Mont Blanc bûche (chestnut and vanilla yule log)

Roll sugar dough into a thin sheet, freeze 15 minutes and repeat to get an even, thin pastry.

Freeze again, then pre-bake 15 minutes.

Let cool, spread the almond cream and bake 20 minutes more.

Cool, freeze, trim and cut into two rectangles.

Beat room-temperature egg whites to stiff peaks with the granulated sugar and a dash of cream of tartar.

Sift in the powdered sugar and add orange zest.

Spread the meringue into slabs and bake at 195F / 90C for 90 minutes.

Coat the meringue with a mixture of chocolate and cocoa butter, refrigerate to set and coat again, so the meringue stays crisp inside the cake.

Beat the chestnut cream with the eggs on high until light and fluffy; fold in the sifted dry ingredients and the melted butter.

Bake the chestnut sponge 20 minutes; cool, freeze and cut into bars.

In a food processor combine chestnut cream, chestnut paste and a splash of alcohol; smooth with hot heavy cream.

Pipe the chestnut compote generously on top of the chestnut sponge and freeze.

Scrape the vanilla bean seeds; heat half the heavy cream, add the vanilla, cover and infuse about 20 minutes.

Remove the vanilla pod; mix the hot cream with the white chocolate, add the softened gelatin, then the remaining chilled heavy cream. Refrigerate overnight.

Whip the ganache montée to soft peaks.

Fill the mold about halfway with vanilla mousse and coat the sides with an offset spatula.

Place the frozen chestnut insert and moisten it with the punch; cover with vanilla mousse, top with the crisp meringue, more mousse, then close with the crust.

Repeat with the second mold and freeze overnight.

Unmold, cut the logs to size and decorate with chestnut vermicelli, chestnuts in cognac or marron glacé, and milk chocolate bark.