Christmas is coming soon, and I’m putting out lots of articles on this theme. I’m going to make your mouth water (well, I hope so…) with my selection of Christmas logs to joyfully end your festive meal. The quest for the Christmas log is a bit like hesitating between Ladurée and Pierre Hermé macarons; it’s a matter of taste… Anyway, here is my small (obviously non-exhaustive) selection of Christmas desserts that I would love to find on my Christmas or New Year’s Eve table…
You will also find in this article logs from previous years that I have had the opportunity to discover and taste, which always allows you to see how tastes have evolved in recent years and to keep a record of these vintage festive treats.
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Table of Contents
The Waldorf Astoria Versailles – Trianon Palace
This 5-star hotel, iconic to Versailles, is located right on the edge of Louis XIV’s royal estate, in an absolutely unique setting.
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The 2022 Origami Log
In 2022, the Pastry Chef at the Waldorf Astoria Versailles – Trianon Palace, Eddie Benghanem, imagined a Christmas log reflecting his favorite holiday moments—those shared with family. This Origami log is a decoration in its own right and is meant to be enjoyed with the eyes, too. The entremet is a cake covered in a thin shell of Peruvian milk chocolate, 60% cocoa by Nicolas Berger. Inside, you discover a milk chocolate mousse that is both nostalgic and indulgent. An almond and sobacha praline also accompanies the log, along with a roasted vanilla cream and a citrus confit (mandarin and lemon). In short, I won’t hide the fact that this log is a real delight! One of my favorites this year.
Christmas Origami Log by pastry chef Eddie Benghanem
Waldorf Astoria Versailles Trianon Palace
1 boulevard de la Reine, 78 000 Versailles
Price: €84 for 6/8 people
Limited edition for takeaway
By pre-order and pickup at the Waldorf Astoria Versailles Trianon Palace from December 17, 2022, to January 1, 2023
Served on-site in an individual “Christmas Cake” format at €16 every weekend at the Bar
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The 2021 Christmas Turkey Log
In 2021, the Pastry Chef at the Waldorf Astoria Versailles – Trianon Palace, Eddie Benghanem, had imagined a Christmas log that was as delicious as it was surprising. Perched on its pot, the turkey carefully broods over its little masterpiece: a magnificent entremet that is both indulgent and nostalgic. Beneath a thin, crackling chocolate shell, you discover the childhood memory of a light chocolate mousse, a double-vanilla cream, a soft biscuit, and a Piedmont hazelnut crumble caramelized with fleur de sel. The textures and flavors blend perfectly, and the result is very light with a small (huge) taste of “wanting more”…
The Christmas Turkey Log by Eddie Benghanem for the Waldorf Astoria Versailles Trianon Palace
Price: €84 for 6/8 people
Hôtel du Collectionneur
The Hôtel du Collectionneur is a beautiful 5-star establishment in Paris that celebrates the Art Deco style. It houses a restaurant & bar, Le Collectionneur Paris.
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The 2024 Christmas log
In 2024, the Hôtel du Collectionneur is offering a vanilla and mango log with a touch of praline, combining lightness and indulgence. Made with a vanilla mousse and a mango compote, it is enhanced by a hint of hazelnut praline, providing a crunchy texture in the mouth.
Hôtel du Collectionneur
51-57 rue de Courcelles 75008 Paris
Price: 6-serving log €95 (offered from December 10 to 25, 2024)
La Meringaie
The 2022 Gaïa Christmas Wreath
In 2022, La Meringaie’s pavlova transforms into a Christmas wreath with a crispy, light meringue, whipped cream with pine nuts, clementine, and red kiwi. As always, La Meringaie’s desserts are truly perfect for finishing a slightly rich meal, while keeping things light.
