Citrus, Japanese inspiration, and Christmas spirit in these seven bûches to bid farewell to 2024

Once again, this year we highlight some of the Christmas bûches from France that have caught our attention the most for their creativity, beauty and combination of flavours.

Trompe l’oeil, light flavors, Japanese citrus, landscapes devoid of trees, gift boxes, and Advent wreaths. Don’t miss these seven proposals, impeccable in presentation, technique, and flavor.

Christophe Michalak loves sushi

With his bûche called Sushi, Christophe Michalak pays homage to Japan, a country where he has several pastry shops and which has left its mark on him since he worked as a chef in the city of Kobe at just 22 years old.

The most incredible thing about this proposal is its presentation. Michalak uses trompe l’oeil in this original bûche designed for sushi lovers. In terms of tasting, it combines delicate and light flavors such as raspberry, lychee, and lime.

Cédric Grolet’s citrus finale

At Le Méurice Paris, Cédric Grolet, alongside François Deshayes and Vincent Puma, proposes a citrus ‘panier’ to end Christmas meals on a refreshing note.

On top, crunchy berries promise an explosion of flavors with a fruity jam. Inside we find a Japanese sponge cake that alternates lemon, orange, and grapefruit, covered with a vanilla mousse.

Maison Ladurée plays hide and seek

At first, one might think that the Maison Ladurée bûche is hidden in one of the three Christmas gift boxes. But the magic of trompe l’oeil is served: these are not boxes, but a bûche in itself.

Created by the Maison’s pastry chef Julien Álvarez, it features a subtle combination of almonds from the Estoublon estate, Ferragne almonds, and Lauranne almonds, and vanilla from the island of Reunion, wrapped in a layer of white chocolate. In addition, the bottom tier contains macarons and other Christmas ‘sweets’.

Lenôtre’s jeweled Advent wreath

Étienne Leroy, Lenôtre’s pastry chef, has been inspired by the traditional Advent wreath, which announces the arrival of Christmas in hotels, to create a jeweled log. A symbol of welcome, but also of the generosity of the holidays.

With chocolate decorations chiseled like precious metal, this perfectly lacquered wreath enhances a generous log with citrus flavors and chocolate infused with lime leaves.

Kunihisha Goto. Japanese inspiration

Sensu means fan in Japanese. From the throne to the imperial court, it remains a symbol of power, love, union, and prosperity in Japan. Now Kunihisa Goto, of L’A Pâtisserie KG in Fontainebleau (France), has brought it to life in a refined and modern version.

It is composed of a hojicha cookie made with roasted green tea from the gardens of Saïan Kyushu in Japan, a creamy praline and peanut filling, and a crunchy genmaï (toasted puffed rice from the Shizuoka region).

Yann Couvreur. The most resilient fox returns

Yann Couvreur has named his bûche Toundra as a derivation of the Finnish word “tunturi”, meaning treeless plain, and is inspired by the frozen expanses of the tundra. It reflects the raw nature and resilience of the foxes that live there, an animal with which the chef identifies, with layers evoking landscapes shaped by frost and extreme cold.

Fresh pears, maple syrup caramel, Madagascar vanilla mousse, and tonka bean notes are the ingredients of this creation.

In the clouds with Alléno & Rivoire

The Dans les Nuages bûche by Alléno & Rivoire is resplendently white. Between a crunchy hazelnut and a light cloud of vanilla lies a soft cookie and a heart of burnt vanilla praline.

It is part of a collection that invites you to dream heavenly dreams and to fly, and that combines aerial textures which are sometimes crunchy and sometimes fondant.