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Home > All Recipes > 41 Traditional French Recipes

A Delicious Christmas Yule Log Recipe

Published: Oct 10, 2021 · Modified: Nov 23, 2024 by Judith Coates · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

A delicious traditional chestnut-flavored Christmas log that is easy to swap up for one of the more modern flavors of Yule log recipes that are popular now. 
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe Pin Recipe
A dark chocolate iced yule log decorated with berries and other ornaments.

La Bûche de Noël

A delicious traditional chestnut-flavored Christmas log that is easy to swap up for one of the more modern flavors of Yule log recipes that are popular now. They come in many colors and flavors so if you prefer a different taste in this classic holiday cake you can. Whatever flavoring you choose it will be a delight for all!

yule log recipe

How To Serve Your Bûche de Noël

To complete your Christmas cake recipe, you can scatter some finely chopped pistachios nuts on it to look like moss, pine cones, etc., and dredge some icing sugar to imitate snow.

You can, of course, use any decorations you wish and a chocolate or coffee buttercream would also be delicious instead of the chestnut cream, in fact, why not make all three?

Your Christmas Yule log recipe can be transformed into the most beautiful cake with the addition of a small Father Christmas placed on it and some imitation fir leaves. A piece of marzipan with some piped icing such as 'Merry Christmas' or 'Joyeux Noel' also looks amazing.

This will be beautiful on your Holiday serving table along with other holiday classic dishes, Roast Goose, more commonly served today Roast Turkey, Gratin Dauphinois, Buttery Green Beans, Chestnut Gateaux, Classic French Onion Soup, so many more delicious recipes.

📖 Recipe

A dark chocolate iced yule log decorated with berries and other ornaments.

A Delicious Christmas Yule Log Recipe

Judith Coates
A delicious traditional chestnut-flavored Christmas log that is easy to swap up for one of the more modern flavors of Yule log recipes that are popular now. 
Print Recipe Pin
Course Holiday Cakes
Cuisine French
Servings 8 people

Ingredients

  • 4 oz icing sugar
  • 3 eggs plus 1 egg yolk
  • 2½ ounce/65 gram flour
  • 2 pound/900 gram unsweetened chestnut purée
  • 11 ounce/300 gram softened butter
  • 4 ounce/100 gram castor sugar
  • 2 tablespoons rum

Chestnut Puree

  • If you cannot find chestnut puree or it is too expensive use canned, vacuum-packed, or frozen chestnuts to make your own.

You will need:

  • 350 gr cooked chestnuts
  • 2 cup water milk, or dairy alternative
  • 1-2 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • ½ vanilla bean seeds scraped out
  • pinch of salt

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 350°F/180°C/Gas 4
  • Prepare a 14"x 10"/35 x 25 centimeter jelly roll pan by lightly greasing it with butter and lining it with greaseproof paper.
  • Sift the icing sugar into a large mixing bowl.
  • Add the eggs and whisk until they are light and creamy and fluffy. Add the rum as you whisk them.
  • Fold the flour in very gently until well mixed.
  • Pour the mixture into your prepared tin.
  • Place in a preheated oven for 10-12 minutes.
  • While it is baking, cut a piece of baking paper or greaseproof paper just a little larger than the tin.
  • When your Yule log is baked, turn it out onto the prepared baking paper. Don't worry if the edges are a little crisp (it happens sometimes!), simply trim the edges.
  • Using the baking paper, take hold of the ends and roll your Yule log into a roll with the paper inside it.
  • Allow to go cold.

Prepare your Chestnut Cream Filling/Topping

  • Beat the chestnut purée and the butter, then gradually beat in the sugar and the rum.
  • Unwind the log and remove the paper.
  • Spread about a third of the filling on the sponge and roll it up into the log again.

How To Make Chestnut Puree

  • In a saucepan, whisk together the milk and sugar on medium heat, until sugar is dissolved.
  • Add chestnuts and vanilla bean then lower heat to simmer.
  • Cook for about 20 minutes until half of the liquid is left in the mixture.
  • Remove the vanilla bean and discard.
  • Strain the mixture keeping the liquid. 
  • Place the chestnuts into a food processor or blender and puree until smooth, scraping sides as required and adding some of the liquid back as needed until the desired consistency is reached. The puree needs to be spreadable, not watery.
  • Cool to room temperature and store in the fridge for up to 3 days or freezer for up to 2 months.

Decorating your Yule Log

  • To decorate your Yule log, cut off the ends on a slant to give it a more authentic Yule log effect.
  • Cover with the remainder of the chestnut cream by either piping it with a star tube close to one another on the top and sides to imitate the bark or simply cover and mark with a fork.
  • To complete your Christmas Yule Log recipe, you can scatter some finely chopped pistachio nuts on it to look like moss, pine cones, etc., and dredge some icing sugar to imitate snow.
  • You can use any decorations you wish and a chocolate or coffee buttercream would also be delicious instead of the chestnut cream, in fact, why not make both!
  • Your Christmas Yule log recipe can be transformed into the most beautiful cake with the addition of a small Father Christmas placed on it and some imitation fir leaves. A piece of marzipan with some piped icing such as 'Merry Christmas' or 'Joyeux Noel' also looks amazing.

Notes

If you cannot get chestnut purée or would prefer a coffee or chocolate filling, here is a quick recipe for it:
  • 12 ounce icing sugar
  • 6 ounce butter, softened
  • 1-2 tablespoon good quality coffee/cocoa dissolved in 1 tablespoon warm water and allowed to cool.
  1. Sift the icing sugar and place in a large bowl with the softened butter.
  2. Cream them together, adding the flavoring slowly until you get the desired consistency.
  3. You may prefer more coffee or chocolate cocoa to your liking.
  4. Decorate your Yule log as above using your flavored cream.
Keyword Bûche de Noël, Christmas cake, french desserts, joyeux noel, yule log recipe
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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Enchanté, je suis Judith

Owner, home chef, food writer, & creator of this website where I share my collection of appetizing French cuisine recipes. My goal is to remove all your misconceptions about French food being too finicky or too saucy, it's simply wonderful everyday eating! So, let us get cooking!

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