Gaïa Wreath by La Meringaie
Price: for 6 people €52 / for 12-15 people €110 / also available in round format starting at €6.50 (individual) / 4 people €25.60 / 6 people €37.50 / 8 people €49.70 and in log format for 6-8 people €52
On sale in La Meringaie’s Parisian boutiques
Delivery in Paris and inner suburbs and in-store pickup
la Maison du Chocolat
2024 Christmas Log
In 2024, Nicolas Cloiseau imagined a “Rose des Vents” (Compass Rose) log. It features a predominance of walnuts (walnut biscuit, walnut praline, caramelized walnuts, and a walnut-vanilla cream) with an intense dark chocolate mousse. In addition to this signature log, the house also offers 3 timeless chocolate logs that return every year: Caracas; Marajuca; Figaro.
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2023 Snowy Christmas Log
I had a huge crush on this exceptional yet very light chocolate log imagined by Nicolas Cloiseau. It features a chocolate mousse combined with melt-in-the-mouth pear and creamy caramel, all with a toasted corn praline. In addition to this signature log, the house also offers 3 chocolate logs: Caracas; Marajuca; Figaro.
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The 2022 Absolument Cadeaux Log
In 2022, Nicolas Cloiseau offered a chocolate log, naturally, but in the shape of a gift centered around salted caramel and a pecan praline. Some milk chocolate-coated pecans also add a crunch to the whole thing, on a bed of brownie with caramelized pecan powder. I recommend this log to chocolate lovers.
Absolument Cadeaux Log
La Maison du Chocolat
Price: €120 per piece (one size 6/8 person limited edition)
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2015 Féérie Log
Jean-Paul Hévin
The 2024 Chocolate Christmas Logs
The chocolatier’s 2024 theme is “The New Worlds,” which for Jean-Paul Hévin represents the sacred origin of cocoa in the New World. The logs: Cameroun log with a more ethical chocolate from the collection center built by Jean-Paul Hévin in Cameroon, a hazelnut gianduja, a dark Grand Cru chocolate mousse (6-8 people €67); Corail log with a crunchy hazelnut praline, a chocolate biscuit, a praline cream, and a dark Grand Cru chocolate mousse from Peru (6-8 people €67); the “Sagittarius” travel log with a flaky hazelnut gianduja, an almond and dark chocolate biscuit, and a dark Grand Cru chocolate mousse from Cameroon (6 people €58); the “Fireworks” frozen log with an almond biscuit, pear-yuzu sorbet, chocolate parfait, and French meringue (5 people €39).
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The 2023 Chocolate Christmas Logs
The chocolatier’s 2023 theme is “Paris for Ever,” which celebrates the love story between Jean-Paul Hévin and the capital. The logs: Sous le ciel de Paris with a Peruvian grand cru chocolate mousse, pear jelly, and a light vanilla mousse (6 people €49); Paris-tour with a Peruvian grand cru chocolate mousse, pistachio gianduja, and a cardamom-caramelized cream (6 people €49); the “Sunset” travel log with a Madagascar grand cru chocolate mousse, hazelnut gianduja, and a spicy dark chocolate and almond biscuit (6 people €49); the “Réverbère” frozen log with a chestnut biscuit, cherry sorbet, candied chestnut mousse, and French meringue (9 people €58).
Jean-Paul Hévin 2023 Christmas Logs
Price: logs for 6 people between €49 and €58
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The 2022 Chocolate Christmas Logs
This year, Jean-Paul Hévin’s holiday collection, “Pourquoi pas ?” (Why not?), gently shakes up habits and offers some wordplay like the Biche de Noël (a brown, chestnut, and orange crème brûlée log), Noël au Balcon (a dark Peruvian grand cru chocolate log with a touch of citrus and ginger), Vacherin service compris (a chestnut, matcha tea, candied chestnut, and French meringue log), or even Voyage dans le Temps (a log in the tradition of “travel cakes” with a dark chocolate and almond base slightly spiked with peated whisky).
Jean-Paul Hévin 2022 Christmas Logs
Price: logs for 6 people between €44 and €46
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The 2015 Chocolate Christmas Logs
Chef Guy Martin
For the year-end holidays, Chef Guy Martin presents unique and tasty Christmas logs every year for the Grand Véfour, for the Pasco restaurant, for the La Mère Lachaise restaurant, and for the A Noste restaurant.
