High-end bakeries and brands have unveiled their festive offerings ahead Christmas.

From pre-wrapped panettone to seasonal éclairs, cakes and logs, there are plenty of indulgent and inspirational offerings to choose from.

Below, we round up some of the latest to launch.

Crosta & Mollica
The Italian baked goods supplier has jazzed up its Christmas offer by adding an apricot option to its core panettone range. Described as a “light, sweet cake filled with pieces of candied apricot” (rsp £10.49), it (left) joins the brand’s returning classic and chocolate flavours.

Also, new for the season is a Panforte di Siena (rsp: £6, right). This traditional cake, filled with candied fruits, almonds, honey and warming spices, hails from Tuscany and is said to have historic origins dating back to medieval times. Both of the new items are gift-wrapped in festive Crosta & Mollica wrapping paper and decorated with a bow.

The brand’s Pandoro, a light, golden sponge made with butter and free-range eggs and dusted with icing sugar has also made a return for 2019 (rsp £10.49).

Paul UK
The family-run French artisan bakery has launched two new yule logs and a limited-edition brioche as part of its seasonal line-up. Coconut & Passion Fruit Yule Log (main image, left: rsp £18.95/4-serve; £35.95/8-serve) is said to be geared towards white chocolate enthusiasts. Featuring an almond dacquoise biscuit base and a passion fruit, mango and dragon fruit compote centre, the pudding is finished with a creamy coconut mousse topping, white chocolate glaze, physalis and star fruit.

Paul’s Red Fruit Yule Log (side image, bottom: £18.95/4-serve and £35.95/8-serve) is made with the same biscuit base, but showcases a blackcurrant mousse, a sweet strawberry mousse and is decorated with fresh berries and white chocolate pieces.

A Christmas Reindeer Brioche (£1.95/65g), designed with dark chocolate antlers and a white chocolate red shiny red nose, has also made its debut. Meanwhile, the Mince Pie Croissant (rsp £2.55) is back for another year, while Paul’s gift-wrapped Mini Christmas Macarons (side image, top: rsp £11.95 x12) carry a new design for 2019. Flavours include: salted caramel, chestnut, blackcurrant, cherry, citrus and chocolate-passion fruit.

The Winter Forest Christmas Cake (main image, right) is also making an appearance. It is made with a crunchy biscuit base, a layer of dark, velvety chocolate mousse and decorated with a forest of frosted trees and a snow-capped dark chocolate chalet.

Maître Choux
The high-end French patisserie has unveiled two éclairs for winter. Sticky Toffee Pudding is a combination of Tahitian vanilla crème and roasted caramelised pecans, topped with a sticky toffee pudding and caramel glaze. Its Saffron & Rose flavour is made from Saffron crème, infused with Middle Eastern rosewater and finished with Swiss meringue. (rsp: £5.80 eat-out/ £7 eat-in).

Hummingbird Bakery
Hummingbird Bakery is embracing the festive fun with two new Christmas Piñata cakes in vanilla and chocolate sponge (right).

Available in six- and eight-inch formats, the four-layered cakes (rsp: from £42.95) are filled with chocolate M&Ms and finished with respective vanilla and chocolate frostings and a star design.

Joining the NPD is an eight-inch Christmas Reindeer Rainbow Cake (main image: rsp: £64.95), comprising vanilla cake layers and a choice of chocolate or vanilla frosting, as well as a Christmas Vanilla Cake – four red and green vanilla sponge layers, topped with vanilla frosting. It’s available in six- and eight-inch sizes (rsp: from £37.95).

Paul Rhodes
The London-based bakery is spreading Christmas cheer with six products. Available until 4 January 2020, the line-up includes: Cranberry Hazelnut Tarts (right), a festive twist on the classic Bakewell variety; Cranberry Winter Babka Knot, a brioche filled with cranberry jam and candied orange peel; and Ginger Rye Mini cake (left), a warm and spicy bake made with rye flour and sheep’s milk.

The bakery’s Traditional Christmas Cake, a fruitcake, is being sold in individual squares for 2019, while its Chocolate Yule Log has been finished with a textured chocolate buttercream ‘bark’. Among the bakery’s festive biscuit line-up are gingerbread men and a Christmas tree made from a traditional spiced speculoos dough, popular in northern Europe. Paul Rhodes Traditional Mince Pies, and Traditional German Stollen (centre) have also returned for 2019.

Ladurée Paris
This patisserie brand has not held back, with a five-strong range of premium yule logs forming part of its Christmas line-up. These are:

  • The Signature Yule Log – made from buckwheat-based sponge, cranberries, maple syrup, and chocolate cocoa mousse (rsp £8/individual, £36/4-serve);
  • La Marquise – created using hazelnut dacquoise, hazelnut pieces, Sachertorte sponge, hazelnut wafer, milk chocolate, hazelnut cream, and milk chocolate mousse (rsp £7.50/individual, £32/4-serve);
  • La Favorite (main image, left) – comprising a pistachio macaron base, roasted Iranian pistachio-infused buttercream, and a delicately flaked praline (rsp £7.50/individual, £32/4-serve);
  • La Duchesse (main image, right) – a chestnut log featuring a Genoese sponge soaked in aged dark rum, a chestnut mousse and candied chestnut pieces (£7.50/individual, £32/4-serve);
  • Marie Antoinette (right) – a pink log made with a macaron base, rose-infused buttercream and a raspberry and lychee jam.

Find out what other retailers have planned for bakery this Christmas by visiting these pages:

Topics