Mariah Carey “All I want for Christmas” in your ears. Cinnamon and mulled wine scents all around. Sparkling snowmen everywhere. Christmas has arrived and at MerciSF, we are excited by this Holiday magic.
One of my favorite traditions growing up was to discover what would be the flavor of the Yule Log on our dinner table. I love brown notes: indulgent chocolate or caramel, while my grandma’s prefers exotic notes of mango, passionfruit or berries – perfect to end our annual Christmas feast.
Today, I just go for both – no choice making. Easy. Who says no to 2 slices of Yule Logs aka Bûche de Noël?
For the non-initiated ones, Yule Logs or “Bûche de Noël” is a Christmas tradition in France that started in the late 1870s. It traditionally celebrated a large wooden piece placed in the hearth; the remaining bits, those unburnt, of the log were said to bring luck and prosperity for the following year. Nowadays, we like our bûches sweet, and as a dessert: a soft sponge cake, also called a genoise, filled with buttercream or mousse, rolled into a log shape, and coated with frosting.
San Francisco
One 65 – Three options and two sizes to choose from. The nice touch we like: you can add a bottle of champagne to your order: a bottle of Guilleminot Brut or a Billecart Salmon rosé.
The Chestnut Bûche de Noël featuring a choux biscuit, a chestnut confit, a whipped ganache made with vanilla and chestnut and a touch of vanilla whiskey punch.
Available in 2 sizes: For 4-6 people ($65) or 8-10 people ($95)
The Chocolate Bûche de Noël made of a delicious aerated chocolate caramel mousse, a vanilla cremeux, a crunchy Valhrona Jivara milk chocolate biscuit topped with a cocoa nibs croustillant and a hazelnut and almond praliné. Pure bliss.
Available in 2 sizes: For 4-6 people ($65) or 8-10 people ($95)
The Mandarin Yuzu Bûche de Noël
For those who like fruity and flavorful desserts, you will love this bûche made of a mandarin Madeleine Biscuit, a Chocolate Mousse, Whipped Yuzu Ganache, a Panna Cotta and Mandarin Confit, a Star Anise and Cinnamon Sauce,, Marshmallow and Feuilletine with a touch of Mandarin Cointreau. Available in 1 size: 8-10 people ($90)
Order now for in-store pick-up or delivery on 12/23 or 12/24
165 O’Farrell St, San Francisco, CA 94102
Maison Nico
Maison Nico is spoiling us with a 10-inch (25.4-cm) long Bûche de Nöel featuring layers of chocolate cake, an aerated Meyer lemon mousse, caramel, and mousse Bavarois. The whole is glazed in chocolate and topped with candied Meyer lemon.
Price: $90 Serves 10+
Pre-order by Wednesday, December 11.
The Carousel Patisserie
Two flavors : A chocolate/hazelnut Bûche which features a rich hazelnut crisp layered with hazelnut mousse and praline, 70% dark chocolate mousse and wrapped in a flourless cocoa cake (so it’s gluten free) .A spiced Orange blossom / Pistachio bûche: delicate gingerbread cake base topped with rich pistachio cream and a fragrant orange blossom mousse Both serve 6-8 people. Price 65$. Individual samples will be available for 4$ to test beforehand.
Pre-Order here before December 21st, pick up at 1750 Cesar Chavez Unit H San Francisco or at one of their multiple holiday pop up events
Thorough Bread and Pastry – San Francisco
Head to the Castro and choose between a Chocolate Hazelnut or a Vanilla Berry log – or get both! Also available by slice.
Order online 248 Church St, San Francisco, CA 94114
The French Spot
Another triplet to choose from (or not – pick them all):
the Traditional Bûche de Noël au Chocolat (Traditional Chocolate yule log) made of a flourless chocolate cake, whipped chocolate ganache and salted caramel ($46),
the Modern Bûche de Noël with mango passion mousse, coconut roulade, buttercream and toasted coconut ($46)
or go nutty, with the Hazelnut Praliné one: a vanilla roulade with hazelnut cream, praliné crunch and chocolate-coated caramelized hazelnuts ($48). In case your sweet tooth is not satisfied, there will be other holiday cakes such as New-York Style cheesecake, Lemon Kalamansi Meringue Pie or Salted Caramel Pie. Pick up at Belmont pop-up on 12/23-12/24 10:15-11AM
Pick up at SF 12/23-12/24 09:00AM-1PM
Order online until 12/22 – 1042 Larkin Street, San Francisco
Dandelion
Ending the list with a homegrown favorite: Dandelion. Get your hands on the Nibby Maple Yule Log: a maple syrup-drenched chiffon cake, sprinkled with cocoa nib, rolled into whipped maple-chocolate ganache, and huckleberry mascarpone mousse, and finally topped with chocolate coating, and specks of gold leaf.
