The French bûche de Noël is a classic Swiss roll filled with chocolate buttercream and decorated to look like a log. A fork creates the typical bark-like grooves in the cream – it looks especially pretty decorated with little meringue mushrooms.

You don’t need a Thermomix for this version. A hand mixer or a stand mixer is enough. What matters is an airy sponge, rolling it up straight after baking and a buttercream whose ingredients are at the right temperature.

Chocolate Swiss Roll with Buttercream

French chocolate Swiss roll with creamy cocoa buttercream.

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Prep Time 35 minutes mins

Cook Time 12 minutes mins

Chilling time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 47 minutes mins

Servings: 6 pieces

Course: Dessert

Ingredients Equipment Instructions Notes

Ingredients

  

For the sponge

• 2 egg whites in addition to the whole eggs
• 1 pinch salt
• 2 eggs whole
• 2 egg yolks in addition to the whole eggs
• 100 g sugar fine
• 50 g wheat flour plain, sifted

For the chocolate buttercream

• 1 eggs whole
• 2 egg yolks
• 140 g icing sugar sifted
• 4 tbsp cocoa powder unsweetened, approx. 25–30 g
• 250 g butter softened, not melted

To decorate (optional)

• meringue as needed, e.g. meringue mushrooms
• chocolate shavings as needed, or cocoa powder

Equipment

• 1 hand mixer or a food processor
• 1 baking tray approx. 30 × 40 cm
• 2 mixing bowl one of them heatproof
• 1 saucepan for the bain-marie
• 1 kitchen thermometer

Instructions

 

Sponge

1. Preheat the oven to 210 °C (conventional, top and bottom heat). Line a baking tray (approx. 30 × 40 cm) with baking paper.
2. Whisk the 2 extra egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff and set aside.
3. Using the hand mixer, beat the 2 whole eggs, the 2 extra egg yolks and 100 g sugar for 5–7 minutes until very pale and thick.
4. Carefully fold in the sifted flour with a spatula.
5. Gently fold in the beaten egg whites in two batches so that as much air as possible is retained.
6. Spread the batter evenly on the tray and bake for 10–12 minutes. The sponge should be just cooked through and still flexible.
7. Turn the hot sponge out onto a clean, slightly damp tea towel, carefully peel off the baking paper and loosely roll it up from the short side using the towel. Leave to cool completely.

Chocolate buttercream

1. Mix the whole egg, the 2 egg yolks and the icing sugar in a heatproof bowl.
2. Place the bowl over a gently simmering bain-marie without the base touching the water. Heat to about 72 °C, stirring constantly, and check the temperature with a kitchen thermometer. Do not overheat, so the egg doesn’t set.
3. Remove the bowl from the bain-marie and beat the mixture with the mixer for several minutes until it has cooled noticeably and is light and airy (ideally to about 20–24 °C).
4. Beat the softened butter in a second bowl until pale and creamy. Stir in the cooled egg mixture a little at a time. Both mixtures should be at about the same temperature.
5. Sift in the cocoa powder and stir until you have a smooth chocolate buttercream. If it is very soft, chill briefly and beat again.

Filling and decorating

1. Carefully unroll the cooled sponge and spread it with about half of the buttercream.
2. Roll the sponge up tightly again without the towel and place it seam side down on a plate.
3. Trim the ends straight if needed. Spread the remaining buttercream over the outside and draw lengthwise grooves with a fork to look like tree bark.
4. Chill the roll for at least 1 hour. Shortly before serving, decorate with meringues and chocolate shavings, if you like.

Notes

The nutritional values are per piece for 6 pieces, without decoration.

Tips & Variations

Don’t overbake the sponge: otherwise it dries out and may crack when you roll it.

For a stable buttercream, let the egg and sugar mixture cool completely before adding it to the butter. If the cream curdles, more beating and carefully evening out the temperatures often help.

For food safety, the egg mixture for the buttercream is heated to about 72 °C – it’s best to use a kitchen thermometer.

Only add the meringues shortly before serving so they don’t go soft.

Store in the fridge and keep well chilled because of the eggs and butter. Take it out about 15–20 minutes before serving so the buttercream softens again.

For smaller pieces, you can also cut the roll into 8–10 slices; the nutritional values per piece change accordingly.