Salted Caramel Bûche de Noël (French Yule Log)

Quick Summary: This salted caramel Bûche de Noël is a French yule log made of a chocolate sponge, a salted caramel chocolate mousse, and a glossy caramel glaze, finished with caramel decorations. It is a traditional French and French-Canadian holiday dessert adapted from pastry chef Arnaud Larher. The recipe takes time and involves working with dry caramel, but the steps below break it into a chocolate biscuit, a caramel mousse, a mirror glaze, and optional spun-sugar decorations.

What is a Bûche de Noël?

A Bûche de Noël, or yule log, is a traditional French Christmas dessert shaped to look like a log for the fire. It is usually a thin sponge cake rolled around a cream or mousse filling, then coated and decorated to resemble tree bark. The cake is a holiday classic in France and in French Canada, where it appears on many Christmas tables.

This version is a caramel Bûche de Noël: a chocolate sponge rolled with salted caramel chocolate mousse, covered in a shiny caramel glaze, and finished with caramel decorations. It swaps the usual buttercream for a lighter mousse and a mirror-style glaze, giving a modern take on the classic Christmas log.

Salted caramel Buche de Noel recipe

This Salted Caramel Bûche de Noël is adapted from the original recipe by French pastry chef Arnaud Larher. I have simplified several steps to make it easier for home bakers while keeping its elegant flavor and texture.

The most challenging step is making the dry caramel. Before you begin, I recommend learning what dry caramel is, how to make it, and how to know when the caramel is ready.

Chef Larher decorated his Bûche de Noël with spun sugar, but you can keep it simple by making caramel threads or skipping the caramel decorations altogether. If you use caramel threads, place them on the cake only after the glaze has fully set.

For more decorating ideas, browse different Bûche de Noël designs or top your cake with homemade meringue mushrooms. They are easy to attach while the glaze is still fresh.

Why you'll love this recipe

• Salted caramel and chocolate: The mousse pairs rich dark chocolate with salted caramel, a classic combination that is not too sweet.
• A real showstopper: The glossy caramel glaze and spun-sugar decorations make it a centerpiece once it hits the table.
• A traditional French dessert: It is a classic French and French-Canadian Christmas log, adapted from pastry chef Arnaud Larher.
• Make-ahead friendly: The components can be prepared in stages, so you can spread the work over a day or two.
• Impressive but doable: The steps are broken down so a home baker can tackle the sponge, mousse, glaze, and decorations one at a time.

Ingredients

For ingredients and detailed instructions, refer to the recipe card below.

• Eggs: the recipe calls for large eggs. Separate egg whites from the yolks while the eggs are chilled. Use an egg separator to make this step easier.

• Sugar: use granulated or caster sugar to make the caramel. Use superfine baker's sugar to make the meringue. To make superfine sugar at home, process granulated sugar for a few seconds in a food processor.

• Flour: use all-purpose flour to make the cake.

• Cocoa powder: use unsweetened cocoa powder.

• Whipping cream: use your favorite brand of whipping cream with at least 30% fat content.

• Heavy cream has a higher fat content (at least 36%) than whipping cream. You can replace it with whipping cream if desired.

• Butter: use unsalted butter, better in the softened form.

• Dark chocolate: use top-quality dark chocolate such as Scharffen Berger dark chocolate, Valrhona dark chocolate, or Lindt Excellence dark chocolate.

• Salt: it enhances the flavor of the cake. Replace it with fleur de sel if you desire.

• Hazelnuts: use store-bought roasted hazelnuts or roast nuts in the oven at 355°F (180°C) for 12 minutes. Replace hazelnuts with toasted almonds or a mix of hazelnuts and almonds.

• Glucose is a thick, colorless, and odorless syrup with a lower sweetening power than sugar. It prevents sugar from crystallizing while making caramel. Ensure that the glucose is near the sides of a saucepan to help "melt" the glucose syrup.  Replace glucose with honey (2.5 oz./70 g honey for 4.6 oz./130 g glucose) or inverted sugar syrup (2.5 oz./70 g inverted sugar for 4.2 oz./120 g glucose). Be careful: honey can give the cake a distinct taste.

