Christmas and all its traditions are fast approaching. To complete your holiday menu, here are five bakeries that offer bûches de Noël. Just make sure to order before December 23rd.
1. Fresh Baguette
Fresh Baguette‘s bûches de Noël must be ordered two days in advance. “Pastry bûches” come in sizes serving 2 people ($15), 4 ($30), 6 ($44), and 8 ($56). As for the “bûches roulées,” they’ll serve 2 people ($13.50), 4 ($27), 6 ($38), and 8 ($48). Among the flavors are: the Elegance bûche (chocolate, a chocolate interior, chocolate mousse), the Lemon Berry (raspberry and strawberry interior, lemon mousse), the Caramel Pear (white chocolate ganache and salted butter caramel) and finally the Roulée Chocolat (chocolate ganache, chocolate biscuit). Order online with the Fresh Baguette app or on the website. — 4919 Bethesda Avenue, Bethesda, MD; 1737 Wisconsin Ave, Georgetown, D.C.; 804 Hungerford Dr., Rockville, MD
2. Tout de Sweet
In Bethesda, Jérôme Colin, from Tout de Sweet, offers a selection of traditional bûches as well as more original creations for the end of the year celebrations. On the traditional side: a vanilla sponge cake rolled with chocolate or vanilla, serving 6-8 ($47) or 10-12 ($59), and a vanilla sponge cake rolled with white chocolate-pistachio, serving 6-8 ($48) or 10-12 ($60). For foodies, two more sophisticated logs: the Saveur (dark chocolate mousse, cinnamon-caramel cremeux, flourless chocolate cake), serving 6-8 ($52) or 10-12 ($64) and the Ruby bûche (gold chocolate mousse, Ruby chocolate cake, citrus buttercake, flourless chocolate cake, Ruby chocolate glaze), serving 6-8 ($53) or 10-12 ($65). —Woodmont Avenue, Bethesda. Tel: 301-951-0474.
3. Pâtisserie Poupon
Pâtisserie Poupon in Georgetown has four bûche de Noël flavors available from December 6 to 31: Grand Marnier, Forêt Noire, chocolate and hazelnut serving sizes for 6, 10, 20 people ($42 to $89). The pastry shop also has other sweets such as its Christmas tree made of macarons. — 1645 Wisconsin Ave NW, Washington. Tel: 202-342-3248.
4. Ladurée
For its third Christmas in Washington, Ladurée has created a gourmet collection of sweet creations such as the Atoca bûche, the signature of the Canadian pastry chef, made with maple syrup and cranberries, available as an individual size ($9.50), or for 6-8 ($76). For red fruit lovers, raspberry bûches with macarons are available as well, which can be purchased as an individual bûche ($8.50) or for 6-8 people ($68). On sale now. — 3060 M St NW, Washington. Tel: 202-737-0492.
5. PAUL
From the famous PAUL bakery, there are three bûches: La Délicieuse (raspberry, speculoos, vanilla from Madagascar), L’Intense (intense dark chocolate, cocoa bean chips, melted salted butter caramel) and La Fabuleuse (apple compote, caramel with Isigny butter, Guérande salt). Bûches can serve 4 ($20), or 6-8 people ($40). The brand has twelve locations throughout Washington and Bethesda.
