When it comes to holiday food, there's no shortage of different culinary delights. But none are quite as delectable and enjoyable as a Yule log (aka Bûche de Noël). Although this treat originally hails from France and Belgium, it's become a show-stopper in the United States as well. And it's quite easy to add to a commercial holiday menu with the help of a Blodgett ventless oven.
While a Yule log is a confectionary treat today, it first started out as firewood. The tradition dates back to at least the mid-1600s, with the first official mention in 1686. The Yule log's origin is Nordic, as the people in the region were thought to be sacrificing logs to their gods in the hope of more light.
Eventually, the burning of the yule log became a proud tradition for Nordic families and would carry over from one year to the next. The current year's log would be ignited with the remains of the previous year's log, and there was a step-by-step process for lighting and re-lighting the wood.
Typically, the yule log would be burned throughout the 12 days of Christmas. If the log were big enough, families would burn off the tip of one end every night until there was only a little left. Alternatively, the family could cut the log into pieces and burn one each night, saving at least one piece for the following year.
By 1870, the burning of a Yule log was still famous but less widespread. A baker in Paris started making a dessert version of this holiday event with the new tradition continuing through today. Made from chocolate cake and ganache rolled into a log shape, the Bûche de Noël is often decorated to look like wood, tying it back to the old ways.
Making culinary traditions like a yule log for customers is even simpler with the Blodgett Combi Ventless Oven. Because this oven doesn't need to be placed under ductwork or vents, it can be placed anywhere in the kitchen. It also has a small footprint, so adding it to an existing commercial kitchen is easy without crowding the space.
Operators can choose different layouts and sizes to meet their specific needs, and the oven works for baked goods, savory dishes, and anything in between. The Combi Ventless Oven can become the kitchen star this holiday season thanks to its speed, consistency, and versatility.
Icing
Roulade
Filling
For the Icing
Melt the chocolate and butter together. Remove from heat and gently mix in the heavy cream, whisking often.
Set the mixture aside and whisk occasionally until the icing hardens.
For the Roulade
Preheat a Blodgett Combi oven to 350 degrees. Line a 16.5" x 12" baking pan with buttered parchment paper. The paper should hang over the edges by an inch.
Set the chocolate aside in a large mixing bowl. Boil the cream in a saucepan over medium heat, then pour it over the chocolate. Whisk both until thoroughly mixed. Let cool.
Beat the egg whites until frothy. Gradually add the sugar and mix continually (using a powered mixer) until you get glossy peaks. Mix the egg whites into the chocolate, one-third at a time (to avoid deflating the batter).
Bake the mixture at 350 degrees until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (about 10 to 12 minutes).
For the Filling
Melt the chocolate with 2 tbsp water and then set aside to cool. Then, mix the sugar with 3 tbsp of water and boil in a covered saucepan until the sugar dissolves. Uncover the pan and boil until the mixture becomes a thick syrup (about five minutes).
Beat three egg yolks until they're thick and pale yellow. Stir in the hot syrup until the mixture cools down (about ten minutes). Add butter one tablespoon at a time, and make sure it's well incorporated before adding more. After the butter is thoroughly mixed, add the cooled chocolate.
Assembling the Yule Log
Place the roulade on a clean work surface and sprinkle with rum. Spread the filling evenly with a spatula and roll the cake onto itself to form a log shape.
To make "stumps," cut off two-inch diagonal pieces from each end of the cake. Shape them as needed, and set them aside. Attach the stumps with icing, then add the rest to the cake's outside. Use the spatula to create wood texture lines so it resembles a log. Sift refined sugar on top.