History of the yule log
The tradition involved bringing a large log into the home and placing one end in the fireplace, to feed a fire, that would last throughout the 12 days of Christmas.
These days however, this tradition has all but fizzled out, for various obvious reasons, to be replaced with a more modern, edible version, the Bûche de Noël, otherwise known as the yule Log.
But how did we get from burning a log at Christmas to eating a chocolate covered sponge?
What is yule/yuletide?
The word yule derives from the winter solstice festivals. During December and early January, the twelve-day winter solstice festivals celebrated the switch to lengthening days.
As the Roman empire spread, yule’s timing coincided with the feast of Sol Invictus. In the third or fourth century CE, the Christian Church decided to celebrate the birth of Jesus on December 25, which coincided with both the Sol Invictus and the winter solstice festivals.
As time has gone on, Christians celebrating the birth of Jesus adopted many of the winter solstice festival traditions and the term ‘yuletide’ now refers to the Christmas period.
Bûche de Noël
La Bûche de Noël (Christmas log) is a traditional French dessert that follows the main Christmas dinner. It consists of a roll of sponge cake and cream layers with a coffee buttercream or chocolate covering.
Pierre Lacam is the most likely creator of the Bûche de Noël. He publicised the recipe in the late 1800s as the tradition of burning a log on the fire was starting to fade. His first published recipe for yule log appeared in his 1895 cookbook.
Evolution of the yule Log
Throughout the 20th century, most yule logs appeared the same, a sponge cake with coffee and chocolate buttercream. Today there are many different variations using white chocolate, ice cream and even gingerbread frostings.
Traditionally, the covering or frosting has a bark-like texture to resemble a real log. Many bakers also add nature-invoking features such as springs of holly and small festive robins to give a realistic appearance.
Pre-order your yule log
We’re now taking pre-orders for Christmas Yule log in-store or online here.
You can choose from a traditional chocolate yule log – a rich chocolate sponge, rolled, filled and coated with a Belgian chocolate, French style buttercream with chocolate drizzle, chocolate shards and real holly decoration, or a white chocolate and salted caramel yule log – a rich chocolate sponge, rolled, filled and coated with a white Belgian chocolate French style buttercream, with salted caramel drizzle and salted caramel shards.
10-14 servings per yule log. £30.
Order online to collect on December 24. Last orders will be taken on December 17.