parisian party

The holiday season is in full swing, and all across Paris cries can be heard to Bring on Les Bûches! No French holiday meal would be complete without the grand finale, the Bûche de Noel! Paris is especially known for its’ vast selection of couture bûche- most are available in limited quantities and for a limited time. So if you plan to get your bûche on at this year’s holiday party, you’d better hurry and reserve yours now. Here are some of the highlights from this season’s cake collections:

la bûche à facettes, a la mère de famille

This modern take on the traditional buche is made of chocolate ice cream and covered in little faceted chocolate “mirrors”, giving it that “Holiday Disco on Ice” effect.  Price: 48€ 8 to 10 people  La Mère de Famille

This Diva of a dessert is dressed in chocolate feuilletine and filled with chocolate mousse flavored with Darjeeling tea and ylang ylang. Price: 57 € for 6 people, Dalloyau

tube, christophe roussel

In his 2009 collection of cakes, chocolatier Christophe Roussel has created a series of three tube-shaped bûches dotted with chocolate mouths. These Dali-esque treats are available in a red carpet version with raspberry-scented geranium, a green velvet version with lime, or an all chocolate “black leather” version. 28€ for 6 people. Christophe Roussel

tapis rouge, madeleine market

Christophe Michalak and Jerome de Oliveira, pastry chefs of the Hotel Plaza Athenee, based their bûche around the glamour of that deluxe hotel. Beneath a carpet of red marzipan lies a luxurious combination of milk chocolate mousse and creamy yuzu (a Japanese citrus fruit with tangerine accents). 118€ 6 to 8 people. Limited Edition of just 100 cakes. Madeleine Market

rêve, kenzo for lenôtre

Japanese designer Kenzo Takada has created this Christmas cake, which he’s named “Rêve”, for Lenôtre. Three different flavors of light and creamy cake fill green tea-flavored marzipan bamboo branches in this eastern-influenced holiday treat. Price: 98€ 8 – 10 people. Lenôtre

angelina, alexis mabille

A center of candied yuzu and lime with crispy caramelized pecans is covered in a quilted and bowed chocolate ganache all set on a flourless chocolate cookie. Dessert-as-fashion-accessory by Alexis Mabille for Parisian salon du thé, Angelina’s. Price: 60€ 6 - 8 people. Angelina