For the French it’s the Bûche de Noel, for the Germans Weihnachtsbaumstamm, for the Italians Tronchetto. A cross–European Christmas cake that recalls traditional times, when trees and wood were a main source of living and therefore a subject of great veneration.

When you try to fit all preparations and cooking into Christmas eve, this rather long process cake is even tastier if done a day before.

The dough

100 gr. of all purpose flour

120 gr. of sugar

3 eggs

2 tablespoons of cacao

1 tea spoon of grounded cloves

1 ½ tea spoon of grounded black pepper

1 spoon of grounded cinnamon

Pinch of salt

2 tea spoons of baking powder

Juice of 1 orange/ 2 tablespoons of Grand Marnier

Apricots Marmalade

Orange Cream

250 ml. fresh milk

2 eggs yolk

100 gr. sugar

30 gr. all purpose flour

Juice of 1 orange

Place the milk in a pot for boiling. In the meanwhile, in a different bowl, mix the eggs with the sugar, than add the flour. Purr into the milk and stir well until dense. Remove from the fire adding slowly the orange juice and let cool.

Glazing 

200 gr. dark chocolate

100 gr. fresh cream

• Melt the chocolate in bain-marie

• When melted, add the cream stirring constantly. Let cool for few minutes.