Christmas is and has always been my favourite holiday. Is it because I am a hopeless romantic or just because I still have a child’s heart? Maybe both! But what I love the most about the holiday season is the food, and more particularly the desserts. I believe each family has its own Christmas dessert and make the same every year. But what if this year was different? What if you tried to surprise your family and friends with a dessert from another country?
Vietnamese sweet soup (chè)
Chè is Vietnamese dessert soup or sweet beverage known for the happiness it brings to people. There are so many types of chè that counting them all would be impossible, but with the recipe below, you’ll be able to discover a few of them coming from different regions.
Recipe Here!
French “fruits déguisés”
Those dried fruits (usually nuts, dates, and prunes) stuffed with marzipan (you can buy it or make it yourself) and coated with sugar are one of the 13 Provençal desserts- typical Christmas desserts from the South of France. They usually accompany the yule log. Easy to follow, this recipe is perfect for a fun family baking session!
Recipe Here!
Spanish Polvorones
A Spanish Christmas would never be a Spanish Christmas without its polvorones. Mostly produced in Andalusia, those almond cookies, which particularity lays in their crumbly texture (“polvo” meaning “dust” in English) are also very appreciated in Philippines and South America. There are many kinds (cinnamon, chocolate, hazelnut, etc.) so, on top of being super easy to make, it is also super easy to find the perfect one for you!
Recipe Here!
Italian Panettone bread
According to the legend, this yeast-leavened cake containing dried raisins and crystallized fruits first appeared in Milan. It is said that on Christmas eve, at the court, a young cook named Toni invented the panettone recipe using leftovers to make a cake meant to replace the Christmas dessert that had burnt during the dinner. When Toni brought the cake to the table, everyone loved it and asked him what it was called. That is when he responded: that is the Pan de Toni (in English “bread of Tony”)- name that later changed to become Panettone. Since it is now famous worldwide, you can find it in every supermarket, but for the most talented cooks, trying to make yours could be an exciting challenge!
Recipe Here!
Chinese rice cakes
Considered by some as a meal, and by others as a dessert, the rice cakes, also known as red balls, symbolize happiness and reunification. Although making them and shaping them is difficult and takes time, they last very long (between 15 days and 1 month). Therefore, it is the perfect option if you wish to extend the holiday’s magic taste!
Turkish baklava
Also characteristic of the Egyptian and Iraqi cuisines, the baklava is a sweet and rich pastry made of thin filo dough layers that contain chopped nuts (usually pistachio, walnuts or almonds). These layers are held together with syrup. Whether you eat them cold, rewarmed or at room temperature, those pastries will conquer your heart in a few seconds!
Recipe Here!
Mauritian Makatias Éna Coco (coconut brioches)
These little brioches stuffed with shredded coconut are particularly famous in Mauritious and in La Réunion. They can be found all year round and are usually eaten for breakfast or as a dessert. This recipe is accessible to anybody with basic baking skills.
Recipe Here!