Description
A classic French Christmas dessert, the Chocolate Hazelnut Bûche de Noël features a light and airy chocolate sponge rolled with luscious chocolate hazelnut spread and sweetened whipped cream, decorated with rich chocolate shards and toasted hazelnuts to resemble a festive Yule log.
Ingredients
Scale
Chocolate Sponge
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 100 g caster sugar (super-fine)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 65 g plain flour (all-purpose)
- 35 g cocoa powder, plus extra for dusting
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
Sweetened Whipped Cream
- 480 ml double cream (heavy cream), cold
- 45 g powdered icing sugar (confectioners’ sugar)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or extract)
- 10 g cocoa powder
- 210 g chocolate hazelnut spread
Chocolate Shards
- 100 g dark chocolate 70%, finely chopped
To Serve
- 35 g whole hazelnuts, toasted, optional
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare pan: Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease and line a 25x38cm baking pan with parchment paper with overhangs, then grease the paper to help release the sponge later.
- Whisk egg whites: Using electric beaters or a stand mixer with whisk attachment, whisk egg whites on medium-high speed until soft peaks form.
- Whip egg yolks and sugar: In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks, caster sugar, and vanilla extract on medium-high speed for 5 minutes until light and creamy with visible trails on the surface.
- Sift dry ingredients: Sift flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking powder, and salt together and whisk to combine.
- Fold ingredients together: Add half the dry ingredients to the egg yolk mixture followed by half of the egg whites; gently fold with a rubber spatula until just incorporated. Repeat with remaining dry ingredients and egg whites, folding gently to keep the batter light.
- Bake the sponge: Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth evenly. Bake for 12 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean and the sponge springs back when pressed lightly.
- Cool and roll sponge: Cool sponge in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes. Dust a tea towel with cocoa powder, then invert sponge onto it. Peel off parchment paper and roll sponge gently but firmly into the tea towel from the short side. Let it cool completely rolled up.
- Make whipped cream: Whisk double cream until soft peaks form. Add powdered icing sugar, vanilla bean paste, and hazelnut liqueur (use 1 teaspoon if omitted otherwise) and whisk until firm peaks form.
- Prepare chocolate whipped cream: Remove half of the whipped cream and set aside for filling. Sift cocoa powder into remaining cream, fold gently, and refrigerate both portions.
- Fill the cake: Warm chocolate hazelnut spread if needed to soften. Unroll sponge and spread an even layer of the hazelnut spread, then dollop and spread the firm whipped cream over top. Carefully re-roll the sponge and wrap tightly in baking paper and plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- Make chocolate shards: Melt chopped dark chocolate over a hot water bath until smooth. Spread thinly over parchment paper larger than cake roll, cover with another parchment, and roll tightly into a tube. Refrigerate until solid, then unroll and break chocolate into shards.
- Decorate the Bûche: Unwrap cake roll and cover fully with the chocolate whipped cream, smoothing evenly. Press chocolate shards onto the cream all over the log except the ends. Sprinkle toasted hazelnuts into the bark cracks and around the base. Dust lightly with icing sugar and optionally add a sprig of holly. Refrigerate until serving.
Notes
- Use digital scales for precise measurement of flour and cocoa powder for best results.
- Do not overbake the sponge to avoid cracks and dryness.
- Allow sponge to cool for 10 minutes before rolling to avoid sticking caused by trapped steam.
- Whip the cream to firm peaks to ensure the filling holds its shape and doesn’t leak out when rolling.
- Chill the rolled cake before applying chocolate shards to set the cream and maintain structure.
- Store the Bûche de Noël in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Unfilled rolled sponge can be frozen wrapped in plastic and foil for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in refrigerator before filling.
- Step-by-step photos available on the original blog post help visualize each stage.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 25 g
- Sodium: 90 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg
