boil. Remove from heat and add one hundred and fifty grams of dark chocolate broken into pieces into the cream. Stir until the chocolate is completely dissolved. When this happens, whisk the mixture until it cools completely. It is very convenient to do this with an electric mixer. 
Spread the prepared cream in a thick layer onto the biscuit. 
Carefully, lifting the towel, roll the roll. Place the roll in the refrigerator for about twenty minutes. 
Just like the filling, prepare the ganache for the coating, taking one hundred and eighty grams of cream and dark chocolate. Only this ganache does not need to be whipped, it should remain dense and cool at room temperature. Now let's start assembling the log. I cut a long roll into two small ones, you can leave one large roll, whatever is more convenient for you. Cut a piece two centimeters wide from the roll diagonally. Spread the roll with a thick layer of ganache and attach the cut piece with two toothpicks, imitating a sawn branch. Once the chocolate has set, which it does very quickly, the toothpicks can be removed, so leave the ends sticking out. 
Lubricate the placed piece with ganache, imitating tree bark, and use a fork to draw grooves. When serving, you can sprinkle the log with powdered sugar, decorate with mushroom cookies, fresh or decorative berries. Store the finished roll in the refrigerator, and before serving, keep it a little at room temperature, this will make it softer and tastier. 
The French traditionally prepare Christmas logs for Christmas every year. This is connected with the long tradition of burning fresh logs (XII century), the coals of which brought happiness and good luck to the house for a whole year, and protected it from lightning and evil spirits. Gradually, the tradition of burning died out and was replaced by the custom of baking a roll in the form of a log. Nowadays, no French family celebrates Christmas without such a delicious dessert. I suggest you plunge into the world of French cuisine and try this not difficult to prepare, but very tasty and beautiful dessert.
To prepare the biscuit roll we will need: 1 glass of flour, one glass of sugar, 5 eggs, 1 tsp. baking powder. Beat 5 eggs with a mixer, continue beating, gradually add sugar, beat until thick and fluffy.
Gently add flour and baking powder and mix.
Pour the dough onto a sheet lined with parchment paper and spread evenly. Bake in preheated oven for approximately 15 minutes. Be careful not to burn.
At this time, prepare the orange custard. For the cream we will need: 3 oranges, 2 yolks, 1 glass of sugar (200 grams), 40 grams of starch, 200 grams of butter. Squeeze 3 oranges through a juicer and pass the juice through a sieve to remove the pulp. You should get approximately 1.5 cups of juice. Place one glass of juice on the stove to heat up.
At this time, grind 2 yolks with one glass of sugar,
Pour the starch with the rest of the juice (0.5 cups).
When the juice starts to boil, add the yolks with sugar, juice with starch. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until thickened.
Wrap the baked hot roll in a towel. Leave in this state until completely cooled.
Gradually pour the cooled cold cream into the whipped butter until smooth.
You should get a thick, aromatic cream.
Soak the cooled roll in yogurt (water and yogurt 1:1).
Grease the roll with cream.
Distribute frozen raspberries over the roll.
Roll up the roll and wrap it in cling film, put it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the chocolate ganache. Melt 50 grams of butter along with 200 grams of chocolate in a water bath, stirring constantly.
Cut the roll into the shape of a log.
Coat with chocolate.
Decorate the top with berries (I used raspberries, currants and gooseberries).
Sprinkle with powdered sugar and place in the refrigerator to steep.
The Christmas log is ready! Can be served.
Bon Appetit everyone!
Merry Christmas!
Cooking time: PT02H30M 2 hours 30 minutes
Christmas is undoubtedly the most wonderful holiday. These are gifts, family comfort, the light crackling of logs in the fireplace... The main holiday dessert in France is called Bûche de Noël- Christmas log
Together with baked goose and turkey, a sponge roll soaked in butter cream, dipped in chocolate glaze and decorated with confectionery mushrooms and candied fruits is sure to decorate the French holiday table on Christmas night. In our country, the Soviet “Fairy Tale” cake can be considered an approximate analogue of this dessert.