Baked fresh to order. $85 – Order here and pickup at Dandelion, 2600 16th St, San Francisco, CA 94103
B Patisserie – offering three flavors, Dark Chocolate, Matcha Raspberry, and Speculoos, Chocolate, & Vanilla ($75). Want to add more European flair to your Christmas table? B Patisserie also sells Panettone (Traditional and Chocolate), Stollen and Gingerbread loaves.
Order here for pick up on December 24 – 2821 California Street, San Francisco, CA 94115
East Bay
Maison Benoit
For its first year in business Maison Benoit will feature Buches in 3 flavors: Chocolate (A Chocolate cream and chocolate mousse sitting on a chocolate biscuit, topped with a chocolate glazing, with a combination of Bahibé and Caraibe Valrhona Grand Cru chocolate) / Vanille-Fruits Rouges (A classic Vanilla and Red Fruits buche: soft vanilla rolled biscuit garnished with a mix of fresh red fruits and confit with white whipped ganache) / Exotique ( a coconut biscuit, a mango crunchy, a passionfruit &mango mousse, and a coco pineapple and passionfruit confit with flambee pineapple chunks).
66$ to 99$
Pre-order here and pick up at their store in Danville Maison Benoit -402 Railroad Ave, Danville or there is a delivery option for local addresses
La Fournée in Berkeley offers one option for the indecisive of us: a delicious Devil’s Food cake, featuring Valrhona chocolate mousse and crémeux, a white chocolate crémeux and crunchy chocolate pearls. 10 inches $70
Pick-up on 12/24 09:00AM-3PM
Order by phone or in person 510 549 9434
Tarts de Feybesse
As they just opened their first store, Paul & Monique Feybesse present 2 classical bûches for the holidays. One Chocolate and one Fruity. Serve 8/10. Price 85$. We cannot wait to see them!
Preorder information to come soon on their website here
Pick up at their brand new boutique: 324 24th street, Oakland
South Bay
Maison Alyzée
3 flavors – the holy trinity of sweetness once again
Christmas Chocolate Log featuring a 100% Chocolate Cacao biscuit & Hazelnut crunchy, topped with a mix of Valrhona Nyangbo 68% and Jivara 40% chocolate cremeux, a dark chocolate mousse and a light ight touch of Caramel.
Christmas Pistachio Raspberry Log: A pistachio financier with a pistachio crunchy topped with Pistachio cremeux, a pistachio biscuit, organic Raspberry confit, and finally, a Pistachio & Valrhona Opalys white chocolate 33% mousse
Christmas Hazelnut Yuzu Log: A hazelnut financier biscuit with a yuzu confit, topped with a Praliné Hazelnut cremeux, an organic Madagascar Vanilla cremeux, praliné hazelnut & Valrhona Opalys white chocolate 33% mousse.
5 different sizes: From 4-6 people to 12-14 people. Price ranging from $60 to $136
More details here
Fleur de Cocoa Los Gatos: 4 Yule logs to choose from: The Fleur de Cacao, a dark chocolate mousse and chocolate sponge cake with chocolate cream and crunchy hazelnut (gluten free); The Forêt Noire, a dark chocolate mousse with Kirsch soaked cherries, vanilla Kirsch mousse, cherry confit and chocolate sponge cake (gluten free); The Royal, a dark chocolate mousse with a crispy hazelnut praline layer, almond sponge base, and a coffee créme brûlée center; and last but not least: The Exotic: Fruit confit (banana/mango/passion fruit) balanced by a dark chocolate mousse with vanilla cream and hazelnuts
6/8 persons $72, 10-12 persons $82
Order until 12/24 via phone 408-354-3574 or email cocoa@fleurdecocoa.com
39 North Santa Cruz Avenue, Los Gatos, CA, 95030
North Bay
Sarmentine Santa Rosa
3 different flavors of Bûches, in 3 locations (Santa Rosa – Petaluma – Sebastopol)
Chocolate Hazelnut bûche de Noël, a Valrhona chocolate genoise with a hazelnut mousseline, toasted hazelnuts.
Cherry Pistachio bûche de Noël made of a pistachio bavarois (a velvety custard), a cherry compote and balanced with a crispy Trocadero biscuit.
Poire William bûche de Noël: a spiced genoise with a Poire Williams mousse and a caramel buttercream
Order by 12/13 in one of the 3 locations here
More information
To Christmas and Yule Logs! To luck and prosperity !