• White chocolate: use Lindt or Callebaut white chocolate.

• Gelatin: use gelatin sheets with a strength of 200 bloom.

Equipment

• Stand mixer or electric hand mixer: Whips the meringue for the sponge and the cream for the mousse.
• Baking sheet and parchment or a silicone mat: Bake the thin chocolate sponge in an even layer.
• Heavy-bottom saucepan: Needed for the dry caramel, the caramel glaze, and the sugar decorations.
• Cooking thermometer: Reads the glaze temperature (82 to 86°F / 28 to 30°C) and the sugar for decorations (320°F / 160°C).
• Immersion blender: Smooths the glaze and removes bubbles for a glossy finish.
• Wire rack and bent spatula: Holds the log while glazing and helps spread the mousse evenly.

How to make Caramel Buche de Noel

Step 1. To make the chocolate biscuit, preheat the oven to 340°F (170°C). Sift all-purpose flour and cocoa powder three times using a flour sifter, and set aside. 

Step 2. Whisk the egg whites with an electric or stand mixer until firm. Add a couple of tablespoons of sugar and continue beating.

Step 3. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 spoon at a time, until the meringue becomes glossy (photo 1). Incorporate egg yolks with a rubber spatula.

Step 4. Then add the sifted dry ingredients, and using the spatula, mix, lifting the mass from the center outwards. You might find it easier to turn the bowl to facilitate this step (photo 2).

Step 5. Spread the biscuit dough on a parchment paper sheet or a silicone non-spill baking sheet to a thickness of 25/64 inch (1 cm) (photo 3). Bake for 12 minutes. Let it cool before taking off the biscuit.

Step 6. To make the chocolate-caramel mousse, chop dark chocolate with a serrated knife. Place the sugar in a saucepan and heat over medium.

Step 7. Once the sugar starts to caramelize, lower the heat (photo 4). The caramel must get a gold color, but not burn!

Step 8. Remove the saucepan from the heat and gradually pour 120 g of very hot heavy cream (photo 5). Be careful: it might splash! Add the salt, then the butter (photo 6).

Step 9. Mix the caramel well and pour it over the chopped dark chocolate (use a metal bowl to keep the heat). Stir gently until the ganache becomes smooth and shiny (photo 7).

Step 10. In a separate bowl, whisk 300 g of whipping cream until soft peaks form.

Step 11. Add ⅓ of the whipped cream to the chocolate-caramel ganache and mix well with a hand whisk.

Step 12. Then add the remaining whipped cream and incorporate it with the whisk, starting from the center and working towards the edge (photo 8).

Step 13. To assemble the cake, peel the biscuit from the parchment paper or baking mat and cut it into an 11 x 11-inch/28 x 28 cm rectangle with sharp edges.

Step 14. Cover the biscuit with the chocolate-caramel mousse, and even it with a bent spatula. Sprinkle with toasted chopped hazelnuts (photo 9).

Step 15. Roll the log tightly, starting from the top end, with the help of parchment. The biscuit's end can break; it does not matter.

Step 16. Squeeze the rolled log (photo 10) covered by paper, pushing it with a grid or baking sheet. Refrigerate it wrapped in parchment for at least 2 hours.

Step 17. To make the caramel glaze, soak gelatin sheets in cold water for 10 minutes. Chop dark and white chocolate and set aside.

Step 18. Place the sugar and glucose in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until the mixture turns a nice color.

Step 19. Add hot, whipping heavy cream (watch for splashing), and then pour over the mixture of chopped white and dark chocolate.

Step 20. Mix with the spatula to homogenize. Add the drained gelatin sheets and mix again (photo 11).

Step 21. This glaze is ready when the temperature reaches 82 to 86°F (28 to 30°C). If the glaze has bubbles, it can be homogenized using a hand immersion blender.

Step 22. To glaze the cake, place the rolled log on a wire rack and cover it with the caramel glaze (photo 12). It takes a few minutes for the glaze to settle.

