Kinder Bueno vanilla and hazelnut yule log

Ingredients

• 4 g (1 sheet)gelatine
• 500 gdouble cream
• 2vanilla pods
• 150 gwhite couverture chocolate, such as Barry
• 4 tablespoonshomemade or shop-bought hazelnut and white chocolate spread
• 5 tablespoonsvanilla white chocolate ganache
• 300 gshelled hazelnuts (the recipe uses blanched ones)
• 150 gcaster sugar
• 48 gwater
• 6 gfleur de sel
• 45 g (2 yolks)egg yolks
• 75 geggs
• 75 gsugar
• 90 gegg whites
• 25 gplain flour
• 25 gunsweetened cocoa powder
• 60 gfeuilletine (crêpe dentelle flakes)
• 60 gbaked sweet pastry or shop-bought vanilla biscuits
• 50 ghazelnut praline
• 20 gcocoa butter or melted white chocolate
• 20 gmelted white chocolate
• 1 pinchfleur de sel
• to tastewhite and brown cocoa-butter velvet spray
• to tastetoasted hazelnuts
• 50 gmelted dark chocolate

Instructions

1. 1

   Soak the gelatine

   For the vanilla whipped ganache, which is best started two days ahead, soak the gelatine in plenty of cold water for 10 minutes.

2. 2

   Make the ganache

   Melt the white chocolate over a bain-marie. Heat 150 g of the cream in a saucepan with the vanilla pods, scraped seeds included. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate in three additions, stirring with a spatula between each. Squeeze out the gelatine and stir it in.

3. 3

   Chill the ganache

   Mix well, then blend with a hand blender. Stir in the remaining 350 g cold cream. Set aside 6 tablespoons, cover the rest with cling film touching its surface, and refrigerate overnight.

4. 4

   Whip the ganache

   The following day, once the cream has set, remove the vanilla pods and whip the ganache until firm but still smooth and creamy. It whips quickly, so watch it closely.

5. 5

   Prepare the insert

   For the Kinder Bueno insert, mix the hazelnut and white chocolate spread with the 5 tablespoons of reserved vanilla white chocolate ganache.

6. 6

   Freeze the insert

   Pour the mixture into a 20 × 3.5 cm insert mould, such as a Silikomart Small Insert mould. Freeze for 24 hours.

7. 7

   Toast the hazelnuts

   For the hazelnut praline, preheat the oven to 150°C. Toast the hazelnuts for 25–30 minutes, turning them over during cooking, then leave them to cool.

8. 8

   Make the praline

   Bring the water and sugar to 110°C to make a syrup. Add the hazelnuts and stir constantly as they caramelise. Spread them on baking paper to cool, then blend in several batches until a semi-liquid paste forms. Stir in the fleur de sel and keep the praline in a glass jar.

9. 9

   Whisk the eggs

   For the chocolate sponge, preheat the oven to 170°C with the fan on. Using a whisk attachment, beat the yolks, whole eggs and 50 g of the sugar until the mixture is firm.

10. 10

    Fold the sponge

    Whisk the egg whites to soft peaks with the remaining 25 g sugar. Sift together the flour and cocoa. Fold the dry ingredients into the egg mixture, then fold in the whipped whites in two additions, gently using a spatula.

11. 11

    Bake the sponge

    Spread the mixture on a baking tray lined with baking paper and bake for 12 minutes. When it comes out of the oven, cover it with a clean tea towel and leave it to cool.

12. 12

    Cut the sponge

    Cut a rectangle of sponge 25 cm long and about 6.7 cm wide, to fit the base of your yule log mould. Adjust the size to your mould if needed. Wrap the sponge in cling film and keep it at room temperature; reserve the offcuts for another use or for verrines.

13. 13

    Make the crunch

    The day before assembly, crush the baked sweet pastry or vanilla biscuits together with the feuilletine. Mix with the hazelnut praline, cocoa butter or melted white chocolate, and the 20 g melted white chocolate. Add the pinch of fleur de sel.

14. 14

    Shape the base

    Spread the mixture on baking paper or a silicone mat into a rectangle about 25 cm long and 6.7 cm wide. Keep it in the freezer.

15. 15

    Fill the mould

    The day before serving, line a 25 cm yule log mould with whipped vanilla ganache, filling it about halfway and leaving a hollow in the centre for the frozen insert.

16. 16

    Add the insert

    Unmould the frozen Kinder Bueno insert and press it gently into the ganache so that the cream rises along the sides of the mould. Add more ganache around the edges and a little over the insert, then smooth it.

17. 17

    Layer the praline

    Pipe hazelnut praline down the centre, then cover it with whipped vanilla ganache. Spread praline over the hazelnut crunch, place the sponge on top, and trim about 1 cm from each end so the base fits the mould.

18. 18

    Close the log

    Place the crunch-and-sponge base on the mould, with the sponge against the cream. Smooth the surface with a small angled spatula and a little more cream. Freeze overnight.

19. 19

    Spray the surface

    On the day of serving, unmould the yule log and place it on a rack. Spray the frozen surface evenly with the white velvet spray, adding extra in some areas for a more irregular, wood-like effect. Repeat with the brown spray to create a colour gradient.

