Christmas pudding may be Britain’s best-known festive dessert, but in France, the bûche de Noël — or yule log — reigns supreme, with skilled pâtissiers and home bakers creating an array of different versions, from the classic to the outré.
“It’s a very traditional French thing,” says baker Frank Barron (known as @cakeboyparis on Instagram), who moved from California to the French capital in 2012. “There seems to be no question that there will be some type of bûche on the table as part of dessert, after the main festive feast is over.”
As a dessert, the bûche de Noël has a relatively short history, but its namesake dates back much further. The original yule log was just that — a large, heavy piece of wood that was burned during the festive season. It was lit on Christmas Eve and rekindled each day until Twelfth Night was reached. This custom
