The bûche de Noël is a celebrity Christmas cake, perhaps less popular than panettone and pandoro, but certainly no less popular. If you want to amaze friends and relatives during the Christmas Eve dinner or the lunch on the 25th, why not replace the usual starters with a salty Christmas log? Quick and easy to prepare, it will make you look great with your guests at the time of the initial toast.

What is the bûche de Noël?

The Christmas log in its sweet version is a soft dough filled, rolled and then covered with cream or chocolate cream. The exterior is then decorated by drawing the typical grain of the wood, so as to look like a small log ready for the fireplace. The dessert was born after World War II, but refers to the North European tradition of burning a log of wood in the fireplace on the evening of Christmas Eve.

The salty Christmas log: how is it prepared?

It's about a recipe without cooking, also perfect for a dinner organized at the last minute to exchange greetings. The cookie dough is replaced with the sandwich bread, while ganache creams are used instead spreadable cheeses, Russian or capricciosa salad, cured meats, salmon, pickled or in oil, vegetables. The shape and external decoration do not change, reminiscent of the wooden log.

The recipe for the salty Christmas log

To prepare the salty Christmas log, spread a sheet of cling film on the table and place it on top five slices of bread for long sandwiches (or 10 normals, forming a rectangle). Make sure that the edges of the bread overlap slightly and then flatten the bread with a rolling pin: in this way the slices will also weld together.
Stuffed now the Christmas log with the chosen ingredients, for example robiola, slices of smoked salmon and rocket and helping you with the film gently roll the bread. Squeeze the roll and let it rest in the fridge for at least ten minutes, before cutting a piece of about 5 cm, which will form the branch that starts from the stump.
Cover now both rolls with a layer of robiola or mayonnaise and place the sprig on one side of the salty Christmas log, making it adhere well to the other. Trace the grain of the wood with the help of the tines of a fork and decorated with chopped hazelnuts or toasted almonds – or with a Christmas decoration, even in edible – to give a touch of color to your "snowy" log. Let it rest for about an hour in the fridge before serving: you will have plenty of time to take care of the gifts.

Other Recipes you can read:

• A vegetarian delight for the palate: savory strudel – Italian ..

  Like any good self-respecting puff pastry dessert, strudel also has its savory version. This is a recipe that combines flavors ..

• Sweet and savory meet in a single dish – Italian ..

  If you are among those who love crunchy things, you can't miss this recipe. A dish that will take you ..

• Savory strudel with courgettes, ham and cheese – Italian cuisine ..

  The savory strudel with courgettes, ham and cheese is a tasty and versatile option to enrich your table with authentic Italian flavours. With few ingredients...