Is it too soon to talk about Christmas? If you'd rather pretend it's still barbecue season for a few more months, you might want to look away now. But if, like us, you're always curious to see what festive food trends are on the horizon, you'll definitely want to hear about the Christmas dessert that's already turning heads for 2026.
Just when we thought we'd seen every possible take on the classic Yule log, luxury Belgian chocolatier Pierre Marcolini has come up with something completely unexpected. Instead of a traditional chocolate sponge log coated in overly sweet chocolate icing, the chocolatier created a chocolate 'casserole', and we are seriously intrigued.
At first glance, it literally looks like a miniature casserole dish (ahem Le Creuset?!), complete with an edible chocolate lid and outer casing. But lift it up and inside you'll find an indulgent dessert, layered with crisp chocolate textures, generous fillings and either an airy mousse or silky sabayon (think a rich, velvety custard). It comes in three flavours: Chocolate, Hazelnut and Cappuccino. Personally, the cappuccino version is where my heart lies..
Rather than slicing neat portions like you would with a traditional Yule log, everyone gathers around the table, lifts the chocolate lid and spoons out their own serving - and then at the end you need to smash the outer casing and eat it up! It's part dessert, part centrepiece and part festive theatre, and that's exactly why I think it's such a fun idea.
Personally we think this will be one of the standout Christmas food trends of 2026. In recent years, festive centrepieces have become just as much about creating a memorable moment as they are about dessert itself, and this delivers on both fronts.
Obviously this isn't available yet. But, the Chocolate Casserole will be available online from 26 October, before arriving in Pierre Marcolini boutiques from 6 November. At £55, it works out at just over £9 per person if you're serving six. That's definitely on the pricier side for dessert, but this isn't just any old pudding. It's the centrepiece of the table, complete with its own little unveiling moment.
Will it replace the traditional Yule log? Probably not. But we would happily gather everyone around the table to lift that chocolate lid because it's just too dammn cute.
Mel is the Senior Food & Drink Writer for Good Housekeeping UK, covering all the delicious new product launches that come her way, writing about food and drink topics, and curating gift guides for the best foodie products to buy. Alongside that, she can be found developing and creating cocktails for GH and holds her WSET Level 2 in Wine and Spirits. She was part of the Good Housekeeping Institute food testing team for over four years before moving over to the digital side, so knows a thing or two about great food products. You'll find her scouring the supermarket shelves in her spare time for new and exciting ingredients to experiment with in her kitchen.
