Every meal should end on a high note with dessert, and your festive feast is no different. Once you’ve lined your stomach with savoury options like ham and turkey, it’s time to turn to a special treat: log cakes (also known as bûche de Noël).
From classic flavours to indulgent creations, here are some of the most tantalising confections this year.
Mark the festive season with Pan Pacific Singapore’s log cakes, which are a treat for both the eyes and stomach. Go local with the Mao Shan Wang and Gula Melaka log cake ($101.65) is an irresistible ode to some of our island’s favourite treats. Looking for a twist? Check out the new pink guava and strawberry log cake ($96.30), which spells out the word ‘Xmas’ and features a tangy combination of light pink guava mousse, strawberry confit and red velvet cake.
As its name suggests, Goodwood Park Hotel’s festive tropicana log cake ($98) celebrates Christmas in the tropics. The chocolate log cake is packed with a pineapple-vanilla confit, pineapple chunks that add a refreshing, citrusy bite, as well as a sea salt caramel mousse that perfectly balances the rich Valrhona chocolate mousse and sponge.
Da Paolo’s Christmas log cakes this year takes a contemporary Italian twist with flavour variations like salted caramel macadamia ($78) and a gluten- and nut-free flourless chocolate cake ($68). The pistachio raspberry log cake ($95) is a standout highlight that features light pistachio cake rolled with a tart raspberry jam and covered with Sicilian pistachio cream.
Go classic with Capitol Kempinski’s chocolate yule log cake ($98). The fluffy chocolate cake, which resembles a whimsical forest wonderland, is baked with orange marmalade, milk chocolate ganache and Valrhona dulcey chocolate crunchy pearls. Note that a minimum of 3-day advance order is required.
Looking for a dessert that’s refreshing on the palate? Turn to the Mont Blanc citrus cheese log cake ($83.30+) from Colony at the Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore. Cut into the citrusy cake and you’ll discover a lemon sponge glazed with orange confit jam and lemon cream cheese. The log cake is enveloped by lemon cheese vermicelli, and embellished with lemon peels and twin meringue peaks.
Celebrate the most wonderful time of the year with Alice Boulangerie’s decadent Alice log cake ($91), that’s almost too cute to eat. Shaped to resemble an actual log, the moist chocolate flourless sponge is layered with chocolate mud biscuit, an exotic fruit crémeux, caramelised banana, and hazelnut praline crunch. An adorable squirrel made from orange dark chocolate mousse is perched atop the cake for a cheerful touch.
Go traditional this festive season with the heritage chestnut Christmas log cake ($98) crafted by executive pastry chef Desmond Lee from InterContinental Singapore. The beautiful treat is made from a chestnut sponge cake with Tahitian chestnut cream, berries compote and topped with heritage tea bavarious cream. If you prefer a fruity option, opt for the signature forest cherries log ($98) for a tart creation with dark chocolate mousse, spiced cherry confit and kirsch mousse.
The new log cakes from The Marmalade Pantry will definitely make for a decadent dessert option. Chocolate enthusiasts will revel in the classic chocolate truffle log cake ($68+), which features a chocolate sponge cake with a 60% dark chocolate truffle core, enveloped in a chocolate glaze, and topped with a chocolate macaron.
Treat yourself to Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza’s caramel gianduja hazelnut Christmas train log cake ($72). Cut into the treat and you’ll discover that beneath the captivating exterior lies a beautiful concoction of chocolate hazelnut genoise, hazelnut gianduja mousse and orange cream. Those with a sweet tooth will be delighted to know that hidden between the layers are a caramel milk chocolate creme, sticky caramel nougat, and chocolate feuilletine.
Dreaming of a white Christmas? The Ardèche chestnut log cake from Les Amis ($155) will make for a gorgeous centrepiece amongst your holiday spread. The indulgent treat features a rich mousse made from Ardèche chestnuts, which is lathered over a chestnut sponge cake with layers of candied chestnuts and a hazelnut milk chocolate feuilletine adding crunch to every bite.