Bûche de Noël Vanille-Caramel-Praliné
Vanilla whipped ganache, caramel, vanilla praliné, almond sponge and feuilletine, white chocolate mirror glaze
Vanilla whipped ganache (day before)
- 6 g leaf gelatine
- 240 g + 240 g whole liquid cream
- 2 vanilla pods
- 210 g white chocolate
Caramel
- 160 g caster sugar
- 150 g whole liquid cream
- 80 g butter
Vanilla praliné
- 125 g blanched almonds
- 68 g caster sugar
- 25 g water
- 3 vanilla pods (for aroma)
Almond sponge
- 130 g ground almonds
- 100 g + 20 g cassonade
- 30 g + 135 g egg white
- 52 g egg yolk
- 105 g butter
- 52 g flour (T55)
- 3 g baking powder
- 30 g liquid cream
- 20 g caster sugar
- 2 vanilla pods
- 1 g salt
Feuilletine layer
- ready-made feuilletine
- a little of the praliné (to bind)
White mirror glaze
- 150 g caster sugar
- 150 g glucose syrup
- 75 g water
- 100 g cream (30%) or condensed milk
- 150 g white chocolate (Valrhona Ivoire)
- 9 g gelatine (200 bloom)
To finish
- crushed hazelnuts (optional)
A layered Christmas bûche, inspired by Charles & Ava. It builds a vanilla whipped ganache around a caramel and praliné core, on an almond sponge and feuilletine base, all under a white mirror glaze. It is a two-day project. The ganache needs an overnight set, and the assembled bûche is frozen before glazing. Read it through once and prepare each element in turn.
Method
Vanilla whipped ganache (day before)
- Soak the gelatine in cold water. Bring 240 g of the cream to the boil with the split and scraped vanilla pods, then leave to infuse off the heat for about 10 minutes.
- Return to the boil, add the drained gelatine and stir. Pour over the white chocolate in three additions, then add the remaining 240 g of cold cream and blend smooth with an immersion blender.
- Film to the surface and chill at least 12 hours. Whip it on medium speed just before assembly.
Caramel
- Make a dry caramel: melt a third of the sugar gently, add the next third once it colours, then the last third, stirring so it does not burn.
- Warm the cream separately and pour it onto the caramel in two or three additions, taking care with the splatter. Add the butter in pieces and blend smooth.
Vanilla praliné
- Cook the sugar and water to a caramel, add the almonds and stir to coat, then tip onto a mat to cool. Blend the set caramelised almonds to a praliné with the vanilla pods for aroma.
Almond sponge
- Mix the ground almonds, 100 g cassonade, 30 g egg white, the yolks, vanilla, cream, 20 g sugar, salt and the soft butter, then the flour and baking powder.
- Whip the 135 g egg white with the 20 g cassonade to a soft meringue and fold it in. Spread and bake at 170°C until just set, then cool and cut a base and an insert strip to fit the mould.
Feuilletine layer
- Bind a little feuilletine with a spoonful of the praliné and press it into a thin strip the size of the base.
Assemble & freeze
- Pipe whipped ganache into a bûche mould, lining the sides. Add a core of caramel and praliné, then the sponge insert, more ganache, and close with the sponge-and-feuilletine base. Freeze solid.
Mirror glaze & finish
- Make the glaze: cook the sugar, glucose and water, pour onto the white chocolate and softened gelatine with the cream, and blend without bubbles. Use at about 35°C.
- Unmould the frozen bûche and glaze it in one pass. Finish the base with crushed hazelnuts if you like, then thaw in the fridge before serving.
Background
This is an entremets, so it is built cold and mostly in advance. The ganache set, the frozen assembly and the glaze temperature are what make it work, far more than any single step on the day.
Whip the ganache only just before piping. Over-whipped, it turns grainy and pipes badly.
Glaze at about 35°C onto a fully frozen bûche. Too hot and it runs off, too cool and it sets before it coats evenly.
Mistakes I've Made
- Warm assembly. The bûche must be frozen solid before glazing, or it will not hold its shape and the glaze will not set cleanly.
- Glaze off temperature. Aim for about 35°C. Too hot runs off the bûche, too cool leaves streaks and a thick edge.
- Over-whipped ganache. Stop while it still pipes smoothly. Whipped too far it goes grainy.
Sources
- Bûche vanille-caramel-praliné (inspiration Charles & Ava) —