The sweet log was invented by confectioners not so long ago, in the middle of the 19th century, but the tradition of putting a decorated log on the table at Christmas is quite ancient. In medieval France, there was a custom after the festive mass to gather with the whole family by the fireplace. The head of the family read a prayer, after which it was supposed to light the Christmas log, usually the largest one. So it’s a stretch to call a huge trunk a log; it’s more like a log - it didn’t always fit entirely into the fireplace. In the south of France, fruit trees were more often used - plums, apples, and cherries. In other regions of the country - beech or oak; these plants were revered by the Celts and ancient Germans. The doors of houses were often left open on Christmas night so that the poor could come in and warm themselves by the fireplace.
The size of the trunk and the quality of the wood were of great importance: the tree had to smolder in the fireplace for at least three days, otherwise expect a fire. Often, before the start of the Christmas service, the fire in all hearths was specially extinguished in order to light it from a torch or candle brought from the church.
Each region of France had its own traditions of handling the Christmas log. In Poitou-Charentes, before lighting it, it was sprinkled with salt, in Provence it was poured with wine, in other regions it was sprinkled with holy water, coated with vegetable oil or honey. And sometimes they put bread and cheese on the log. In the 18th century, a tradition arose of placing a log on the table, decorating it with ribbons, dried fruits, and nuts as a gift to the baby Jesus.
The ashes from the “blessed” log were considered a panacea for troubles and illnesses. For fertility, it was scattered in gardens and fields. To protect livestock from diseases, they scattered it in the barn. According to some beliefs, ashes saved chicken coops from foxes, and people from the evil eye. Throwed into a well, it helped against snakes and gossip. It facilitated the transition to another world for the dying, and ensured salvation in the afterlife for the deceased. Stepping over an unlit log or sitting in front of it before it was lit in the fireplace was considered a bad omen and promised illness.
The folk custom of decorating a Christmas log survived several French revolutions, but gave way under the pressure of technological progress. In the middle of the 19th century, the first gas stoves appeared. By the middle of the 20th century, the tradition of lighting a Christmas log had practically disappeared. And it was at this time that a dessert appeared on the tables of the French, pieces of which looked like wood cuts.
Interview
Regis Trigel
A native of Paris, the chef of the Moscow brasserie “Most” talks about the Christmas traditions of France.
What do the French eat for Christmas?
In Paris, the festive table should include foie gras and turkey with chestnuts. And in Alsace they bake kouglof - a brioche-like bun. In the Alps, a capon, a specially fattened rooster, is fried. In Provence, it is customary to serve 13 different desserts - in honor of Jesus Christ and the 12 apostles. But baked goose or turkey and a log for dessert are a must everywhere.
Is it customary to make this dessert yourself or buy it?
If the housewife has time, she will cook it herself. My mother, for example, only bakes logs herself. Even if I come home for Christmas, he won’t let me do it. It is better to prepare the log on the eve of the holiday so that the biscuit is well soaked in cream. Well, those who don’t want to or don’t know how to bake buy dessert.
Where is the best Christmas log sold in Paris?
They are all good, you can buy them literally on every corner, in any bakery or pastry shop. But I would especially recommend a small family store - bakery Stohrer. It has existed in Paris since 1730 and is still popular today. They try not to change either the traditional recipes or the interior, so they always have queues. Take a look there, you won't regret it.
History has not preserved either the exact date of the sweet invention or the name of the author. According to one version, it was a Parisian pastry chef from Saint-Germain-des-Prés who invented the dessert in 1834. According to another, the birthplace of the Christmas log is Lyon, the gastronomic capital of France, and the date of birth is 1860. There is also an opinion that the dessert was invented in 1898 by Pierre Lacam, who was once the pastry chef of Charles III, Prince of Monaco. All we can say for sure is that this did not happen earlier than the middle of the 19th century, when the usual sponge roll filled with fruit jam gained popularity. It was he who became the prototype of the Christmas dessert, in which jam replaced the more expensive buttercream as a filling. To contrast with the biscuit, cocoa is usually added to it; in Corsica, chestnuts are added. The top of the roll is generously poured with chocolate glaze, and everyone chooses their own decoration - from simple candied fruits to figurines of Santa, elves or gnomes.
Few people now remember about the ancient tradition and folk beliefs. But this doesn’t stop you from making a wish after receiving your portion of dessert. Any miracles are possible at Christmas!