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The 2024 Mango Coconut log for the Grand Véfour
For the Grand Véfour, chef Guy Martin is offering a mango coconut log with exotic flavors and a refined aesthetic. Made from intense dark chocolate, it is enhanced by fruits from tropical countries, with a special emphasis on mango, worked in various forms.
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The 2024 Coco Mango log for A Noste
The “Coco Mango” Christmas log from Anoste offers exotic flavors with a light and airy mousse texture. This creation consists of a creamy coconut mousse, accented with fresh mango inserts and lemon zest.
Coco Mango Log / A Noste restaurant
Price: €54 / for 6 people
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The 2024 Crispy Log for La Mère Lachaise
This sophisticated Christmas log is made of a Dulcey chocolate ganache, garnished with white chocolate crisp and a praline dacquoise. This was the favorite log of the favorite photographer during this tasting!
Crispy Log / La Mère Lachaise restaurant
Price: €58
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The 2024 Chestnut Cassis Log for Pasco
In 2024, Pasco’s Christmas log stands out with its chestnut cassis flavor. It consists of a chestnut cream and a creamy Jivara milk chocolate, creating a texture that is both creamy and light.
Chestnut Cassis Log / Pasco restaurant
Price: €64
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The 2023 Passion Coconut log for the Grand Véfour
For the Grand Véfour, chef Guy Martin offers a passion coconut log, with milk chocolate hazelnut. On the menu: sponge cake, ganache, coconut mousse, passion mousse, and chocolate.
Passion Coconut Log / Le Grand Véfour
Price: €88
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The 2022 Porcini Mushroom Christmas Log for the Grand Véfour
This Christmas dessert with a delicately balanced taste, between passion log, porcini mushroom chocolate mousse, and dark chocolate. Ingredients: passion jelly, dark chocolate ganache, passion mousse, porcini chocolate mousse, and sprinkled chocolate.
Passion log, porcini chocolate mousse, and dark chocolate
Le Grand Véfour
Price: €88 for a 6-person log
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The 2023 Olentzero log for A Noste
Olentzero is a character in Basque culture and tradition. In the 17th century, this term referred to Christmas Eve, a delicious journey to the heart of the Basque Country that the Chef offers for 6 people. On the program: pistachio sponge cake with pears poached in syrup, quince compote with Espelette pepper, praline cream, and decoration with Espelette pepper meringue mushrooms, a fleur de sel chocolate tree, and a pistachio sponge mousse.
Olentzero Log / A Noste restaurant
Price: €66
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The 2022 A Noste foie gras log
For the 2022 year-end holidays, Chef Guy Martin created a savory, tasty log with duck foie gras, to be enjoyed as a starter or a dessert.
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The 2022 Mont-Blanc log for Pasco
This log combines chestnut cream, vanilla, and chocolate for a unique softness in the mouth. Ingredients: chestnut cream, candied chestnuts, vanilla whipped cream, vanilla syrup, and milk chocolate glaze.
Mont-Blanc Log
Pasco restaurant
Price: €64 for a 6-person log
Pierre Marcolini
The 2022 Logs
Pierre Marcolini’s winter collection offers Christmas tree-shaped logs in individual or 6-person sizes. Several flavors exist: grand cru chocolates, coffee, chestnut, or pineapple coconut.
Pierre Marcolini Logs
Price: €6.50 individual size / €53 for 6 people
Nina Métayer
Pastry chef Nina Métayer (who was voted best pastry chef in the world this year) has been the ambassador of Beurre Charentes-Poitou AOP since 2019, which she uses in her recipes.
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The 2023 Christmas logs
In 2023, she is offering 5 different logs: the Flocon (€90 for 6/8 people), the 2023 signature log; the Rencontre (€75 for 8 people), a signature gluten-free log in collaboration with the dating app Bumble; the exotic Christmas log (between €8.50 and €64 depending on the size) with almond and coconut; the Tiramisu Christmas log (between €8.50 and €64 depending on the size) with homemade coffee syrup; the Chocolate Christmas log (between €8.50 and €64 depending on the size).
