Quoting Gertrude Berg, the popular big-screen American housewife from the '30s, "some people consider the meal to be a long delay between the appetizer and the dessert." Gourmands join us on this gastronomic itinerary to discover traditional Christmas desserts from all over the world.
First stop, medieval England: Christmas Pudding was first invented as a method for preserving meat, and subsequently distinguished itself as a Christmas dessert in the 1700s. Made with molasses, eggs, butter and a mix of aromatic spices, the traditional Christmas Pudding recipe contains 13 ingredients: 12 to represent the apostles and one Jesus.
This traditional French pastry is a dessert of pagan and religious sharing. Originating in Roman times, the Cake of Kings is a puff pastry dessert filled with cream. What makes it special? The bean - or coin - hidden inside! It is tradition to award the title of "King of the Day" to the lucky person who finds the treasure hidden in the cake.
What's boiling? Oil, because it's time to fry to honor Mexican tradition with crispy, flower-shaped treats - not to be confused with funfair’s fritters or even pancakes. Made with sugar and cinnamon, the dough for Buñuelos requires 30 minutes of rising to be transformed into flowers to be fried and enjoyed with friends.
During a world tour that took her to the most remote corners of the earth, in 1926 the elegant Russian prima ballerina Anna Pavlova found herself staying at a hotel in Wellington, New Zealand. There, the pastry chef, thunderstruck by her grace, honored her with a dessert that became iconic: the Pavlova cake. Made of meringue and garnished with whipped cream and fresh fruit, this delight enchants the eyes and the palate.
In the Philippines, people celebrate Christmas starting with their breakfast, with the traditional Bibingka, a sweet spongy rice cake served hot. Made from rice flour and coconut milk, this Filipino dessert is so popular that it is distributed outside churches in the days leading up to the Christmas celebration.
Imagine strolling around the streets of icy Stockholm during the Christmas season: amidst the abundance of lights and decorations, you would also find an abundance of Saffransbullar, the traditional S-shaped yellow loaf. Featuring a dough made with saffron, butter, and sugar, Swedes like Saffransbullar so much that they consume it from the first Sunday of Advent.
Where can we store all these delights without worrying about them spoiling? Among the wide shelves and the glazed walls of Venere, lays all the space needed for your culinary inspiration. Discover Venere, the professional display for the world's pastry and ice-cream shops.
So forget Pandoro and Panettone, Struffoli, and South Tyrolean Stollen: this year at the table we celebrate inclusivity by experimenting with exotic Christmas recipes. The watchword: creativity!