Skip to content
LoginRegister
WhatToEat.Today
Festivals

Christmas recipes: cakes, cookies, roasts and festive bakes

Christmas cakes and cookies, kulkuls and rose cookies, stollen, roasts and warming alcohol-free drinks. (228 recipes)

Uszka z grzybamiMushroom dumplings

Wigilia, the Polish Christmas Eve supper, starts when the first star appears and is traditionally meatless, and its first course is clear red barszcz with uszka floating in it. These are tiny dumplings folded into 'little ears' and filled with dried forest mushrooms (usually ceps) and fried onion. They are fiddly, so families make them together in the days before and freeze them. Serve 6–8 in each bowl of hot beetroot broth. Chef's tip: save the mushroom soaking water and add it to the barszcz, as it carries much of the forest flavour.

120 minPolishPasta & Noodles
by KrazyBadal 0 views

KerstkransjesAlmond butter ring biscuits

In the Netherlands, kerstkransjes are small, ring-shaped butter biscuits topped with flaked almonds and pearl sugar, traditionally threaded with a ribbon and hung on the Christmas tree for children to pick off. They are tender and buttery with a lemony crumb and a crunchy top, and keep well in a tin through the holidays. They take about 45 minutes from start to finish. Chef's tip: punch the centre hole slightly bigger than you want; it shrinks as the biscuits bake.

45 minDutchBaking
by KrazyBadal 0 views

CavallucciHoney walnut aniseed biscuits

Cavallucci are Siena's humbler Christmas biscuit, sold beside ricciarelli and panforte in every pastry shop from Advent onward. They are pale, chewy and craggy, made from honey, sugar, flour, walnuts, candied orange and aniseed, with no butter or eggs, so they are dairy free and keep for weeks. Sienese families dunk them in vin santo after dinner, but they are just as good with coffee or hot milk. Chef's tip: cook the honey and sugar syrup only until it threads, then mix fast; if it goes further it sets the dough rock hard.

45 minItalianBaking
by KrazyBadal 0 views

SpongataHoney and nut Christmas pie

Spongata is a Christmas speciality of the hills between Parma, Reggio Emilia and the Lunigiana, a thin, flat round of crisp pastry hiding a dark filling of honey, walnuts, almonds, pine nuts, raisins, candied fruit and spices, all bound with a few breadcrumbs. Families exchange it at Christmas and slice it into thin wedges with coffee. Traditional recipes add white wine to the pastry and a splash of liqueur to the filling; this version uses milk and orange juice, so it is alcohol-free. The filling is best made two days ahead. Chef's tip: prick the top many times with a fork, as the pattern is traditional and it stops the lid ballooning.

75 minItalianBaking
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Hamonado (pineapple-glazed pork)

Hamonado, from the Spanish word for ham, is how Pampanga cooks give pork a festive, ham-like sweetness for fiestas without curing it: thick slabs of pork belly braised in pineapple juice, brown sugar and soy until the sauce turns to a sticky, shining glaze. Kapampangans are famous for their sweet tooth and this is a celebration dish through and through, tender and fatty, sweet, salty and a little tangy from the pineapple. Serve it sliced with steamed rice and a sharp side like atchara or pickled cucumbers. Chef's tip: chill the braise and lift off the hardened fat before reducing the sauce; the glaze is cleaner and less greasy.

90 minFilipinoMeat
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Knäck (Swedish Christmas toffee)

No Swedish julbord is complete without knäck. Families make it in the weeks before Christmas Eve, often with children filling the little paper cases, and it sits on the table beside saffron buns, gingersnaps and ischoklad. Equal parts of cream, golden syrup and sugar boil down into a deep caramel that sets glossy and firm, then gives way to a pleasant chew; chopped almonds add crunch. It is lovely with strong coffee or glögg made from berry juice. Knäck has never contained egg: the cream is boiled until its milk sugars caramelise and the mixture reaches the hard-ball stage, so the sugar itself sets the toffee. Some cooks stir in breadcrumbs; they are left out here so the toffee stays gluten free. Chef's tip: test the toffee by dropping a little into cold water rather than trusting the clock alone; the common mistake is stopping too early, which leaves knäck that sticks to your teeth and to its paper.

