Chocolate Mint Bûche de Noël

This contemporary version of Bûche de Noël is the perfect opportunity to make something extra festive for Christmas. Instead of a roulade and buttercream icing in the traditional French yule log, this modern take is composed of a silky mousse layered with crème brûlée and crispy chocolate praline.

I decided to set the entire mousse cake on chocolate biscuit, a thin sponge cake layer, because I thought it resembled terra firma. The chocolate mousse is also complemented with minty elements — the crème brûlée insert is infused with mint and the chocolate biscuit is brushed with a simple mint syrup.

The measurements in the recipe that follows are in metric weights. All of it. I thought of converting everything to volume and imperial measures like I usually do but take a peek at the recipe and I’m sure you’ll understand. If you don’t own one already, may I recommend this fine weighing scale?

All of the Bûche de Noël components are scaled for a 13-inch half pipe mold, which is about the same size as a roll of aluminum foil. It’s difficult to work with such small amounts, but at the very least, the waste is minimal (resulting in less mindless snacking).

The Daring Bakers: Bûche de Noël / French Yule Log
hosted by Hilda and Marion

recipes for components adapted from Florilege Gourmand, Wayne Gisslen’s Professional Baking, and Michel Suas’ Advanced Bread and Pastry

Chocolate Mint Mousse Bûche de Noël / French Yule Log

makes one 13-inch cake

Components:

Mint Crème Brûlée Insert
Gavottes / Pailleté Feuilletine
Praliné Feuilleté au Chocolat / Crispy Chocolate Praline Layer
Chocolate Mousse
Mint Syrup
Chocolate Biscuit
Chocolate Ganache
Chocolate Glaçage

Notes:

• Use 64 to 85 percent for bittersweet chocolate.

Special Equipment:

• 13-inch Bûche de Noël mold
• weighing scale
• digital thermometer

For the Mint Crème Brûlée Insert:

Ingredients                     Grams
powdered gelatin                    2
cold water                         10
whole milk                          8
heavy cream                        61
fresh mint leaves, chopped         20
granulated sugar                   22
egg yolks                          16

Mint Crème Brûlée Insert Directions:

1. Line the bottom of the Bûche de Noël mold with parchment.
2. Bloom the powdered gelatin in the cold water.
3. Bring the milk and heavy cream to a boil and remove from the heat, Add the mint, cover, and infuse for 30 minutes.
4. Strain into a bowl set on your weighing scale. Add additional heavy cream to rescale the mixture to its original weight  (69 grams).
5. In a small saucepan, bring the infused cream and half of the sugar to a boil. Remove from the heat.
6. Mix the remaining sugar with the egg yolks.
7. Temper the egg yolks with about one-third of the infused cream.
8. Return the tempered mixture to the saucepan. Heat the liquid to 180ºF / 82ºC.
9. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer or chinois.
10. Add the bloomed gelatin and stir until thoroughly incorporated.
11. Pour into the parchment-lined Bûche de Noël mold and freeze. Remove from the mold and store in the freezer.

For the Gavottes / Pailleté Feuilletine:

Ingredients                     Grams
whole milk                         40
unsalted butter                     4
all-purpose flour                  18
egg, beaten                         8
granulated sugar                    2

Gavottes / Pailleté Feuilletine Directions:

1. Heat the milk and butter together until butter is completely melted. Remove from the heat.
2. Sift flour into milk-butter mixture while beating, add egg and granulated sugar. Make sure there are no lumps.
3. Grease a baking sheet and spread batter thinly over it.
4. Bake at 430°F / 220°C for a few minutes until the crepe is golden and crispy. Let cool.

For the Praliné Feuilleté au Chocolat / Crispy Chocolate Praline Layer:

Ingredients                     Grams
milk chocolate, chopped            35
unsalted butter, room temp          9
praline                            11
gavottes / pailleté feuilletine    21

Praliné Feuilleté au Chocolat / Crispy Chocolate Praline Layer Directions:

1. Melt the milk chocolate and butter in a double boiler.
2. Add the praline and the coarsely crushed gavottes / pailleté feuilletine. Mix quickly to thoroughly coat with the chocolate.
3. Spread a 1.5- by 13-inch layer between two sheets of wax paper. Refrigerate until hard.

