A traditional chocolate Yule log. Right: A selection of more colourful options.
Even if you can't throw a log in your fireplace this winter, thanks to the city's wood-burning ban, you should at least consider throwing a decadent Yule log in the fridge to enjoy over the holidays.
Bûche de Noël is a Christmas cake popularised in France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and other French-speaking locales. The sweet sponge roll is an homage to the log that families used to burn on Christmas Eve to bring good luck.
Maudits Français, an outlet that caters to local French ex-pats and also organizes the annual best baguette competition, spotlighted the places they recommend to get the top-notch log-shaped treats. Given their taste in bread, it's not hard to go out on a limb — or log — and trust them on the sweets too.
Fous Desserts
This Plateau bakery near Laurier metro station serves both traditional and original takes on the Bûche de Noël. The dark chocolate option features a passion fruit filling, while the creative 'Orelys-pear' log combines white chocolate frosting with a creamy caramel centre, tamarind caramel mousse and pear jelly. There's also a vanilla and pineapple log.
De Froment et de Sève
This bakery in Little Italy is known for its award-winning bread, but its Yule logs are also a draw. This year it's serving a milk chocolate mousse log with passion fruit and mango mash. There's also 'Désir Fruité,' a raspberry mousse with a creamy lemon basil centre. 'La Royal' is a log for chocolate lovers with an intense 70% dark chocolate mousse. And a French brown buttercream option with a chestnut filling. You can get any of the logs in single portions or for up to a dozen servings.
Patisserie Madeleine
Patisserie Madeleine near Beaubien station has three logs on offer this year: a pecan, pralines and clementine marmalade delight (6 servings), an almond, caramel and vanilla mousse confection (5-10 servings) and a hazelnut and lemon confit roll (5-10 servings).
Panivore
This bakery makes a popular Paris-Brest Yule log filled with a praline mousse and topped with hazelnuts and roasted almonds. There's also the chocolate caramel log with a dark chocolate ganache and homemade caramel centre.
Cool & Simple
This frozen Quebec-made Bûche de Noël features vanilla and chocolate icing dipped in a thin layer of chocolate The chocolate sponge cake is topped with chocolate ganache decorations that melt in your mouth and serves up to eight. You can order the cake for delivery or pick it up from a frozen aisle in one of the Plateau, Atwater market, Nuns' Island or Monkland locations.
