Still contemplating your holiday menu? Here’s a (non-exhaustive) selection of places in Miami and the rest of Florida where you can get a traditional bûche de Noël, or Yule log.
Miami
Winner of the 2023 Grand Prize for the best baguette in Florida, Éric Buffenoir also excels in patisserie. At the helm of Bonjour Bakery, which has three outlets in the Miami metropolitan area, the baker from La Rochelle offers gourmands an exotic fruit bûche, a triple chocolate bûche with confiture de lait, not to mention a praline crunch bûche topped with a chocolate parfait and crème brûlée. Only one size is available, for 8 to 10 people, priced at $39.99. The shop also makes classic bûches roulées with fresh fruit, hazelnut, and dark chocolate. They cost is $45 for 10 to 12 guests. 16650 SW 88th St, Miami; 1435 N Park Dr, Weston; 10800 Pines Blvd, Pembroke Pines – (786) 534-8141
Atelier Monnier, which has four outlets in and around Miami, will make you melt with pleasure with a choice of three gluten-free bûches in a variety of flavors: one composed of a milk chocolate mousse and praline cream on a praline dacquoise, another topped with a dark chocolate mousse and vanilla cream, and a white chocolate and berry one filled with raspberry and lemon mousse. Set aside $45 for these creations, which will delight 6 to 9 people. Individual portions cost $7.50. 848 Brickell Ave, Miami – (305) 456-5015; 1300 Collins Ave, Miami Beach – (786) 359-4033; 9825 SW 40th St, Miami – (786) 452-7780; 9563 S Dixie Hwy, Pinecrest – (305) 666-8696
Miami Beach
Brigitte Cavallero, assisted by pastry chef Bartholomé Desannaux, offers bûches on the theme of the four seasons at her Maison Valentine store: “Spring” with pistachio cookie, vanilla mousse, and a raspberry jelly insert; “Summer” with vanilla biscuit, an exotic fruit insert, and a raspberry mousse; “Autumn” with dark chocolate mousse, caramelized pecans, and a crème brûlée insert; and “Winter” with milk chocolate mousse and crispy praline on a hazelnut biscuit. Each creation feeds 8 people and costs $79.99. Individual portions are $11.99. 1112 15th St, Miami Beach – (786) 535-1432
Coral Gables
Meilleur ouvrier de France (MOF) pastry chef Georges Berger, who took over the Chocolate Fashion kitchens this year, will melt your heart with his bûche flavors: a creation with exotic fruit mousse, a mango insert with caramelized pineapple pieces flambéed with rum, all on a coconut dacquoise; another with chocolate and creamy praline; as well as a classic bûche roulée with vanilla and dark chocolate. And let’s not forget the “Mont Blanc” with vanilla, chestnut cream, and chocolate ganache. This dessert for 8 to 10 people costs $60. 248 Andalusia Ave, Coral Gables – (305) 461-3200
Doral
Manager of the bakery-bistro La Croquantine, Matthieu Cartron, who is committed to French artisanal techniques and the use of fresh produce, displays four different creations in his windows: a white chocolate bûche with mango, passion fruit, banana and lime compote; a hazelnut-based bûche; a vanilla and rum recipe; and a strawberry bûche on a pistachio cookie. These desserts for 4 to 6 people cost $45, and those for 8 to 10 are $75. 7930 NW 36th St suite 30, Doral – (786) 899-0509
Miami Lakes
It’s hard not to be tempted by the logs created by pastry chef Armand Berger at Emmy’s Artisan Bakery. The shop displays three models: the “Tropical” with vanilla mousse, mango compote and passion fruit cream on coconut dacquoise; the “Chocolat Caramel” with milk jam cheesecake, chocolate, and caramel cream, with a dark chocolate mousse and a salted butter caramel insert; as well as the “Temptation Raspberry” filled with red fruit compote and fresh raspberries, and vanilla cream on a lemon and kirsch-soaked sponge cake. You’ll have to shell out $37 for these desserts, which can serve 6 to 8 guests, or $5.50 for a solo treat. 16345 NW 57th Ave, Miami Lakes – (305) 705-4699
Wilton Manors
