The often misunderstood bûche de noël gets a revamp this Christmas, and their makers detail their evolution from too-sweet, too-heavy cake to a festive must-try
When thinking of traditional emblems of the Christmas feast, turkey or ham may come to mind, or the union of family and friends gathering at the table, sharing the joy of the holidays. In Hong Kong, Christmas traditions beyond the religious ceremonies—such as reading scriptures, singing hymns, and praying—are not as common, and festivities often involve mostly festive feasting. Among the more overlooked traditional foods for the holidays have been Yule logs, which can now be found in a number of cake shops around the city.
The Yule log tradition has its roots in medieval Norway, where a large tree was selected to burn in the fireplace throughout the 12 days of Christmas. The tradition has diminished today, but the enjoyment of the Yule log remains—most likely due to the fact that it’s much more palatable as a cake. The traditional yule log is long chocolate roulade that is iced and garnished to look like a wood log with one end cut and set upright to reveal a cross-section that resembles the rings of a tree trunk. Today, the Yule log has evolved with modern ideas, particularly when it comes to the design of the log and the flavour combinations. Three leading pastry chefs in Hong Kong have created new Yule logs this year, and each of their creations are vastly different from the traditional treat.
See Also: These Are The Must-Try Christmas Sweets And Pastries Of 2020
W Hong Kong
What: French-native Baptiste Villefranque of W Hong Kong presents his version of the Yule log this Christmas. Available from the W Hong Kong online boutique, Villefranque’s cake is a classic chocolate cake roll filled with raspberry jelly. The sponge cake is airy with a dark cocoa content, which balances the sweetness of the smooth fruit jelly with chocolate cream. The exterior of the log cake is garnished with chocolate flakes, neatly arranged to resemble forest tree bark. The Yule log is topped with snow flake candies and fresh raspberries.
Price: The Yule log is priced at HK$480 each
When: Available from 1 December at the W Hong Kong Hotel E-Shop and advanced orders are strongly recommended.
Where: W Hong Kong, 1 Austin Road West, West Kowloon, Hong Kong, 3717 2222
