This week’s Tuesdays with Dorie recipe from Baking Chez Moi was chosen with the holidays in mind. A flavourful twist on the classic Bûche de Noël, this version starts with a gingerbread-spiced sponge roll and is filled with a tasty cream cheese filling, then coated with a fluffy marshmallow frosting and topped with some pecan praline toffee bits. Sounds complicated, huh? Well actually, it’s not so difficult. A lot of steps but none of them complicated, just a little time consuming and requiring some advance planning.
I made this for a Sunday dinner (! as you do!) for three of us, so I halved the recipe and used a 1/4 sheet pan – it worked perfectly. The sponge cake was simple to make – the rolling is the part where you might mess up but (ssh!) here’s a secret – the frosting will cover a multitude of sins!
I didn’t make Dorie’s pecan praline because I had some toffee bits leftover from Jamie Oliver’s Hummingbird Cake that worked a treat…
The cream cheese filling was a lovely tangy addition (although I didn’t quite add enough of the praline according to my taste testers!) but we all found it a little too hard. The frosting is so lovely and fluffy and the cake is so soft – you expect the filling to melt in your mouth too. Perhaps ours was a little cold from the fridge (though it had been brought out to room temperature) but we all decided it needed something lighter and softer in the centre. I might add a little cream next time to lighten up the texture…
In any case, no-one complained and as the cake sat on the table and we chatted, you couldn’t help but cut “just another sliver” 😉 You know – that type of cake!
The marshmallow frosting was a fabulous addition (although – beware – I made 1/2 the quantity and still had enough left for a second cake so if you are making the full quantity, you might want to try making just 1/2 the frosting) – it’s one of those frostings that make you want to lick the spatula (and clean the bowl with the spatula!).
Overall I was pretty happy with my first ever (!) attempt at a Yule Log. Would I make it again? Indeed I would. Would I attempt something more traditional? Yes I would. A bûche is a lovely addition to any holiday table (and it is easier to make than it looks – always a bonus when entertaining!).
Get Dorie’s recipe for the Gingerbread Büche de Noël on NPR or on page 86 of Baking Chez Moi.
Tuesdays with Dorie participants don’t publish the recipes on our blogs, so you’re encouraged to purchase Baking Chez Moi for yourself which you can do on Amazon
(this link should bring you to the Amazon store in your country) or for free worldwide shipping, buy from The Book Depository. Then join us, baking our way through the book!
Please note: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. This post also contains affiliate links from The Book Depository. This means that if you click over and purchase something, I will receive a very small percentage of the purchase price (at no extra cost to you). Thank you in advance!
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I’m in France for the holidays! Keep up with me on Instagram, Flickr and Twitter!
Sounds divine! Hope to get back to baking from BCM after the holidays!!! Merry Christmas, Mardi!
I had SO MUCH meringue leftover using the whole recipe. I didn’t have much problems with my cream cheese spread, but we also liked the contrast in the texture with the soft sponge cake. The toffee bits look delicious!
Joyeux Nöel, Mardi and Mr. Neil!
Very pretty 🙂
I decided to make this for Christmas dessert, so I am not going to do my planned “Mardi minify”. I will definitely keep the frosting volume in mind…
Merry Christmas, my friend (and Mr. Neil).
I would love to win this because I am at a loss when I bake! I need some instruction and inspiration!
Tweeted: https://mobile.twitter.com/Brandeelh7/status/547351481343807488
Beautiful! Yours had a lot more filling than mine–I think mine was spread much thinner for whatever reason. The point is that I can see how the filling needed to be cut with some cream as it was on the borderline for us. Merry Christmas and good travels!
Very pretty, especially with the toffee bits. I like the idea of lightening the filling with some cream (though I had a much thinner layer of it) and I’ll definitely make only a half batch of frosting next time since even 3/4 recipe was too much.
Thanks for the advice about the frosting. I did make a half recipe and that was perfect. I agree with you and your guests about the filling, it was a bit too rich and not light. It is an impressive show stopper cake. Happy Holidays.
One of the many great things about a roulade is that those pesky little cracks get hidden with filling and frosting, and no one is the wiser. Nor would anyone care when the cake is as good as this one. Your cake is beautiful, and it’s nice to know that it can be successfully done as a half-recipe.
It looked nice, Mardi and, by the descriptors, it sounded delicious.
Merry Christmas and happy new year to you and all your followers.
Looking forward to 2015.
It looks delicious! I love all the possibilities that can change up the flavor and have a new dessert each time.
I am not Canadian (actually I have more Canadian history in my blood line than US) so if that counts and I happen to win I will gift the lovely book to a Canadian friend who I love to bake with.
Happy Holidays!
Lovely cake … it does make quite a large cake, but I absolutely used every last bit of the ample frosting! 🙂
I’d love a copy of this because I bake all the time. It makes people happy and honestly I also love the challenge of recreating recipes to look and taste exactly as they should.
We’ll, if this book has a recipe for macarons…….then this book is for me! My third time trying to make them and well, I give myself an A for effort, a B for taste but a C for the presentation. HELP!
Your “Bûche de Noël” looked lovely. Will Mr. Neil be bringing in a “sampling tray” in the New Year? 😉
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Your cake looks wonderful! So neatly rolled and delicate. Love it!
I would love to win because I’m always looking for new recipes for my family 🙂
I tweeted 🙂
https://twitter.com/mommy2fiveboys/status/548619680257024000
It was a fun cake, wasn’t it. I think I would make a sweeter filling next time as well. Great Job!!
I’d love to win a copy because i love trying out new recipes. We do a family dinner every sunday and I try to bring a new/different dessert or two every week.
Tweeted
https://twitter.com/aly3360/status/548987238982615040
Your bûche is beautiful! I had fun making this, and while most people commented that there was too much frosting, I ended up using the extra to top off my hot chocolate. Delicious!
such a cute little buche! and I like your idea of lightening up the filling with some cream.
I would like to win a copy of Baking Chez Moi for some baking inspiration.
So pretty, Mardi.
This cake had me doubting my baking prowess (sponge cakes and I are not BFF), but I was glad to have checked it off my list. I probably won’t make the cake again, but the frosting and praline will appear for sure!
Happy New Year!
Lovely! I need to half the recipe next time too. I ended up giving half to my Aunt for Christmas.
I hope you had a wonderful Christmas!
I love cookbooks – this one looks fabulous!
https://twitter.com/Jemrah1/status/550299828925005824 – I tweeted 🙂
I tweeted about the contest (@charlalotta).
I tweeted!
https://twitter.com/charlalotta/status/550300409739624448
I’d like to win this cookbook because I own few books for baking. It looks like a great addition to have in my cookbook library.
I would love to win this book! I need to step up my baking game and learn new recipes.
I’m just getting into baking so could use help!
Tweeted @spazss
I took mine to work so it disappeared quickly, but I really like your mini idea!
I’ve got a collection of Dorie books that I constantly refer to – to win this would be fantastic.
Dorie’s friendly and accessible approach to baking and cooking makes her recipes a pleasure to use.
Dories pastry recipes are particularly good and she explains everything so well.
Please pick me…
Thanks,
I’d love to own a copy of this book. The recipes not only look divine,,they appear to be challenging–but doable! Thanks for the chance to win.
I tweeted! https://twitter.com/nonna_mahoo/status/551796025825193984
Yours turned out beautifully! I’m glad to know it works to halve the recipe. I had a lot more marshmallow icing leftover. It made me think that if I ever want to use it for a layer cake, it will be the perfect amount.