Having won the 2023 Grand Prize for the Sunshine State’s best croissant, Colombian chef Mario Ramírez, who founded his D’Liras bakery in Wilton Manors, near Fort Lauderdale, creates bûches with chocolate and raspberry coulis, as well as vanilla and wild berry coulis. Each model, for 8 to 10 people, costs $80. Individual portions are $8. 2172 Wilton Dr, Wilton Manors – (954) 530-0422
Delray Beach
After working alongside Frédéric Lalos, Meilleur Ouvrier de France (MOF), and honing his skills for several years, Parisian Yves Francois, a former member of the artisan organization Compagnon du Devoir, decided to strike out on his own. He inaugurated L’Atelier des Pains, his first outlet, last May in Delray Beach, halfway between West Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale. There you can find bûches in flavors of tiramisu, cherry and chocolate, citrus and champagne, and caramel and vanilla. Only one size is available, for 8 to 10 people, priced at $85. 1445 N Congress Ave, Delray Beach – (347) 303-1237
Lake Worth
Vincent Durin and his wife Christine have opened Vincent’s Bistro French Bakery on the south side of West Palm Beach for the holiday season. The shop showcases a range of creations, including a chocolate bûche and a raspberry bûche. Each dessert can serve 8 people and costs $49 (if ordered before Friday December 15. $59 after that date). 516 Lucerne Ave, Lake Worth – (561) 533-0840
West Palm Beach
Founder of the simply named Loic Bakery, opened in 2017 in West Palm Beach, French artisan Loïc Autret offers raspberry, buttercream and chocolate bûches. The price is $85 for these creations, which will delight 10 to 12 people. 480 Hibiscus St, West Palm Beach – (561) 570-1425
Winter Garden
Let’s put the spotlight on French patisserie in Winter Garden, near Orlando. Master artisan pastry chef, chocolatier and ice-cream maker Stephan Martin showcases a variety of bûches at his Le Petit Paris establishment: the “Mont Blanc” with milk chocolate mousse, chestnut and caramel insert on a brownie cookie; the “Vahina” with red fruit jelly, vanilla mousse and Viennese shortbread; the “Enora” with strawberry mousse and orange blossom whipped cream on an almond cookie; the “Feuilletine” with chocolate mousse and crispy praline; and the “Black Forest” with whipped cream, cherries and chocolate ganache. The French artisan also asked artificial intelligence to suggest a bûche recipe, which he followed to the letter: the “Sunset Grove” with citrus mousse and orange jelly insert on a coconut dacquoise. Prices range from $35 to $49, depending on the dessert, for 8 to 10 people. The price for a single slice ranges from $5.50 to $9. 1201 Winter Garden Vineland Rd, Winter Garden – (407) 614-4477
Sarasota
On Florida’s west coast, Joël Garcia, busy behind the ovens at Rendez-Vous, is also hoping to tantalize the taste buds of sugar-lovers. With raspberry, chocolate, or praline bûches, there’s something for everyone. Prices range from $32.50 to $49.90, depending on the size of the creations, which will delight 4 to 10 people. Individual portions are $8.50. 5336 Clark Rd, Sarasota – (941) 924-1234
Established in Sarasota over a quarter-century ago, self-taught baker Christophe Coutelle, who runs C’est La Vie with his wife Géraldine, is spoiled for choice with no fewer than nine different bûche recipes. The “Royal” with almond sponge cake and milk chocolate mousse; the “Sunlight” with raspberry and exotic fruit mousse; the “Croquante” with crunchy praline, milk chocolate mousse, and caramelized hazelnuts on a chocolate cookie, “Délice Poire” with chocolate mousse and caramelized pears; “Chamonix” with white chocolate mousse and raspberry; “Santa in Florida” with honey, orange confit and chocolate ganache; and “Santa in Florida” with three types of chocolate, hazelnut cream and toasted flaked almonds, and coffee and buttercream. Serving from 4 to 14 people, these creations are priced from $26 to $91. Individual logs cost $7. 1553 Main St, Sarasota – (941) 906-9575
This article was originally published on French Morning, and has been translated into English by Catherine Rickman.
