Buche de Noel Recipe

This Buche de Noel Recipe is a classic and decadent recipe, which features a light chocolate genoise sponge and rich coffee buttercream. It’s a traditional French Christmas dessert, ready in about 3 hours (including cooling and decoration).

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Buche de Noel Recipe Ingredients

Chocolate Genoise Sheet:

• 3 large eggs
• 3 large egg yolks
• Pinch of salt
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup cake flour (spooned and leveled)
• 1/3 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 cup alkalized (Dutch process) cocoa powder

Coffee Buttercream:

• 4 large egg whites
• 1 cup sugar
• 24 tablespoons (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
• 2 tablespoons rum or brandy

Marzipan Decorations:

• 8 ounces almond paste
• 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 3 to 5 tablespoons light corn syrup
• Cocoa powder (for dusting mushrooms/pinecones)
• Red and green liquid food coloring
• Confectioners’ sugar (for snow)

How To Make Buche de Noel Recipe

1. Make the Genoise: Preheat oven to 400°F. Combine eggs, yolks, salt, and sugar in a mixer bowl set over simmering water. Whisk until lukewarm (100°F). Move to the mixer stand and whip on medium-high until cooled and tripled in volume. Sift flour, cornstarch, and cocoa together. Fold the dry mix into the egg foam in three batches, scraping the bottom well. Spread into a prepared 10×15-inch jelly-roll pan. Bake for 10-12 minutes until springy. Loosen edges, invert onto a rack, peel off parchment, and let cool right-side up.
2. Make the Buttercream: Whisk egg whites and sugar over simmering water until hot and dissolved. Whip on medium speed until cooled. Switch to paddle attachment and beat in softened butter until smooth. Dissolve espresso powder in the rum/brandy and beat into the buttercream.
3. Roll the Cake: Turn the cooled cake over and peel off the baking paper. Invert onto a fresh sheet of paper. Spread half the buttercream evenly over the cake. Use the paper to help roll the cake into a tight cylinder. Transfer to a baking sheet and refrigerate for 30 minutes to set. Reserve remaining buttercream.
4. Make the Marzipan: Beat almond paste and 1 cup sugar until absorbed. Add remaining sugar and mix to crumbs. Add corn syrup gradually until dough holds together. Knead until smooth.
5. Create Decorations:
   • Mushrooms: Roll marzipan into stems and caps; assemble and smudge with cocoa.
   • Holly: Tint marzipan green, roll thin, and cut diamond leaves. Tint marzipan red and roll tiny berries.
   • Pine Cones: Knead cocoa into marzipan, shape into cones, and snip sides with scissors.
6. Assemble and Decorate: Unwrap the chilled roll. Trim ends diagonally. Place one cut end on top or side of the log to create a “branch.” Cover the entire log with the reserved buttercream. Use a fork to streak the frosting to resemble bark. Arrange marzipan decorations around the log. Dust sparingly with confectioners’ sugar “snow.”

Recipe Tips

• Genoise Temperature: Heating the eggs and sugar before whipping helps dissolve the sugar and relaxes the egg proteins, allowing them to whip to maximum volume for a light sponge without baking powder.
• Don’t Overbake: The genoise is a lean sponge. If overbaked, it will become dry and crack when you try to roll it. It should spring back when touched but not feel hard.
• Rolling Technique: Unlike some recipes that roll the cake while hot in a towel, this recipe cools the cake flat. The buttercream acts as the moisture agent. Use the parchment paper to keep the roll tight and even.
• Marzipan Texture: If the marzipan becomes too sticky while shaping, dust your hands and surface with a little confectioners’ sugar.

What To Serve With Buche de Noel

This rich dessert is the grand finale of a Christmas meal.

• Coffee: Essential to pair with the coffee buttercream.
• Champagne: A festive toast.
• Fresh Raspberries: The tartness cuts the sweet marzipan.
• Whipped Cream: Unsweetened cream on the side.

How To Store Buche de Noel Recipe

• Room Temperature: The assembled cake can be kept at a cool room temperature for serving.
• Refrigerate: For longer storage (up to 2 days), keep it loosely covered in the refrigerator. The buttercream will harden, so let it stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.
• Freeze: You can freeze the rolled, unfilled cake wrapped well for up to a month. The decorations are best made fresh.

Buche de Noel Recipe Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 650
• Total Fat: 35g
• Saturated Fat: 22g
• Cholesterol: 180mg
• Sodium: 120mg
• Total Carbohydrates: 75g
• Dietary Fiber: 2g
• Sugar: 60g
• Protein: 8g

Nutrition information is estimated per slice based on 12 servings.

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