Buche De Marrons Au Chocolat
Submitted by top lunchlady
Buche de Marrons au Chocolat, a French chestnut and chocolate log (no-bake variation of buche de Noel) with Calvados, wrapped in whipped cream bark and garnished with candied violets. A show-stopping Christmas dessert.
YIELD
16 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
15 minREADY
9 hrsThis no-bake French Christmas log is what you make when the classic rolled sponge buche de Noel feels too fiddly. A puree of chestnuts, butter, and melted dark chocolate sets up in the fridge overnight into a dense, ganache-like log that slices into rich, velvety rounds no sponge cake can match.
Calvados (or applejack or cognac) is the grown-up detail. Three tablespoons of apple brandy add subtle warmth and fruit that complement both the chestnuts and chocolate without reading as boozy. Omitting the alcohol leaves the log tasting flat, so do not skip this step.
Canned whole chestnuts are honestly the better choice for home cooks. The fresh-chestnut prep (score, boil, peel the inner skin) is notoriously fiddly, and the flavor difference in a pureed application is negligible. Use canned unsweetened chestnuts and save an hour of finger-burning work.
The whipped cream “bark” is applied with a spatula or cake decorating comb, dragged lengthwise along the log to create the ridged bark effect. Drizzled chocolate lines and three reserved whole chestnuts on top complete the tree-log illusion, with candied violets for a Victorian flourish.
Pro Tips
- Melt the chocolate and let it cool to just barely warm before adding to the chestnut mixture; hot chocolate melts the butter and ruins the texture
- Tamp the filled mold hard on the counter to eliminate air bubbles; bubbles create sad holes in the finished log slices
- Make this at least 24 hours ahead; the flavors improve and the log firms up for clean slicing
- Dust the reserved chestnuts in cocoa powder to contrast with the cream bark for visual drama
Variations
- Swap Calvados for dark rum, amaretto, or espresso for different aromatic profiles
- Roll the log in crushed praline or chopped toasted hazelnuts instead of whipped cream for a firmer, gianduja-leaning log
- Use sweetened chestnut cream (marron cream) in place of chestnut puree plus sugar for a shortcut that still tastes right
Ingredients
or 2 lb chestnuts, canned, whole, unsweetened, drained, or 4 c chestnuts, pureed, canned, unsweetened
Directions
If you are using fresh chestnuts, cut an X on the flat side of each chestnut.
Place the chestnuts in a saucepan, cover with cold water and bring to boil.
Cover and boil gently until tender, about 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let it stand for 15 minutes.
Shell the chestnuts, removing both the hard outer shell and the inner brown skin.
If you’re using canned chestnuts, simply drain. Reserve 3 whole chestnuts for garnish.
Purée chestnuts in a processor until very smooth.
Add ¾ cup of very finely powdered sugar, butter, Calvados and ½ teaspoon vanilla. Purée again until very smooth and fluffy.
Add 8 ounces of melted chocolate and purée until very smooth.
Line a 4 cup round log-shaped mold or loaf pan with plastic wrap, pressing it down until smooth.
Pour in the chestnut-chocolate mixture and tamp the mold to eliminate any air bubbles.
Smooth over the surface, and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.
To Garnish: =========== Unmold log on serving plate, and carefully remove the plastic wrap.
Whip the cream with 1 teaspoon of sugar and ½ teaspoon of vanilla until stiff.
Spread the cream evenly over all sides of the log, forming a barklike ridge here and there with a spatula or decorating comb.
Drizzle thin lines of chocolate down the length of the log, using a paper pastry cone or fork.
Roll the 3 reserved chestnuts in cocoa and arrange on the log lengthwise.
Garnish with candied violets and refrigerate until serving.
This log may be refrigerated for up to one week.
Comments