Paris’s Best Bûches De Noël

Buche Citron Fraise

The Tokyo-born pastry chef Sadaharu Aoki, is best-known for his East meets West flavor combinations and playful, Technicolor palette. This holiday season, he offers a vivid collection of buches de Noel, including this whimsical composition of lemon and vanilla creams, white chocolate, and strawberries, sandwiched between vanilla macarons. 56 boulevard de Port Royal 75005, sadaharuaoki.com, 01.45.35.36.80; 40€ Back to Paris’s Best Buches de Noel »

_ Buche de Noel a la Campagne_

This buche de Noel’s design is similar to that of the classic version of the dessert—a log studded with mushrooms and moss. The cake itself, however, is uber-sophisticated, made with almond and chocolate-mousse sponges, chocolate-praline puff pastry, whipped cream, and single-origin Madagascar chocolate ganache. 72 rue Bonaparte 75006, pierreherme.com, 01.43.54.47.77; 90€ Back to Paris’s Best Buches de Noel »

Gateau de voyage de Noel

Chef patissier Emmanuel Ryon’s fanciful cake takes inspiration from the belle epoque of the Transorient Express, with its delicate lattice structure, layers of fondant, and ornate gold rose. The interior is just as elaborate: The multiple elements include kirsch-pistachio jaconde, sour-cherry gelee, apricot cream, and vanilla panna cotta. 64 boulevard Haussmann 75009; 66€ Back to Paris’s Best Buches de Noel »

La buche Choc Africain

Sebastian Bauer, chef patissier of the celebrated salon de the Angelina, is offering a traditional buche de Noel composed of a moist chocolate sponge, rich chocolate mousse, and chocolate sabayon, all made from African chocolate. 226 rue de Rivoli 75001, angelina-paris.fr, 01.42.60.82.00; 48€ Back to Paris’s Best Buches de Noel »

Buche Creation 2011 Boules de Noel

A name synonymous with macarons, Laduree also makes incredible buches de Noel. Just take a look at chef patissier Vincent Lemains’ 2011 creation, Boules de Noel, three Christmas ornaments composed of a chocolate sponge, chestnut mousse, and pear cream. 16 rue Royale 75008, laduree.fr, 01.42.60.21.79; 77€ Back to Paris’s Best Buches de Noel »

La buche Galaxy

Arnaud Delmontel, one of the pastry chefs featured in the story A Slice of Christmas (SAVEUR, issue #143), begins planning his seasonal buche de Noel offerings in June. This year, he proposes La buche Galaxy, buoyant almond sponge, white chocolate mousse, and black currant and violet cream, all finished with a glossy violet glaze. 39 rue des Martyrs 75009, arnaud-delmontel.com, 01.48.78.29.33; 35.40€ Back to Paris’s Best Buches de Noel »

Buche Contes de Noel

This year, the pastry chef Christophe Michalak sets the bar high with his marvelous Buche Contes de Noel, or Christmas stories. This elaborate buche is made with sponge cake, almonds from Valence, Corsican mandarin marmalade, bittersweet chocolate ganache, and a thin marzipan coating. 15 avenue Montaigne 75008, plaza-athenee-paris.com, 01.53.67.66.65; 125.00€ Back to Paris’s Best Buches de Noel »

Buche Guayaquil

La Maison du Chocolat, known for its exquisite chocolates, has a buche de Noel for the cacao-philes among us. Chef patissier Gilles Marchal’s all-chocolate Buche Guayaquil is made with bittersweet Ecuadorean chocolate, caramel chantilly, assorted dried fruit and nuts, and the essence of orange rind. 225 rue du Faubourg Saint-Honore 75008, lamaisonduchocolat.com, 01.42.27.39.44; 75€ (6 servings) Back to Paris’s Best Buches de Noel »

Buche Rudy

Pastry chef and chocolatier Jean-Paul Hevin combines craft and whimsy in his buche Rudy, a creation of chocolate biscuit and dark chocolate mousse in the guise of Rudolph the red nosed reindeer. 231 rue Saint-Honore 75001, jphevin.com, 01.55.35.35.96; 44€ (6 to 8 servings) Back to Paris’s Best Buches de Noel »

La buche Arielle

Paved with bright pink macarons and filled with pistachio sponge, Cointreau-infused nougat, and mixed-berry puree, buche Arielle by pastry chef Stephane Glacier seems like a refreshing end to a decadent holiday feast. 66 rue du Progres 92700, stephaneglacier.com, 01.47.82.70.08; 18€ Back to Paris’s Best Buches de Noel »

La buche Leopard

In harmony with this season’s fashions, pastry chef Eric Kayser has designed this unique leopard print buche de Noel, a chocolate on chocolate roulade enhanced with coffee creme brulee, and, of course, spots. maison-kayser.com, 01.42.34.50.20; 48€ Back to Paris’s Best Buches de Noel »

La buche d’Yquem du Meurice

Pastry chef Camille Lesecq’s, of the Hotel Le Meurice, offers a gilded buche d’Yquem, made with almond milk mousse, almond dacquoise, and fragrant licorice, which conceals a layer of apricot compote. 228 rue de Rivoli 75001, lemeurice.com, 01.44.58.10.10; 96€ Back to Paris’s Best Buches de Noel »

Buche Apple Pomme

Pastry chef Arnaud Larher’s Buche Apple Pomme applies the flavors of apple and strawberry to the red-and-green color scheme of Christmas. Here, green apple ganache, strawberry compote, and green apple cream are layered with almond sponge cake. 53 rue de Caulaincourt 75018, arnaud-larher.com, 01.42.57.68.08; 43.00€ Back to Paris’s Best Buches de Noeel »

Buche Grand Cru

This creation from Jean-Paul Hevin resembles an edible present—the buche itself (cacao sponge enveloping orange-ginger jelly, chocolate mousse, and crunchy praline) looks gift-wrapped, and the cake is presented in a chocolate box. 231 rue Saint-Honore 75001, jphevin.com, 01.55.35.35.96; 68€ Back to Paris’s Best Buches de Noel »

Buche Mont-Blanc

Together, pastry chefs Philippe Conticini and Angelo Musa have created an elegant series of buches de Noel, including this one, combining almond dacquoise, cherry confit, Armagnac-infused chestnut puree, a light citrus meringue, vanilla whipped cream, and chestnut mousseline. 111 rue de Longchamp 75016, lapatisseriedesreves.com, 01.47.04.00.24; 59.00€ Back to Paris’s Best Buches de Noel »

Classic buche de Noel

Chef patissier Philippe Daigneaux’s buche de Noel, made with espresso-moistened almond dacquoise and chocolate butter cream, combines the classic flavors of this traditional cake. A garnish of gold leaf suggests edible tinsel. 51-57 rue de Courcelles 75008, hilton.com, 01.58.36.67.00; 12.00€ per person Back to Paris’s Best Buches de Noel »

_ Buche Pondichery_

This vibrant green buche de Noel is the creation of chef patissier Didier Mathray. Here, a delicate marzipan-pistachio sponge is matched with mango puree, fresh mint infused cream, and pistachio-and-ginger mousse. 14 rue Rambuteau 75003, patisseriepaindesucre.com, 01.45.74.68.92; 48.00€ (6 servings) Back to Paris’s Best Buches de Noel »