The Distinctive Culinary Creations That People Crave in December
We’re officially in the holiday season, where people of different faiths and traditions celebrate in unique ways. Regardless of the holiday, there are typically treats that come out only at this time of year. Let’s look at some of the different customs and the special desserts and confections associated with them.
Christmas Around the World
In virtually every country where Christmas is celebrated, there’s a distinctive dessert or sweet treat:
- Whether you love chocolate or fudge, you’ll find the Brigadeiro, a Brazilian holiday treat, to be mouth-watering. It’s pretty simple, with cocoa, butter, sweetened condensed milk, shaped into a ball and rolled in chocolate sprinkles.
- Who doesn’t love tamales? How about the tamales dulces, also known as “sweet tamales,” where you fill the corn wrappers with pineapple and raisin? It’s a tradition throughout Mexico.
- The Black Forest Yule log, a staple in Germany, combines chocolate, black cherries and Kirsch (a cherry liqueur), rolled up with cream in the middle.
- For a no-bake treat, try the Canadian Christmas cherry balls, maraschinos dusted with coconut and rolled in graham cracker crumbs.
Savor These Treats at Hannukah
The Festival of Lights has its own sweet traditions:
- Rugelach, a classic bite-sized pastry stuffed with chopped nuts and a fruit filling. Among the favorite flavors are apricot, raisin, raspberry and date.
- Hannukah gelt—Essentially chocolate coins given to children, they can easily be made a home and can be decorated with an endless array of toppings, from nuts and cocoa nibs to dried fruit and sea salt
- Sufganiyot—This lightly fried, filled jelly donut is typically dusted with sugar, making it sweet and crunchy.
- Babka—Babka is basically bread—a doughy treat that rises. For Hannukah, it can include a variety of sweet fillings, including chocolate, fruit, cinnamon, nuts and brown sugar
What’s Cooking at Kwanzaa
There’s plenty to satisfy your sweet tooth during Kwanzaa, too:
- Peach cobbler—Sweet and sticky, with a crisp butter topping. Top it off with vanilla ice cream and your taste buds will be singing.
- Sweet potato pie—It’s great any time of the year, but during Kwanzaa you’ll often get it with candied pecans, toasted coconut and other add-ons
- Coconut-lime pudding cake—It’s the best of many worlds, a smooth custard with a bright, citrus flavor and toasted coconut on top
- Plantain fritters—Plantains, cinnamon, sugar and flour, deep-fried to a golden brown
