Bûche de Noël - le dessert français classique à Noël

Christmas Log - the classic French Christmas dessert

This Bûche de Noël is decorated with meringue champignons. The recette below calls for chopped pistachios.

The origins of Bûche de Noël, the most famous and delicious of French gâteaux, can be traced back to the ancient Celtic tradition of celebrating the winter solstice. On this day, the shortest of the year, the Celts would search for a large trunk of either oak, beech, elm or cherry and would burn it. The burning log was a symbol of the rebirth of the sun as well as an offering of thanks to the sun for returning to the earth.

This pagan tradition was not snuffed out by the Catholic church and during le moyen âge the logs and the ceremony of the burning log became more elaborate. The logs themselves would be decorated with ribbons and greenery. Then the youngest and the oldest member of each family would carry the log to the hearth and set it ablaze. It would burn through the night and the ashes would be collected the next day to be used during the year. They were thought to help cure various sicknesses and protect the house from storms, lightening and the evil powers of the Devil.

The tradition of actually burning the log began to disappear with the arrival of small stoves and the disappearance of large hearths. The big log was replaced by a smaller branch that was set in the middle of the table and surrounded by little friandises, "sweets, delicacies,"that were given as treats to guests. It is this branch that was eventually transformed into the cake we know as the Bûche de Noël, the "Chrismas Log." Whether it was a Parisienne or Lyonnaise creation is still the subject of a heated debate. It is first mentioned and described in 1879 and since that time is has become "THE" dessert served at Christmas dinners.

À table!

Bûche de Noël au Chocolat


Pour le gâteau

INGRÉDIENTS:

1 cup sifted cake flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch processed)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon Nielsen-Massey Vanilla Bean Paste from (for readers aux États-Unis) Williams-Sonoma

Pour la crème:

1 cup whipping cream (very cold; avoid the ultra-pasteurised cream)
1-1/2 Tablespoons very finely ground dark roast coffee beans. (The 1-1/2 Tablespoons is the ground measure.)
1/2 cup sifted confectioners' sugar

Pour le glace:

4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate
2-1/2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup sour cream

Pour le garniture:

chopped pistachio nuts, lightly dust finished cake with confectioners sugar to resemble snow.

Préparation:

Pour le gâteau:

Preheat oven to 375°F. with rack in the center of the oven. Grease the bottom of a 15 x 10-inch jelly roll pan and line with parchment paper. Butter the parchment paper.

1. Sift the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt together in a bowl or onto a piece of waxed paper.
2. Beat the eggs until thick. Beat in the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. Stir in the water and the vanilla.
3. Add the sifted ingredients all at once into the egg/sugar mixture. Using a rubber spatula, fold the flour in until thoroughly combined.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly into the corners with a metal off-set spatula. Bake 12-15 minutes, or just until the cake has begun to come away from the sides of the pan.
5. While the cake is baking, spread a clean dishtowel flat and lay a piece of parchment paper, the size of the cake, on top of the towel. Sprinkle the paper with some sugar.
6. Invert the cake onto the paper and carefully peel off the lining paper. Trim about 1/4-inch from all sides. Slowly, roll up the cake with the paper inside, and starting from a short side. Wrap the towel around the cake, place on a rack and allow to cool.

Pour la crème:

1. In a bowl set into a larger bowl of ice and water, beat the cream, coffee and confectioner's sugar until stiff.
2. Unroll the cake and spread with the coffee cream. Re-roll and place on serving platter. Refrigerate while making the icing.

Pour la glace:

1. Melt the butter and chocolate in the top of a double boiler over simmering water. Cool slightly.
2. Beat the confectioners' sugar, sour cream and Kahlúa together.Gradually beat in the chocolate to make a smooth frosting.

Finish the gâteaux:

1. Cut a small, diagonal slice from one end of the cake and place it off-center on the cake, so that it resembles a knot.
2. Spread the icing on the cake. Using a fork, place the back of the tines against the icing and drag them down the length of the cake. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

To serve:
Sprinkle with pistachio nuts and sift a bit of confectioner's sugar on top to resemble snow.

Bon appétit et Joyeux Noël!

This recette is also posted at The Frog Blog of Louis la Vache

Plus de recettes:

The following cook book has une recette pour Bûche de Noël:

Making Classic Cakes

Williams-Sonoma: Christmas Entertaining

Christmas with Southern Living 2005