The traditional bûche de Noël is a famous Christmas cake in Italy, perhaps less popular than panettone and pandoro, but certainly not less loved. Come Christmas, this savory version makes a great appetizer.
What is the bûche de Noël?
The sweet Christmas yule log features a soft cake dough that’s stuffed, rolled, and then covered with cream or chocolate. The exterior is then decorated with icing to resemble the wood grain on a fireplace log. The recipe for the yule log was born after World War II, but it derives from the Northern European Christmas Eve tradition of burning a log in the fireplace.
How to make a savory Christmas yule log
The recipe for the savory yule log doesn’t require any baking or cooking, so it’s also perfect as a last-minute idea. Sandwich bread replaces the usual sweet dough while the filling comprises spreadable cheese, Russian salad or cole slaw, cold cuts, salmon, pickles, and pickled vegetables.
Our recipe for the savory Christmas yule log
Spread a sheet of plastic wrap on the table with place five slices of sandwich bread shaped into a rectangle. Make sure that the edges of the bread overlap slightly, then flatten the bread with a rolling pin so they stick together.
Choose your filling ingredients (e.g. soft cheese, slices of smoked salmon, arugula, etc), and place them on top of the bread. Roll the bread in a spiral shape, then cut off a section about 2" wide. Cover both in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.
Cover both rolls with robiola cheese or mayonnaise and place the smaller piece on one side of the savory Christmas yule log, making sure it sticks. Use the fines of a fork to make the wood grain texture and garnish with hazelnuts or slivered almonds. Let rest for an hour in the fridge before serving.