Foie gras, smoked salmon, capon, oranges, chocolates… These end-of-year holiday dishes make up our most beautiful Christmas tables. These end with some fruit for a note of lightness and above all, with a Yule log. Let’s enhance this essential Christmas dessert with these 9 tips.
Decorating a Christmas log
To change the little snowmen made of sugar or marzipan usually placed on the logs, here are some ideas that will transport you to different worlds. Their little extra? They are easy to make. A few fir branches for a forest log or coconut shavings for a snowy decor, let your imagination run wild. For an even more forest decor, don’t just place fir branches on the log, let’s add some chestnuts.
For a comforting log: chestnuts
While taking a walk in the fresh air, wrapped up in a coat, hat and scarf, why not stop at the edge of the forest to pick some chestnuts? Rinse carefully to remove any possible impurities, and place on its log, as is, or previously cooked for an edible decoration.
For a forest log: fir branches
The trunk shape of a chocolate log added to the brown color already gives us the impression of being in the forest. Let’s reinforce this forest look by adding a few branches of rosemary, or even fir. Rinse beforehand, to decorate and also perfume the Christmas table. To make everything stand out, sprinkle the branches with icing sugar. This will make it look like it snowed on your log! As the branches are not edible, they are removed before tasting.
For a gourmet log: pieces of praline
Splinters of praline will enhance the aromas of your Christmas dessert. For more pleasure, flavors and variety, mix in some pieces of hazelnuts, chocolates, almonds, pistachios, or even peanuts depending on your preference. This will bring crunch and deliciousness to the log.
For a mountain log: mini meringues
They look like small snowy mountains or snowmen depending on their shape: mini meringues. On a coconut log, the whiteness of these little sweets will bring delicious relief.
For a log that celebrates tradition: candied oranges
Until the 1960s, giving oranges at Christmas was a great tradition. This citrus fruit, very rare in France at the time, represented an exceptional present. Let’s celebrate this beautiful Christmas story by adding slices of candied oranges to our Yule log. The orange will add even more flavor to your New Year’s Eve dessert, with its sweet citrus notes, dear to winter.
For a grandiose log: caramel tiles
To add grandeur to your log, decorate them with a few thin DIY caramel tiles. In round, square or free form for an atypical decor, have fun.
Prepare a caramel tile by pouring 500g of sugar, 10cl of water and 50g of honey into a saucepan. Cook until caramelized, pour onto a baking sheet or baking paper and leave to cool. Break the caramel slab, mix into powder in a food processor with 500g of lace crepes. Form circles using a round cookie cutter with the caramel powder on a baking tray covered with parchment paper or silicone. Bake at 180°C for 2 to 3 minutes. Let cool before removing the tiles. Arrange them on top of the dessert at the last moment.
For a “panettone” log: a mixture of fruits and raisins
We may not think about it, and yet mixtures of fruit and raisins don’t just go into muesli, breads and panettone. This Italian brioche, filled with candied oranges and dried fruits, is traditionally eaten on the morning of December 25. A true Christmas essential in Italy, let’s give a nod to panettone and place a mixture of fruits and raisins on our log.
For a comforting log: cinnamon sticks
It works wonders in cinnamon rolls, applesauce or as an infusion: cinnamon. We enjoy it in autumn and winter, for its warm, round and slightly sweet flavors. On a Christmas log, the cinnamon sticks would almost look like tree branches. For an even more sophisticated decoration, add a few chestnuts and sprigs of rosemary.
For a snowy log: coconut shavings
Coconut shavings on a Christmas log will create a magnificent crunchy and snowy decor. A few mini meringues, raisins and dried fruits sprinkled with icing sugar for a ground of snowy pebbles and that’s it!
At your logs, set, celebrate!