Step 23. To make caramel decorations, place sugar and glucose in a saucepan. Heat the mixture to 320°F (160°C) (use a cooking thermometer), swirling the pan on top of the cooker.

Step 24. Once the temperature is reached, take two forks in one hand (close to each other), dip them in sugar, and shake them over the parchment.

Step 25. Collect the sugar with a small offset spatula and arrange it on top of the cake. The rolled log can be served immediately or refrigerated until serving.

Expert tips

1. Read more about dry caramel in the post for hazelnut praline paste.
2. To roast hazelnuts, place them in the oven at 355°F (180°C) for 12 minutes.
3. Read about how to master rolling a cake log and watch this short video about tightening a Christmas log.

Storing and serving

Keep the assembled caramel Bûche de Noël refrigerated and serve it within 2 days. The chocolate sponge and salted caramel mousse hold up well when chilled, so you can glaze and refrigerate the log a day ahead.

Take the cake out of the fridge about 20 to 30 minutes before serving so the mousse softens slightly and the flavors come through. Add the caramel decorations just before serving, as spun sugar and caramel threads soften in the refrigerator's humidity. Slice the log with a warm, dry knife for clean pieces.

Recipe FAQ

What is a caramel Bûche de Noël?
A caramel Bûche de Noël is a French Christmas yule log made with a chocolate sponge, salted caramel chocolate mousse, and a shiny caramel glaze. It is a traditional French and French-Canadian holiday dessert shaped to look like a log.

How do I make the caramel decorations for this dessert?
Cook sugar and glucose to 320°F (160°C), then dip two forks into the hot syrup and flick the syrup over parchment to create fine caramel threads and shapes. Let them set, lift them with a small offset spatula, and arrange them on top of the glazed cake. These caramel decorations are optional, so decorate the log however you like.

What is the hardest part of the recipe?
Working with dry caramel is the trickiest step. The sugar must reach a deep gold color without burning, so watch it closely and lower the heat once it starts to caramelize. It helps to read up on how to make dry caramel before you start.

What is the difference between caramel and dulce de leche?
Caramel is made by cooking sugar, with or without water. Dulce de leche is made by slowly cooking cow milk and sugar together, so the two have different flavors and textures.

Can I replace the caramel with dulce de leche?
No. You cannot swap caramel for dulce de leche in this caramel Bûche de Noël, as their preparation and consistency differ.

Can I use store-bought caramel?
No, store-bought caramel is not a good substitute. Caramel sauce has a thinner consistency, and the recipe relies on the homemade caramel for the right texture and flavor.

Can I make the yule log ahead of time?
Yes. The components can be made in stages: bake the sponge, prepare the mousse, and even roll and chill the log a day ahead. Add the caramel glaze and decorations closer to serving so they stay glossy and crisp.

How do I keep the sponge from cracking?
Bake the thin sponge just until set, about 12 minutes, and roll it while it is still flexible. A little cracking at the ends is normal and will be hidden once the log is glazed and decorated.

How should I store the caramel Bûche de Noël?
Keep the assembled log refrigerated and serve it within a couple of days. Take it out about 20 to 30 minutes before serving so the mousse softens slightly. Add spun-sugar decorations only just before serving, as they soften in the fridge.

Is this a traditional French or French-Canadian dessert?
The Bûche de Noël is a classic Christmas dessert in both France and French Canada. This caramel version is a modern take on the traditional log, adapted from French pastry chef Arnaud Larher.

Love Christmas desserts? Try these next!

• Christmas Banana Bread
• Chocolate Raspberry Yule Log
• Mini Gingerbread Men Cookies
• French Gingerbread Cake
• Bûche de Noël
• Rolled Bûche de Noël

Or browse all the Christmas recipes.

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The nutritional information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator such as Verywellfit.com and is intended for informational purposes only. These figures should be used as a general guideline and not be construed as a guarantee.

The recipe was adapted from https://cuisine.journaldesfemmes.fr/ and http://www.cookismo.fr/. It was originally published on November 12, 2018. The recipe has been revised to include improved content and photos. All posted pictures are mine.