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The 2022 Christmas logs
Pastry chef Nina Métayer has been the ambassador of Beurre Charentes-Poitou AOP since 2019, which she uses in her recipes. This year she is offering 3 different logs: Le Goût de l’Enfance (Signature log); Promenade en Forêt (traditional gluten-free log) and Matin d’hiver (citrus flavor).
Nina Métayer Logs
Price of the logs:
Le Goût de l’Enfance: one size €69
Promenade en Forêt: €8.50 individual portion; 4/6 servings €34; 6/8 servings €59
Matin d’hiver: €8.50 individual portion; 4/6 servings €34; 6/8 servings €59
L’Eclair de Génie
The 2023 Christmas collection
Christophe Adam’s 2023 logs are just magnificent, themed around the Malmö teddy bear (Classic Malmö, Gift Malmö, or Sleeping Malmö). Obviously, there is also a selection of Christmas éclairs (€45 for 6 éclairs) with several different flavors (Mexican dark chocolate and peanut; hazelnut orange praline; pecan praline; Swiss milk chocolate and cinnamon; Madagascar vanilla and caramel; salted butter caramel).
Les Belles Envies
This Parisian pastry shop offers cakes, chocolates, and cookies with a low sugar content. It uses ancient flours rich in fiber with a low glycemic index, such as lupin flour, coconut flour, as well as T80 semi-whole wheat flour. Their creations have a glycemic index of less than 30, which represents a reduction of about 60% compared to that of an ordinary pastry shop. They also have an igc® certification: Controlled Glycemic Index.
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The 2023 logs
For this edition, Les Belles Envies is offering 3 log recipes: the Bouleversante Pop Passion (individual: €7.5 / 6 people: €45), the Merveilleuse Pistachio-Raspberry (individual: €7 / 4-5 people: €35 / 8-10 people: €60), and the Prodigieuse Choco-Hazelnut (individual: €7 / 4-5 people: €35 / 8-10 people: €60).
Les Belles Envies
17 rue Poncelet 75017 Paris
3 Rue Monge 75005 Paris
Maison Kayser
2023 logs collection
The artisan baker Éric Kayser and his team offer a 2023 log collection consisting of 5 creations: Cappuccino (with coffee mousse, almond and cocoa nib crisp, chocolate biscuit, milk jam, and a milk mousse insert), Raspberry, Mango Passion Sesame, Black Forest, and Chocolate. These logs have been available since December 8 in individual format and in large format since December 15 in Maison Kayser bakeries.
2023 Eric Kayser logs
Price of the logs: between €26 and €39
Paris Baguette
The pastry chef for Paris Baguette is Julien Chamblas. This house, founded in 1988, has been a pioneer in the search for the best products, with ultra-qualitative sourcing and a unique relationship with its producers. The brand has 4 boutiques in Paris: Saint-Michel; La Défense; Châtelet; Montparnasse.
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2022 Christmas log
In 2022, the pastry chef created 3 Christmas log designs with unmissable flavors of traditional French pastries, featuring chocolate-praline, strawberry-rhubarb, and the classic Saint-Honoré, which he revisits for the occasion. For my part, I discovered the Strawberry / Rhubarb log with a light strawberry mousse, rhubarb compote, and a crunchy puffed rice layer.
Paris Baguette Strawberry-Rhubarb Log
Sébastien Bouillet
I discovered during my visit to see my parents for the holidays that the Lyon-based pastry chef and chocolatier Sébastien Bouillet had his workshop in the small town where they live (Miribel). We have therefore made it a habit to source our Christmas log from him for our family Christmas Eve meal on December 24.
Pastry-chocolatier Bouillet
Atelier and Gâteau Ecole
ZI la Tuilière, rue de la traille , 01700 Miribel
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2021 “Game” themed logs
For Christmas, we tested his selection of 7 small logs (€7 each) around the theme of games: Joker; Pac Man; Cluedo; Super Mario; Scrabble; Angry Birds; Checkmate.