20. 20

    Decorate and serve

    Let the coating set in the fridge, then decorate with lines of melted dark chocolate and toasted hazelnuts. Defrost in the fridge for 3 hours before serving, then take the log out of the fridge 20 minutes before serving.

What is a Kinder Bueno yule log?

A bûche de Noël is a French festive cake traditionally shaped and decorated to resemble a log. This version takes inspiration from the hazelnut and chocolate flavours associated with Kinder Bueno, using a frozen insert and layered components rather than a rolled sponge.

Vanilla ganache softens the rich hazelnut centre, while the chocolate sponge and crunchy base give each slice several different textures. The cocoa-butter velvet spray adds the distinctive finish.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 670 calories, 0g protein, 0g carbs, 0g fat.

The sponge and sugar contribute most of the carbohydrates, while the cream, chocolate, praline and hazelnuts provide much of the fat. Eggs and hazelnuts contribute protein, though the recipe's supplied nutrition lists protein as 0 g per serving. Balance a slice with fresh berries and a lighter main meal.

Plan the make-ahead stages

Vanilla ganache: make it two days ahead so it has time to chill and set before whipping. Reserve the stated 5 tablespoons for the insert before covering the rest.

Insert and praline: the insert needs 24 hours in the freezer, and the praline must cool before blending. The sponge can also be baked ahead and kept wrapped at room temperature.

Assembly: build the log the day before serving and freeze it overnight. Allow 3 hours to defrost in the fridge, then bring it out for 20 minutes before cutting.

Get the ganache texture right

Hot cream: pour it over the melted chocolate in three additions, stirring each time to help create a smooth mixture. Blending after the cold cream is added helps bring the ganache together.

Whipping: start with well-chilled ganache and stop as soon as it is firm but still creamy. It can go from smooth to over-whipped quickly, so keep an eye on its texture.

Make a smooth hazelnut praline

Toasting: turning the hazelnuts during their 25–30 minutes in the 150°C oven helps them toast evenly. Let them cool before adding them to the syrup.

Caramelising: cook the water and sugar syrup to 110°C, then stir constantly after adding the hazelnuts. Spread the caramelised nuts out to cool before blending in batches to a semi-liquid paste.

Keep the sponge light

Eggs: whisk the yolks, whole eggs and part of the sugar until firm, then whip the whites separately with the rest of the sugar. Fold the whites in gently and in two additions to keep as much air in the mixture as possible.

Baking: spread the sponge evenly and bake at 170°C for 12 minutes. It should be flexible enough to cut into a base once cooled under a clean tea towel.

Build the layers neatly

Centre: fill the mould halfway with ganache, leaving a hollow for the frozen insert. Press the insert in gently and fill around it, so the cream reaches the mould edges.

Base: layer praline over the crunch, then place the sponge on top. Set this in the mould with the sponge against the cream, and trim the ends as needed to fit the base.

Finish and serve

Velvet coating: spray the log while it is frozen and work towards an even white layer before adding brown spray for a gradient. Extra spray in selected areas creates the recipe's irregular wood-like finish.

At the table: let the coating set in the fridge, then add the chocolate lines and toasted hazelnuts. Serve after the log has defrosted in the fridge for 3 hours and rested out of the fridge for 20 minutes.

What to serve alongside

The log is rich and has plenty of contrasting textures, so small slices work well after a festive meal. Serve it on its own or with fresh berries to add a bright, tart contrast.

Coffee or tea makes a simple accompaniment, and both can be served without adding another sweet element to the plate.

Recipe notes & tips

• Use a thermometer for the syrup and bring it to 110°C before adding the hazelnuts.
• Chill the ganache overnight before whipping it.
• Keep the insert frozen until you are ready to place it in the mould.
• Use the dimensions of your own mould to check the sponge and crunch base before trimming.
• Spray the log while it is frozen for the velvet coating to cover it evenly.
• Defrost the assembled log in the fridge for 3 hours before serving.

Variations

• Shop-bought praline: use prepared hazelnut praline for the base and filling, as allowed by the recipe.
• Vanilla biscuits: use shop-bought vanilla biscuits instead of baked sweet pastry for the crunchy layer.
• Blanched hazelnuts: use blanched nuts if you prefer a praline without skins.
• Mould size: adjust the sponge and crunch dimensions to fit your own yule log mould.
• Decorative finish: vary the balance of white and brown velvet spray to make a lighter or darker gradient.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Over-whipping the ganache: stop when it is firm but still creamy, as it whips quickly.
• Adding warm nuts to the blender: let the caramelised hazelnuts cool first.
• Skipping the insert freeze: freeze it for 24 hours so it can be unmoulded and placed in the log.
• Folding roughly: add the whipped whites in two batches and fold gently to keep the sponge airy.
• Trimming too little: remove about 1 cm from each end of the sponge-and-crunch base so it fits the mould.
• Serving too soon: allow 3 hours in the fridge for defrosting, then rest the log out of the fridge for 20 minutes.

How to store

Keep the assembled yule log covered in the freezer until needed. Defrost it in the fridge for 3 hours before serving; keep any leftovers covered in the fridge and eat within 2 days. Do not reheat.

Frequently asked questions