For the Chocolate Mousse:

Ingredients                     Grams
powdered gelatin                    3
cold water                         15
granulated sugar                   27
glucose or light corn syrup         7
water                              10
egg yolks                          33
heavy cream #1                     20
bittersweet chocolate             116
heavy cream #2                    212

Chocolate Mousse Directions:

1. Bloom the powdered gelatin in cold water.
2. Make a pâte à bombe.
   Beat the egg yolks until very light in colour (approximately 5 minutes until almost white).
   Cook the sugar, glucose, and water on medium heat for approximately 3 minutes (if you have a candy thermometer, the mixture should reach 244°F / 118°C. If you do not have a candy thermometer, test the sugar temperature by dipping the tip of a knife into the syrup then into a bowl of ice water, if it forms a soft ball in the water then you have reached the correct temperature).
   Add the sugar syrup to the beaten yolks carefully by pouring it into the mixture in a thin stream while continuing to beat the yolks. You can do this by hand but it’s easier to do this with an electric mixer.
   Continue beating until cool (approximately 5 minutes). The batter should become thick and foamy.
3. In a double boiler, heat heavy cream #1 (20 grams). Add the chopped chocolate and stir until melted and smooth.
4. Whip heavy cream #2 (212 grams) until stiff.
5. Pour the melted chocolate over the softened gelatin, mixing well. Let the gelatin and chocolate cool slightly and then stir in about one-third of the whipped cream to temper. Add the pâte à bombe.
6. Add in the rest of the whipped cream and mix gently with a spatula.

For the Mint Syrup:

Ingredients                     Grams
granulated sugar                   35
water                              49
fresh mint leaves, chopped          7

Mint Syrup Directions:

1. In a small saucepan, bring the granulated sugar and water to a boil.
2. Add the fresh mint leaves and immediately remove from the heat.
3. Let the mint infuse for at least 15 minutes. Strain and discard the mint leaves.

For the Chocolate Biscuit:

Ingredients                     Grams
pastry flour                       20
cocoa powder                       20

egg yolks                          36
eggs                               82
sugar #1                           65

egg whites                         52
sugar #2                           26

Chocolate Biscuit Directions:

Preheat Oven    400ºF / 205ºC

Prepare a half-sheet pan lined with parchment paper or silicone mat

Mix (Separated Egg Sponge Method)
                Sift together the pastry flour and cocoa powder.

                Whip the egg yolks, whole eggs, and sugar #1 to the
                ribbon stage. In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites
                and sugar #2 to soft-medium peaks.

                Add the meringue to the egg yolk foam in 2 to 3
                installments. Fold in the sifted pastry flour and
                cocoa powder only until absorbed.

Pan             Deposit the batter into the lined sheet pan and
                spread evenly. 

Bake            400ºF / 205ºC for about 9 minutes, or until the edges
                are slightly dark brown.

Cool            Immediately transfer to a wire rack and let the
                cake cool completely at room temperature.

Finishing       Brush with mint syrup (preceding recipe).

For the Chocolate Ganache:

Ingredients                     Grams
heavy cream                        50
bittersweet chocolate, chopped     50
unsalted butter, room temp          8

For the Chocolate Glaçage:

Ingredients                     Grams
heavy cream                        50
bittersweet chocolate, chopped     50
unsalted butter, room temp         17

Chocolate Ganache and Chocolate Glaçage Instructions:

1. In a small saucepan, bring the heavy cream to a boil and immediately remove from the heat.
2. Cool to 190ºF / 88ºC and immediately pour over the chopped chocolate. Let rest for about a minute.
3. Using a rubber spatula, stir gently in a circular motion from the center and work your way outwards as an emulsion is formed.
4. Once the chocolate cools to 95ºF / 35ºC, add the butter and continue stirring gently just until the butter is thoroughly incorporated. The finished emulsion should be shiny and smooth.
5. Use immediately for best results.

Crispy chocolate praline layer and mint crème brûlée insert

Chocolate Mint Bûche de Noël Assembly:

Line the bottom of the Bûche de Noël mold with parchment.

Pipe one third of the mousse component into the mold. Take the mint crème brûlée insert out of the freezer at the last second and set on top of the mousse. Press down gently to slightly ensconce it in the mousse.

Pipe second third of the mousse component around and on top of the mint crème brûlée insert. Cut the crispy chocolate praline layer to a size slightly smaller than your mold so that it can be surrounded by mousse. Lay it on top of the mousse you just piped into the mold.

Pipe the last third of the mousse component on top of the crispy chocolate praline layer. Level and freeze for a few hours to set.

Lightly dust the chocolate biscuit with confectioner’s sugar. Apply a strip of chocolate ganache to serve as the base for the Bûche de Noël log.

Unmold the frozen bûche de noël and place on a wire rack. Lightly dust with cocoa powder and apply the chocolate glaçage. Set on top of the chocolate ganache and refrigerate until ready to serve.