Dalloyau
2022 Christmas collection
In this 2022 Christmas collection, Dalloyau offers the Starlite log in limited edition (€89) but also the Hors-Piste log which is super original and very light, with a Tahitian coconut vanilla mousse, avocado cream with lime and passion fruit seeds, exotic fruit compote vanilla-scented and flavored with Timur berry, banana biscuit.
Dalloyau 2022 Christmas log collection
Invitation à la Ferme
The 2022 Frozen Log
In 2022, the frozen log from the organic farmer network “Invitation à la Ferme” is full of fruit with a mango and passion fruit creation. This log is organic, with no dyes or flavors, made on the farm and sold locally (less than 80 km around) in the network’s 44 farms.
Invitation à la Ferme Mango Passion Log
Price: €12.99 for 7/8 servings
La Glacerie
This brand belongs to David Wesmaël, Meilleur Ouvrier de France glacier. He has completely rethought ice cream tasting and offers innovative formats in his boutiques while respecting the original taste of the fruits.
The 2022 frozen Christmas dessert collection
This festive and refined collection combines pastry expertise with the art of ice cream making. On the program: frozen pendants for the tree and festive table, a star with a dark Gianduja frozen mousse, white chocolate ice cream and a mango, orange, ginger sorbet, very graphic nomadic logs, and a magical sphere.
2022 Christmas Collection
Price: Ma bonne Etoile €62 for 6 people / nomadic logs for 6 people €42 / magical sphere for 6-8 people €62 / frozen pendant for 6-8 people €62
Atelier des Glaces Van Den Casteele
This artisan glacier has been making its own frozen dessert recipes in Flanders since 1975. All ice creams are handcrafted in the North of France in St Sylvestre Cappel with local products and rigorously selected ingredients. Today, there are 11 Van Den Casteele stores in the Hauts de France, 1 store in Bourgoin-Jaillieu (in Isère, near Lyon), and finally one store in the Ile-de-France (where we went to test its products) in Plaisir in the Yvelines.
L’Atelier des Glaces Van Den Casteele frozen logs
Le Carré des Ebisoires 78370 Plaisir
Price of the logs starting from €19.90
La Fabrique Givrée
2021 XXL frozen bar
In 2021, La Fabrique Givrée offered frozen logs in the style of childhood chocolate bars in an XXL format, completely revisited by the house. It’s super nostalgic, it works very well (special mention for the Apple Cereal and Hazelnut Milk), and on top of that, the price is very reasonable I think.
The 4 Christmas log recipes: Peanut Caramel; apple cereals; Hazelnut Milk; Coconut Chocolate.
La Fabrique Givrée
26 rue Soufflot, 75005 Paris
XXL frozen bar / Christmas log: €30 for 6-8 people
Maison Sève
The 2017 log collection
Maison Sève presents a collection of 3 logs for Christmas 2017:
- The Colibri log, mango/passion fruit compote with a whipped strawberry ganache and a dacquoise biscuit
- The Zeste de Dentelle log, with a lemon ganache and muslin and a rolled Viennese biscuit
- The Graphique log, with a Madagascar vanilla ganache, a dark chocolate mousse, a cherry compote, and a milk chocolate crisp
Maison Sève
Price of a log: €39.90 (available from December 8, 2017)
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Fauchon
The 2017 holiday desserts
On the program: The Signature log (for 6 to 8 people / price: €120) with lemon and gin syrup, almond crisp, kumquat compote, and juniper berry cream; the Baby Choc Christmas hats (price: €12 each); the 3-mini-cube-log set (price: €11).
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Pépite Boulangerie
This pastry – bakery belongs to pastry chef Alice Lin and has several locations in Paris. In 2024, Pépite Boulangerie is offering its famous Kiss Me pastry with rose-lychee flavor in a Christmas log version for 4 to 6 people.
Pépite Boulangerie
23 boulevard Voltaire 75011 Paris
Price of the Kiss Me log: €7 per small log and €38 per log for 4 to 6 people
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Pâtisserie Vandermeersch
This pastry baker, Stéphane Vandermeersch, has been located in the 12th arrondissement of Paris since 1999.
