Where to buy a good Buche de Noel?

I'm thinking about purchasing a Buche de Noel for a Christmas dinner. Has anyone purchased one in recent years from a local bakery or know of a bakery that makes them? I'd like a really nice version - with the meringue mushrooms, if possible.

N.B. One such log (I believe, sans mushrooms) was purchased last year at Whole Foods - the type of baked good there that is made outside the premises and is pre-boxed. It was okay- the frosting was a little too "fake" tasting and the cake tasted, well, as if it had been made well-before my purchase date, a la Entenmann's.

This may be unhelpful, but I know that Zingerman's (in Ann Arbor) has Buche de Noel as a December bakery special. Here is the description of theirs:

Buche de Noel (Yule Log)
Our version of the traditional French holiday dessert: a light vanilla cake filled walnut rum butter cream and covered in chocolate butter cream. It’s decorated with hand-made edible sugar mushrooms, holly and freshly fallen snow.

I emailed them to ask if they would ship it and whether that would even be practical. (But if anyone can do it, they can.) I will edit this if and when I hear back from them.

Kristen

aschie30 wrote:I'm thinking about purchasing a Buche de Noel for a Christmas dinner. Has anyone purchased one in recent years from a local bakery or know of a bakery that makes them? I'd like a really nice version - with the meringue mushrooms, if possible.

Vanille Patisserie, at least, makes yule logs. You'll obviously have to pre-order it, and I don't know how much it will cost (quite a lot, I'd guess). But given the half dozen other things I've had from there, it'll be quite good.

Vanille Patisserie
(773) 868-4574
2229 N Clybourn Ave
Chicago, IL 60614

http://www.vanillepatisserie.com

The oft mentioned Sweedish Bakery on Clark usually has a few of them in stock or available via special order reservation.

HI,

I was at Il Mulino Bakery today in Highwood, which had at least 3 different thematic variants of Buche de Noel: classic to one with Santa and his reindeer taking a breather.

New to me: sheet pizza like you buy at Italian bakeries in Chicago.

Il Mulino Bakery
530 Sheridan Road
Highwood, IL 60040
847-266-0811

Regards,

Fox and Obel had them on display whole in the bakery department and by the piece(!) in the individual pastry section today.

Whole Foods has a very nice Buche De Noel, when I was at bakery department they offered a taste, it had mushrooms and all. Very tastey

I noticed a beautiful one today at Fox & Obel (can't remember if it had mushrooms). It was expensive though -- I think around $45.

Thank you everyone for your replies. I will be sure to report back on any yule log purchased and consumed.

Lutz makes a delicious Buche Noel which costs around $27 with tax. I purchased one last week for an office Christmas party. Dinkel's also makes one at a few dollars less but with a frosting filling.

Lutz Cafe & Pastry Shop
(773) 478-7785
(773) 478-8629
2458 W Montrose Ave
Chicago, IL 60618
http://www.lutzcafe.com/

Dinkel's Bakery
(773) 281-7300
(800) 822-8817
3329 N Lincoln Ave
Chicago, IL 60657
http://www.dinkels.com/

aschie30 wrote:I'm thinking about purchasing a Buche de Noel for a Christmas dinner. Has anyone purchased one in recent years from a local bakery

Aschie,

I picked up a Buche de Noel from Gladstone Park Bakery. A little heavy on the buttercream, but all the kids at the party oooohed and ahhhhed and the price was right. $16.95

Gladstone Park Bakery


For those not familiar with Gladstone, it's a better than most straight up neighborhood bakery, reliable in the extreme and a prefect place for birthday cakes, coffee cakes, bread and rolls. I like their rolls, which I ordered along with the Buche de Noel.

One hint, if you order a Buche de Noel and the phone person says "what's that" try Yule Log.

On the rare occasion I've made a Buche de Noel I've used Stephan Pyles Chocolate Roulade with Hazelnut Filling as a base (New Texas Cuisine). It uses ricotta in the filling and is an absolute killer recipe. Then used Joy of cooking for technique and tips on decorating.

Enjoy,
Gary

Gladstone Park Bakery
5744 N Milwaukee Ave
Chicago, IL 60646
773-774-4210