The Bûche de Noël Recipe by Christophe Michalak
Here is the hazelnut praline bûche de Noël recipe by the chef Christophe Michalak.
Ingredients
For the sponge cake
- 4 eggs
- 60 g sugar
- 60 g flour
- 0.5 tbsp baking powder
- 2 tbsp walnut oil
- 20 g liquid honey
For the caramelized hazelnuts
- 300 g hazelnuts
- 150 g sugar
- 20 g salted butter
- 1 tbsp icing sugar
For the cream
- 200 g praline paste
- 150 g soft butter
- 4 egg yolks
- 25 cl milk
- 20 g cornstarch
- 50 g sugar
Instructions
- Bring the milk to a boil in a saucepan. Mix the egg yolks with the sugar and the cornstarch. Mix with the milk. Transfer to the saucepan and thicken over medium heat, stirring constantly. Pour into a dish and cover with a stretch film on contact. Let it cool.
- Distribute the hazelnuts on a baking sheet and toast them in the oven for 10 minutes. In a saucepan, heat the sugar with 2 tablespoons of water until the syrup forms large bubbles. Pour the hazelnuts into the saucepan and caramelize them over medium heat while stirring: the preparation will take on a sandy appearance. As soon as the syrup becomes caramel, add the butter and whisk vigorously. Spread out on a baking sheet lined with baking paper and let cool. Put them in a bag and crush them coarsely with a rolling pin.
- With a mixer, whip the cooled pastry cream for 2 minutes at medium speed with the soft butter cut into cubes and the praline.
- Put the eggs and sugar in a bowl on a double boiler: whisk until the mixture reaches 60°C/140°F. Off the heat, continue whisking until the temperature drops to 35°C/95°F. Sift the flour with the baking powder and incorporate them gently with a whisk. Warm the honey with the oil and add it to the dough.
- Pour the dough on a baking sheet covered with baking paper: roll out into a 28 x 38 cm rectangle. Bake at 180°C/356°F for 10 to 15 minutes. Peel off the parchment paper, cover the sponge cake with a kitchen towel, and let it cool.
- Remove the brown part of the sponge cake and trim the edges. Spread a layer of praline cream (8 mm thick) on top and sprinkle with hazelnuts. Roll the sponge cake up tightly and wrap it in plastic wrap. Place in the refrigerator for 1 hour (or overnight to get ahead).
- Spread the rest of the cream on the log. Top with the remaining hazelnuts and refrigerate until ready to serve. Decorate with icing sugar.