The bûche de Noël is a classic French Christmastime tradition. The cake made to look like a log is meant to call to mind the Yule logs once burned during winter solstice celebrations. Though these edible logs might not produce actual heat, they will certainly create a warm atmosphere when displayed on a dessert table, and later when enjoyed by everyone, of course.
If you’re not one to bake a log yourself, there are a number of different varieties of bûches de Noël available in the city.
Payard bakery in Manhattan sells bûches de Noël available in for pick up or delivery in Manhattan. When you order, you can also customize size. Logs can serve between four and ten people and range in price from $26 to $60. And with four different types, you’re sure to find a bûche de Noël that fits all of the tastes at your holiday gathering.
The Cheesecake Berry is a white log dotted with raspberry macarons. The inside of the log is made of sable Breton biscuit, baked cheesecake, raspberry gelée, vanilla bean cheesecake mousse, and Madeleine cake.
The Cassis Chestnut, this year’s special bûche de Noël, features vanilla pound cake combined with cassis cremeux and jewels of poached cassis covered with a chestnut mousse.
The Chocolate Decadence is as decadent as the name implies, made up of flourless chocolate cake and feuilletine au grue de cacao enveloped in a dark chocolate glaze.
Finally, there is Payard’s signature bûche de Noël, the Louvre. In this impressive log, layers of chocolate and hazelnut mousse, hazelnut wafers and hazelnut dacquoise cake are covered with a dark chocolate glaze and chocolate macarons.
At New York chain Financier Patisserie, you’ll find five different kinds of bûches de Noël. The chocolate, praline, coffee and Grand Marnier flavors are composed of biscuit rolled with mousseline and decorated with a light butter cream. The Parisienne bûche de Noël is Financier’s standout and features almond nantais biscuit rolled with chocolate and almond orange mousses, decorated with a caramel crème brûlée.
Financier’s logs are 8.5 and 12.5 inches long and cost either $30 or $44.25. They can be available for next day pickup at any Financier location.
By Monica Burton
