Classic Chocolate Yule Log Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is a traditional yule log made of? ›

A Yule log is a traditional holiday decoration that is made of a large log, often made of oak, that is burned in the fireplace or stove as a part of Christmas celebrations.

Make the Yule Log up to 1 week ahead and store in an airtight container in a very cool place. FREEZE AHEAD: Make the Yule Log and freeze in a rigid container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in a cool room and store in an airtight container until needed.

yule log in British English

noun. 1. a large log of wood traditionally used as the foundation of a fire in the hearth at Christmas. 2. a chocolate-coated cylindrical sponge cake, eaten at Christmas.

The Yule log was a long oak tree carved with runes (early norse/germanic letters) to wish for the protection of the gods and burned for the duration of the celebration. To let it go out was said to be a dark omen and a sign of bad luck to come. The Vikings would save a piece of the log for next year's fire.

The tradition of the Yule log began in Norway, where a giant log was hoisted onto the hearth to celebrate the return of the sun each year. Hold a simple ritual by having each family member write down wishes, place them in the log, and then burn it in your fireplace.

While both desserts feature a thin layer of cake and fluffy filling rolled into a log, the difference between a yule log and a Swiss roll is how the two are decorated. Swiss rolls are typically kept plain while yule logs are cut, frosted, and adorned to look like, well, logs!

A Yule log or bûche de Noël (French pronunciation: [byʃ də nɔɛl]) is a traditional Christmas cake, often served as a dessert near Christmas, especially in France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Lebanon, Switzerland, Vietnam, and Quebec, Canada.

Rolling the cake (without cracking!)

But alas, that's what I had to do: The secret to making a roll cake that doesn't crack is to roll it up, unfilled, while it's still warm from the oven and at its most pliable. Then let it cool, unroll and fill, and roll right back up.

The icing should only be spread over once the sponge cake is fully cooled, otherwise the icing could become too soft. The cake may crack slightly as it is rolled, but as the whole cake is covered completely in icing, any cracks will not show on the finished Yule Log.

It simply means it may not be at its absolute best. In almost every case food products will be absolutely fine well after the best before date, look at it and taste it! I would happily eat something like that for quite a few days after the best before date - even longer for some goods.

What is a bakery Yule log? ›

The Yule log cake is a rolled Genoise sponge cake, filled with buttercream and decorated with chocolate frosting or ganache, which is combed with a fork to create a bark-like texture.

In England, Oak is traditional; in Scotland, it is Birch; while in France, it's Cherry. Also, in France, the log is sprinkled with wine, before it is burnt, so that it smells nice when it is lit.

A family hoping for a year of prosperity might burn a log of pine, while a couple hoping to be blessed with fertility would drag a bough of birch to their hearth. In our house, we usually make our Yule log out of pine, but you can make yours of any type of wood you choose.

The burning of a Yule log is a beloved Christmas tradition today, but its origins trace back to ancient pagan celebrations of the winter solstice.

Yule Log Decor and Dessert

Today, a Yule log is still a Christmas tradition in some cultures; a large log is traditionally burned in the fireplace on Christmas Eve. For other cultures, the Yule log is a log-shaped chocolate cake enjoyed as a Christmas dessert.