The 2017 tatin version log
Boulangerie Pâtisserie Vandermeersch
278 avenue Daumesnil 75012 Paris
Price: 4-serving log €30 / 6 servings €45 / 8 servings €60
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Exki
The 2017 individual Matcha tea log
A crunchy dome of white chocolate and matcha with a dark chocolate fondant, for lovers of concentrated chocolate!
Exki
Price: €3.60 to go, €3.95 to eat in (until January 7, 2018)
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Reÿs, glaces éternelles
The founder of Glacier REŸS, Jean-Pierre Braun, is an ice cream enthusiast and constantly offers new flavors in his Parisian boutique.
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The 2024 frozen logs
Frozen logs are a must-have every year-end, and Reÿs offers, with a touch of originality, a trio of logs: Amazonian Gods / passion sweetness; Walk in Bangkok / Java elixir; Three Vanillas. The logs exist in a small model (4-6 people) or a large model (8-10 people).
REŸS – Glaces Éternelles
4 rue du Bourg Tibourg 75004 Paris
Price of the logs: €32 for 4/6 people and €48 for 8/10 people
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The 2023 frozen logs
Frozen logs are a must-have every year-end, and Reÿs offers, with a touch of originality, a duo of iconic house flavors presented as a log on a nougatine biscuit. The logs exist in a small model (3-4 people) or large model (6-8 people).
REŸS – Glaces Éternelles
4 rue du Bourg Tibourg 75004 Paris
Price of the logs: €32 (4/6 people)
Sain
At Sain, Anthony Courteille offers a return to the flavors of yesteryear that he cherishes by making organic products, without refined or added sugar. Everything is organic, without refined or added sugar. These products can be found in the boutiques on Rue Alibert in the 10th arrondissement of Paris and Rue des Gravilliers in the 3rd arrondissement from December 20.
The 2023 Logs
There are 2 offerings this year at Sain: lime vanilla log with an airy sponge cake, buttercream, vanilla, rum, lime for the flavor and caviar lime scattering / chocolate log which combines the power of a grand cru, the melt-in-the-mouth caramel, and praline, all with hazelnut shavings.
Sain logs
Intercontinental Bordeaux
Gaëtan Fiard, World Champion of Sweet Arts, is the pastry chef of the Intercontinental Bordeaux – Le Grand Hôtel, which we discovered during our visit to Bordeaux in 2024.
The 2024 Christmas log
The favorite photographer was lucky enough to go to the Café de la Paix at the InterContinental Paris Le Grand to discover the exclusive presentation of their 2024 Christmas log and the signature pastries of the Pressoir d’Argent (the hotel’s starred restaurant). In 2024, Chef Gaëtan Fiard is inspired by the elegance of the hotel’s new tea salon, the Boudoir de Léa, with logs in a shape reminiscent of a ladyfinger biscuit.
- The first creation, Velours, is a union between an intense dark chocolate and crunchy hazelnuts with a chocolate mousse mixed with a biscuit and coated in praline.
- The second creation, Satin, is a tropical log with mango and passion fruit with a coconut mousse and biscuit.
InterContinental Bordeaux – Le Grand Hôtel
2-5 place de la Comédie, 33000 Bordeaux
Price of the logs: €45 for 4 people / €59 for 6 people
Meert
This famous Lille house was founded in 1677. If you pass through Lille, don’t miss their beautiful boutique on Rue Esquermoise.
The 2023 Christmas logs
I was able to taste the Etoile Noire log with a cocoa sponge cake, a 72% Venezuelan dark chocolate cream flavored with Iranian black lemon, a chocolate sabayon, a cocoa-lemon shortbread crisp, cocoa nibs, and fleur de sel (€60 for 6 people).
Meert logs
Well, after this little window-licking moment, it only remains for me to wish you all very good holiday meals, and don’t hesitate to come and tell me what succulent dishes you will have tasted around your beautiful holiday tables.
Photo credits: Nicolas Diolez and Mademoiselle Bon Plan
