Chocolate and chestnut yule log is a traditional French Christmas dessert. It features a light and fluffy sponge cake, a rich chestnut filling and a delicious chocolate icing on top. Rustic and elegant, this chestnut yule log is also very festive!
Email me this recipe
We’ll send it straight to your inbox, along with weekly food inspiration!
This chocolate and chestnut yule log brings up lots of childhood memories. I grew up in a tiny village in France, and every year for Christmas we would have a Christmas yule log (or “bûche de Noël” as we call it in French), and it’s still the tradition up to this day. Among all the yule log recipes, the one with chocolate and chestnut spread was a classic we would find almost every year on our Christmas dessert.
As an adult, I have had a few occasions to bake it again for my family when I visit them for Christmas, and I’m happy to share the recipe with you today. If you think French pastry is nothing but fancy, you’ll be surprised by how easy this chocolate and chestnut yule log actually is. Wishing you all a wonderful holiday season with your loved ones!
Chocolate and chestnut yule log is:
- A very simple recipe from start to finish ✔
- A moist and fluffy sponge cake ✔
- Some rich and delicious chestnut flavors ✔
- An intense chocolate covering ✔
- A festive dessert for the holidays… with a French touch to it! ✔
The ingredients you need
- Chestnut spread. Be careful when you choose your chestnut spread. This is not chestnut puree (that usually consists in pureed chestnut only) ; the chestnut spread contains sugar and vanilla too.
- Chocolate. I recommend good quality chocolate, preferably at 60% cocoa but not higher.
- Butter. This recipe requires butter for the chestnut filling and also for the chocolate covering. The sponge cake however doesn’t need any.
- Eggs. You need for eggs for the sponge cake, whites and yolks apart.
- All-purpose flour. For the sponge cake. Sift it for best results.
- Sugar. You need some sugar for the sponge cake and the optional caramelized chestnuts but you won’t need any for the filling that is already sweetened by the chestnut spread.
Key steps to make the recipe
- Always start with the sponge cake, as it takes longer to prepare and requires baking.
- While cake is baking, prepare the chestnut filling.
- Roll up the cake in a wet towel and leave it on the countertop while you’re making the chocolate covering. Let the chocolate cool at room temperature before using; it should be soft but not too liquid anymore.
- Assemble the yule log by spreading the chestnut spread over the sponge cake ; then roll it up tightly starting from the smaller side, leaving the joint on the bottom part. Cover with chocolate icing and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
What to serve with chestnut yule log?
The dessert itself is rich, and it doesn’t necessarily need anything else to be served with. However, I love a subtle vanilla custard (the so-called crème anglaise) and a glass of sparkling wine to make it even more festive!
More Christmas cake rolls:
- Lemon Meringue Roulade
- Chocolate and Orange Cake Roll
- Tiramisu Gingerbread House Cake
- Tropical Fruit Cake Roll
Other recipes using chestnut spread:
Chocolate and Chestnut Yule Log
- Prep Time: 45 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Desserts
- Cuisine: French
Chocolate and chestnut yule log is a traditional French Christmas dessert. It features a light and fluffy sponge cake, a rich chestnut filling and a delicious chocolate icing on top. Rustic and elegant, this chestnut yule log is also very festive!
Email me this recipe
We’ll send it straight to your inbox, along with weekly food inspiration!
Ingredients
For the sponge cake:
- 4 eggs, whites and yolks apart
- ¾ cup + 1 Tablespoon (100g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (100g) sugar
For the chestnut filling:
- ½ stick (60g) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
- 7 ounces (200g) chestnut spread (not chestnut puree)
Chocolate icing:
- 2.8 oounces (80g) dark chocolate, at about 60% cocoa, chopped
- 2 Tablespoons water
- ½ stick (60g) unsalted butter, very cold and diced
For the caramelized chestnuts (optional) :
- 3 to 4 whole chestnuts, cooked and peeled (canned is preferred)
- 5 to 7 chestnuts, crumbled
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
- 1 Tablespoon water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a large 10×12-inch (25×30 cm) baking sheet with parchment paper.
- For the sponge cake, whisk together the yolks and sugar in a large mixing bowl, until pale and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Sift the flour over the bowl and stir with a rubber spatula.
- Using an electric mixer or a stand mixer with the whisk equipment, beat the whites with a pinch of salt, until stiff peaks form. Add a few spoonful to the yolk-sugar mixture to soften, then fold in the remaining whites in two or three additions.
- Pour the batter onto the prepared baking sheet, and bake for 20 minutes, or until the sponge cake is baked through and slightly golden.
- Meanwhile, prepare the chestnut filling by mixing together chestnut spread and softened butter with a rubber spatula. Set aside.
- Remove the sponge cake from the oven, and invert onto a damp towel. Carefully remove the parchment paper, then roll the sponge cake on itself with the dump towel, starting from the short side. Let cool at room temperature.
- For the chocolate icing, melt chocolate and water together in small saucepan placed over very low heat. Once melted, remove from heat and add the cold butter, stirring with a rubber spatula until no lumps remains. Let cool slightly until the mixture is soft but no too runny anymore, so that it can easily spread over the yule log.
- For the caramelized chestnuts, place the whole chestnuts and the crumbled ones together with sugar and water in a small saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat, until golden and slightly caramelized, being careful not to break the whole chestnuts.
- To assemble the yule log, unroll the sponge cake from the damp towel, then spread the chestnut all over. Roll it up tightly on the shorter side, leaving the joint on the bottom part. Spread the chocolate icing over the top and the sides, using a rubber spatula, then decorate with the caramelized chestnuts on top. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
Notes
* This recipe can be made up to 2 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator before serving.
Did you make this recipe?
Lastly, if you make this Chocolate and Chestnut Yule Log, be sure to leave a comment and give this recipe a rating, letting me know how you liked it. And of course, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Thank you and enjoy!
