Christmas is celebrated around the world with a variety of unique and delectable desserts. The customary treats of every country and culture add a special touch to holiday celebrations. Read on for some classic Christmas desserts from across the world, some that you may not have heard of.
Kahk, Egypt
As ancient as the pharaohs, baking kahk, or cookies, is a tradition in Egypt. On the walls of Pharaonic temples in the ruins of Thebes and Memphis, you can find drawings depicting women making kahk.
Historically, kahk were frequently filled with figs and dates. Nowadays, the geometrically patterned, shortbread-like biscuits can be filled with a range of ingredients, such as dates, pistachios, or walnuts, or they can be seasoned with cloves, ginger, cinnamon, and occasionally fennel or anise seeds and mahlab (ground sour cherry kernels).
Both Coptic Christians and Muslims celebrate Kahk to commemorate several holidays and the conclusion of Ramadan and Advent, respectively. When visiting friends and relatives throughout the Christmas season, Coptic Christians frequently bring a box of kahk as a present.
Stollen, Germany
Stollen is a cake-like fruit and nut bread covered in icing sugar. It’s an essential component of German Christmas traditions and has a lengthy history that spans several centuries. Due to its protected geographical status, only stollen prepared in or near Dresden by accredited bakers are accepted as authentic.
Chopped candied fruit, dried fruit, nuts, and spices are combined to make stollen. Raisins, currants, lemon and orange zest, almonds, and a variety of spices, including cardamom and cinnamon, are among the most often used ingredients. The marzipan core – a delicious almond paste – that runs through the middle of the loaf is one of Stollen’s distinguishing characteristics.
Kūčiukai, Lithuania
Kūčiukai, also known as šližikai, are an integral part of the Kūčios, the traditional Lithuanian Christmas Eve dinner, which consists of twelve meatless dishes representing the twelve apostles; it’s one of the best Christmas desserts. They are small, bite-sized, slightly sweet pastries made from leavened dough and poppy seeds.
In Lithuanian tradition, kūčiukai are often served with poppy milk, a sweet beverage made from poppy seeds, water, and honey or sugar. Christmas Eve dinner is never complete without this combination. Kūčiukai are a centuries-old tradition that is ingrained in Lithuanian culture. It reflects the country’s agricultural heritage and the importance of crops like poppy seeds and wheat.
Bibingka, Philippines
A popular treat during the Philippines’ September-beginning Christmas season is bibingka, a sweet, sticky rice cake; it’s among the tastiest Christmas desserts. Traditionally, the batter is placed into a terracotta dish lined with banana leaves, and it is steam-cooked in a clay oven with ignition above and below.
Initially, the sticky cakes were either sent as gifts to prestigious guests or as offerings to the gods. Now, in modern times, Filipinos still find great joy in eating bibingka, which they frequently have in the morning or immediately following mass services on holidays. Some regions of Indonesia also partake in the well-known treat.
Rose cookies, India
Christmas rose cookies are particularly famous in the Indian state of Goa, which the Portuguese ruled for over 500 years. Rose de coque, as they are called in Portuguese and Goan, are fried dough balls flavoured with cardamom and vanilla, not actually cookies at all. Their form is similar to a rose, thus the name “rose cookies”. A spherical, flower-like cast iron mould creates the form. They can be dusted in powdered sugar or dipped in it after frying.
Rose cookies have a light, crunchy texture with a hint of sweetness. Because the batter’s consistency and the oil’s temperature must be precisely regulated to get the right crispiness without burning them, making them is regarded as an artistic endeavour. They are a favourite with kids and adults alike, and go well with a tea or coffee.
Melomakarona, Greece
Greek Christmas cookies known as melomakarona are particularly important to Greek holiday culinary traditions. Melomakarona have a distinctly rich and moist feel since they are mostly comprised of flour, olive oil, and honey. Flavours like orange zest and spices like cloves and cinnamon are commonly used. With a depth of flavour enhanced by the spices and citrus overtones, the combination of these components yields a cookie that is subtly sweet.
Melomakarona are usually steeped in a delicious honey syrup after baking. This is an important step because it gives the cookies a sticky, moist feel in addition to adding sweetness. To improve the overall flavour profile, the syrup often comprises honey, sugar, water, and occasionally cinnamon and other spices. The cookies are then dusted with finely ground walnuts, giving them a delightful crunch and nuttiness to accompany their soft, sweet flavour.
Buñuelos, Mexico
These delicate, crunchy, sugary discs are a popular festive delicacy in Mexico. Buñuelos are composed of fried dough that is either dusted with sugar or drenched in piloncillo syrup (made from cane sugar).
State-by-state variations exist in recipe and form. For example, Veracruz has different flavours, such as sweet potato, pumpkin, or almond, and some are doughnuts or little balls fried in lard and sprinkled with sugar. In Tabasco, on the other hand, they produce a variation that is close to the original. Other Latin American nations like Colombia make buñuelos as cheese-filled balls.
Malva pudding, South Africa
The decadent, sweet dessert known as malva pudding, or malvapoeding in Afrikaans, originates in the Cape Dutch culture of South Africa and is especially popular in Cape Town. It’s not solely eaten during Christmas, but because of its lavishness, it’s saved for special events.
The traditional dessert, sometimes called lekker pudding (delicious pudding), is made with apricot jam and a small amount of malt or balsamic vinegar to give it a caramelised texture. Amarula liqueur, ginger, and brandy are a few other variations. The cake is covered with a creamy sauce while it’s still hot from baking, which seeps into the cake and turns it into a wonderfully sticky custard as it cools.
Kransekake, Norway
Traditional Christmas desserts in Norway include kransekake, which is a festive cake, especially loved during Christmas, but also served at weddings and other important events like birthdays and national holidays. In both Norway and Denmark, the Kransekake serves as the focal point of significant festivities.
It’s composed of successively smaller cake rings that are piled to create a towering, cone-shaped structure. It usually has at least 18 layers, but the number of rings can vary. It’s made from a mixture of sugar, egg whites, and crushed almonds. This gives it a deep almond flavour and a chewy, thick texture. Although the components are basic, the outcome is incredibly tasty and unique. A Kransekake is traditionally decorated with white icing, often in a zigzag pattern over the rings.
Beigli, Hungary
In Hungary, this sweet, roll-like pastry with a thick swirl of walnuts or poppy seeds is a holiday tradition. The German-Yiddish term “beigli” means “horseshoe” or “to bend.” Old folktales state that walnuts ward from curses and magic spells, while poppy seeds – imported by the Ottomans – stand for wealth. Flódni, the Jewish-Hungarian dessert cousin of Beigli, is layered with apple, walnut, and poppy seeds.
During the Austro-Hungarian empire in the second part of the 1800s, Hungary was the source of the popular Christmas treat that is recognised today. Beigli was first cooked solely at home as a family tradition, but it gradually expanded to cukrászdas, or sweets.
