At this time of the year, despite the absence of restaurants and the withdrawal of some palaces, chefs are still taking advantage of the opportunity to make our taste buds and eyes capsize at the same time. Among those of pastry chefs, big houses and hotels, here is a selection of the most beautiful top-of-the-range Christmas logs.
Mont Ritz by François Perret
Christmas being synonymous with parties, meals and snowy weather, the pastry chef François Perret unveils a sublime traditional Christmas dessert through a crest shaped log immaculate as powder. This creation pays homage to César Ritz and his (Swiss) origins as the first hotelier to have developed in the luxury sector. The tops are made of chestnut cream and extremely light mousse like whipped cream. The creation can be enjoyed at the Bar Vendôme at the Ritz Paris from 28 November to 24 December 2020, but is sold in a limited edition at a price of 110 euros for 6 persons.
“I wanted this log full of freshness and lightness so that the visual and gustatory escape immediately transports young and old into the enchantment of a Christmas in the high mountains. From the very first bite, it triggers the reassuring whirlwind of pleasure of a chestnut cream combined with a foam as vaporous as a snowflake”, says François Perret.
Pascal Hainigue The Burgundy Paris
Pascal Hainigue offers us this year a more or less atypical log in trompe l’oeil through a beehive. Beneath this tribute to the work of bees is a light clementine-honey mousse of Sarrasin du Loiret, 100% French, a lemon and clementine biscuit, a creamy caramel and a crunchy buckwheat with hazelnut. The dessert is accompanied by a jar of honey offered by the Maison Hédène and can of course be enjoyed at the Burgundy Paris hotel. It is a limited edition, on order from 15 to 28 December, at 100€ for 8 people.
Pierre Hermé’s log
Pierre Hermé respects the festive atmosphere and proposes a typical Christmas log aesthetically speaking on the theme of Fééries Célestes by the artist Philippe Baudelocque. The originality is rather apparent in the flavours and ingredients chosen: blackcurrant compote, blackcurrant pepper crumble with geranium aromas, a touch of redcurrant and lemon juice, all dominated by a chocolate shell (64% Pure Origin cocoa from the Xibun plantation, in the Cayo district in the west of Belize). This creation is proposed in two versions : one at 120 euros for 10-12 people, and one in limited edition at 250 euros for the same quantity.
Yann Couvreur’s Isatis log
Yann Couvreur, whose pastries bear the fox as their emblematic animal, adapts to the season but does not put aside his personal touch. A polar fox in vanilla mousse overhangs the pastry maker’s work on a tree trunk, which in turn forms a crispy Pecan biscuit with a heart of caramel, vanilla, maple syrup and Pecan praline. This gourmet dessert costs 90 euros for 6 people.
Florent Margaillan the Cap-Ferrat Grand-Hotel , A Four Seasons Hotel
Meyer lemon married to a creamy lemon and a flowing heart of ice-cold mint caramel from the aromatic gardens of the Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat; all wrapped in a first layer of lemon shortbread and a lemon biscuit, itself covered by a lemon mousse and a branch of granulated sugar : this is what Florent Margaillan’s sublime and radiant white log is made of. This work of art was available until December 20th at the price of 82 euros for 8 people.
“This year, I wanted to create a fresh log that can be enjoyed without any complexes at the end of a Christmas dinner. This creation is also the fruit of a beautiful meeting with Joëlle Etienne, a producer from the Var specialising in exceptional citrus fruits”, confides Florent Margaillan.
For the end of this year, pastry chefs and great houses have spared no effort to satisfy our palates and our eyes ; they offer us exceptional creations full of creativity and audacity.
Featured photo: © Florent Margaillan