Bûche de Noël
The classic French cake that Charlotte and I make every Christmas.
Servings 10
Ingredients
The sponge
- 140 g sugar
- 4 eggs
- 60 g flour
- 40 g cornflour
- 50 g butter
The filling
- 250 g butter
- 500 g sweet chestnut paste
- 1-2 tbsp alcohol such as cognac
- 100 g sugar
- 150 ml water
- 1 tsp alcohol same type as before
Decoration
- 50 g dark chocolate
- icing sugar
- decorations such as holly leaves
Instructions
The sponge
- Separate the eggs.
- Whisk the sugar with the egg yolks.
- Mix in the flour and cornflour (sieved).
- Melt the butter and gently add it in.
- Beat the egg whites beaten stiff with a pinch of salt/drip of lemon juice, and add them.
- Put it on buttered baking paper on a baking tray and bake it for 8-10 mins at 180C.
- Put it on a damp dish cloth and roll up, then leave to cool.
The filling
- Cube the rest of the butter and mix it with the chestnut paste. Add the large amount of booze.
- Make a sugary solution of sugar mixed with water and the small amount of booze.
- Unfold the towel and paint the sponge with the sugar water.
- Put on 2/3 of the filling and roll it up.
Decoration
- Melt the chocolate and mix it with the rest of the filling.
- Decorate the log with it, making patterns with a fork.
- Refrigerate for at least 12 hours.
- Decorate with icing sugar and decorations.