Recipe
Christmas log
Servings: 6–8
Cooking time: 30 minutes
For the biscuit
Eggs - 3 pcs.; granulated sugar - 300 g; flour - 50 g; water - 50 ml;
sugar syrup - 100 ml (for 50 ml of water 50 g of sugar)
For cream
Eggs - 3 pcs.; sugar - 70 g; vanilla sugar - 1 g; butter - 250 g; vanilla - 1 pod;
lemon zest - 10 g; lime zest - 10 g; orange zest - 10 g;
cocoa - 6 g; praline - 50 g
For pralines
Hazelnuts - 50 g; powdered sugar - 20 g
For decoration
Small meringues - 5 pcs.; strawberries - 3 pcs.; biscuit - 20 g; food flowers
1 For the biscuit beat eggs and sugar until fluffy white mass, add flour and water, mix with hands. Place parchment paper on a baking sheet and roll out the dough onto it in an even layer. Bake in an oven preheated to 180°C for 9 minutes. Place the biscuit on a waffle towel and cool for 2-3 minutes. Grease with sugar syrup and roll into a roll using a towel, cool at room temperature.
2 For cream Whisk the yolks, heat the sugar and water and pour into the yolks, continuing to whisk. Add butter at room temperature and beat until smooth. Remove the vanilla seeds from the pod and add them to the cream. Divide the cream into three parts, add citrus zest to one, and praline and cocoa to the other two, respectively. For the praline, fry the hazelnuts in a dry, heated frying pan. Place in a blender, add powdered sugar, and puree until smooth.
3 Unroll the biscuit on cling film and brush with citrus cream. Roll again using film, secure the edges. Place in the refrigerator for a day or two. Cut the edge at an oblique angle, decorate with praline and cocoa cream.
4
Decorate with green sponge cake, strawberries, meringues and edible flowers.
Photos: Grigory Polyakovsky
You will find a complete list of 155 wonders that you need to see with your own eyes in the anniversary, December issue of Around the World magazine.
Before I take on the culinary instructions, I would like to talk a little about the tradition of baking Christmas logs in European countries.
It is wrong to think that the French invented everything, as they like to attribute everything to themselves as good, and it is wrong to think that tradition is closely connected with religion. It all started with Pagan Sun worship in the Scandinavian countries.
Burning a special log is probably the oldest tradition of Christmas. It started before the first Christmas. The ceremonial burning of the log meant that there was no need to work while the log was burning. Family, friends and neighbors gathered together to pass the time with songs, stories, dances and romances.
At first, the burning of logs took place on the winter solstice. In Scandinavia, a huge log was lit a few weeks before the winter solstice, and burned for a couple of weeks after that. It was the darkest time of the year, and therefore people celebrated the solstice, after which the days became longer. There were many rituals and ceremonies associated with the log; it marked the rebirth of the Sun. The tradition spread over time throughout ancient Europe.
Only in the fourth century AD, when Pope Julius I decided to celebrate Christmas on the day around the winter solstice, the tradition of burning a log was preserved, but the fire had already become a symbol not of the Sun, but of Jesus Christ. On Christmas Eve, a large log was brought into the house. They lit it in the stove or fireplace, and sang songs and stories. The children were dancing. The log was never allowed to burn completely; the remains were kept in the house until the following year. The log brought good luck.
The French were probably the first to bake the Christmas log. They first burned a log of wood, but when large open fireplaces began to disappear in France, the tradition moved to the table. In France they started baking a log-like roll called “Bûche de Noël”. Over time, other European countries began to bake Christmas logs. In English-speaking countries, such a log is called “Yule log”.
Now that you know the history of this dessert, it will probably become a little special. There are logs based on both chocolate biscuit and regular ones. I love chocolate more, so that’s how I bake it.
It's actually very easy to do. There is no need to beat the whites and yolks separately. The filling and decoration are extremely simple. There are only a few nuances, and here are some instructions:
1. Do not overbake the roll. Bake exactly as long as indicated in the recipe. Otherwise, it will all break, crumble, and there will be no roll.
2. Do not let the cake cool completely before rolling. You definitely need to roll it when the cake is warm.
3. When you add the filling, follow the time interval specified in the recipe. If you place whipped cream on warm chocolate, the cream will start to drip. But when the chocolate has completely cooled down and hardened, then it will be difficult to roll the roll again.
4. And for God’s sake, don’t worry if the cake cracks in some place. Chocolate will hide all sins :-)
That's all! To make baking more interesting and in the right mood, play some Christmas songs for yourself! :-)
For the crust:
- 4 eggs
- 100 grams of powdered sugar
- 65 grams flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 40 grams cocoa
For filling and decoration:
- 300 grams dark chocolate
- 450 ml heavy cream (min. 30% fat), cool
- 3 tbsp. powdered sugar
- 4 tbsp. apricot jam
- ½ pomegranate seeds for garnish
1. Preheat the oven to 200˚ C.
2. In a large bowl, beat eggs and sugar until white and double in size.
3. Add cocoa, baking powder and flour to the eggs while sifting. To stir thoroughly.
4. Line a wide baking dish with baking paper (mine is 20x27 cm). You don’t have to pour the dough into the mold, but carefully spread it on a parchment-lined baking sheet, giving it a square shape. Then the cake will be a little thinner. The dough is not too thin and will not spread excessively.
5. Pour the dough into the mold (or onto a baking sheet).
Place in preheated oven for 8-10 minutes. If you bake on a baking sheet, then 6-8 minutes. It is very important!! If you overbake the crust, you won’t be able to twist it, it will break!
6. Remove the cake from the oven, let cool for 2-3 minutes, and carefully remove from the pan and place on a flat surface.
Very carefully, slowly, while the cake is warm, using parchment, roll the cake into a roll as shown in the photo. Place a weight that is not too heavy on top. Leave the cake to cool like this.
8. Melt the chocolate in a water bath.
Assembly:
Carefully unroll the cooled crust. Brush the inside surface with apricot jam. Wait 2 minutes for the jam to penetrate deeper into the crust.
Spoon ¼ of the melted chocolate onto the crust and spread to create a thin layer of chocolate. Wait another 2 minutes for the chocolate to cool slightly.
Place whipped cream on top of the chocolate, leaving 6-8 cm of free edge on each side.
Carefully roll the roll, using parchment paper to help you. Carefully cut the edges of the roll at a bias. Place one such cut cut side down on the top of the roll. (This will give the effect of cutting a branch on a log.
The exquisite and delicious Christmas Log cake first appeared in France and today is a classic dessert for Christmas both in the country itself and in many countries that were once part of the French Empire. Bûche de Noël is the classic French name for a dessert. They make it in the form of a knotty log because it is a symbol and tribute to the medieval tradition of burning natural trees cut down specially for this ceremony before Christmas. Most often cherry trees were used for this. This ritual is a symbol of Christmas grace and purification. In those distant times, it was customary to store unburnt logs in houses until next year. Over time, this kind of charred log began to be prepared for the holiday in the form of a sponge roll with cream. The classic French recipe involves a simple white sponge cake and chocolate cream for both layering and decoration. This is the interesting history of this popular dessert among us today.
This New Year's dessert, Christmas Log, has a classic recipe - a delicate white sponge cake and delicious chocolate cream.
And this recipe is the opposite of the classic one. Here the author suggests baking a chocolate sponge cake, filling it with delicate cream and decorating it with chocolate cream on top.
Next Christmas log with white sponge cake and French mocha cream. A specially made home decor turns it into a New Year's Log cake. The author of the video recipe explains everything in great detail, so it’s very possible to repeat everything at home.
The last option for preparing a very tasty and unusual Polena dessert, which you may find useful, includes an original double (regular white and chocolate) sponge cake and delicate mousse cream. The multi-colored sponge cake is baked at the same time. The roll turns out, in addition to being delicious, also very beautiful and intriguing. And, although the author of the video recipe designed it as an ordinary roll, it deserves to be presented as a New Year's Log cake. Moreover, from previous videos you already know how to decorate it correctly and make a chic Christmas or. 🙂
Haven't decided on the Christmas log yet? The photo shows successful and easy-to-implement ideas for decorating this traditional French dessert for Christmas or New Year.
That's probably all. Choose for yourself which is the best. 🙂 I hope that now the classic French roll, no matter what its name is - Christmas or New Year's Log, French Christmas Log, fabulous or just chocolate Log - will now be a frequent guest on your menu, regardless of the occasion being celebrated.