55 minScandinavianDessertsGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

KokadCoconut, jaggery and semolina squares

Kokad is one of the sweets in the Goan Christmas kuswar, the tray of homemade sweets Catholic families swap with neighbours in the days around 25 December. Freshly grated coconut is cooked with jaggery, semolina and ghee until it pulls together into a dark, fudgy mass, then pressed into a tray, scored into diamonds and topped with cashews. It is chewy, caramel-sweet and fragrant with cardamom. Chef's tip: roast the semolina in ghee first, until it smells nutty, as raw semolina makes kokad pasty.

75 minIndianIndian Sweets
by KrazyBadal 0 views

SerinakakerAlmond and pearl sugar butter biscuits

Serinakaker are the easiest of the Norwegian seven Christmas biscuits, so they are often the first one children help to bake in Advent. Small balls of rich butter dough are flattened with a fork, brushed with egg and topped with chopped almonds and pearl sugar, then baked until the edges just colour. They taste of butter and vanilla, with a crunch on top. Chef's tip: use baker's ammonia (hjortetakksalt) if you can find it for the traditional crisp-light snap; baking powder works too but gives a softer biscuit.

32 minScandinavianBaking
by KrazyBadal 0 views

SandkakerAlmond butter tartlet biscuits

Sandkaker ('sand cakes') are small, crumbly almond and butter biscuits pressed into fluted tins, and they are a fixture among the seven Norwegian Christmas biscuits. The dough is short and rich with ground almonds and a few bitter almonds or almond extract, and the shells are served upside-down as they are, or filled with whipped cream and berries. You need small fluted tartlet tins (sandkake forms). Chef's tip: press the dough as thin as you can against the tin sides, because thick shells stay doughy in the middle and won't release cleanly.

55 minScandinavianBaking
by KrazyBadal 0 views

RosettbakkelsFried rosette biscuits

Rosettbakkels are another of Norway's seven traditional Christmas biscuits, delicate fried flowers made by dipping a heated metal rosette iron into thin batter and then into hot oil, where the batter puffs, crisps and drops off as a lacy rosette. They are dusted with icing sugar and kept in tins for the Christmas visitors. You need a rosette iron, sold in kitchen shops at Christmas. Chef's tip: dip the iron into the batter only three-quarters of the way up, as batter over the top locks the rosette onto the iron.

45 minScandinavianBaking
by KrazyBadal 0 views

KrumkakeThin wafer cones

Krumkake are one of the 'syv slag', the seven kinds of biscuit a Norwegian household traditionally bakes for Christmas. A thin, buttery batter is pressed between the plates of a patterned krumkake iron, then each lacy wafer is rolled round a wooden cone while still hot and pliable. They are served plain, or filled at the table with whipped cream and cloudberries or other berries. You do need the electric or stovetop krumkake iron. Chef's tip: roll each wafer within seconds of lifting it off the iron, as it sets crisp almost at once.

60 minScandinavianBaking
by KrazyBadal 0 views

JulekakeCardamom raisin Christmas bread

Julekake is the Christmas bread of Norway, baked in the days before Christmas Eve and eaten for breakfast on Christmas morning, sliced and spread with butter and brown goat's cheese (brunost). It is a soft, round, golden loaf enriched with milk and butter, perfumed with freshly ground cardamom and dotted with raisins and candied citrus peel. It is plain enough to enjoy every day of the holidays, and leftovers make wonderful toast. Chef's tip: crush whole cardamom seeds yourself just before baking; ready-ground cardamom loses its scent within weeks.

65 minScandinavianBaking
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Marzipankartoffeln (German marzipan potatoes)

In Germany the run-up to Christmas is when these appear, piled in paper bags at the markets and in bowls on the Advent table; Lübeck, the city most famous for marzipan, makes them by the tonne. They are simply small balls of marzipan dusted in cocoa until they look like freshly dug new potatoes, sometimes with a few pricked 'eyes'. The inside is soft, sweet and fragrant with almond and a hint of rosewater; the cocoa coat is bitter and dry, which keeps the sweetness in check. Serve them with coffee, tuck them into a cookie tin or wrap them as small gifts. Shop marzipan sometimes contains egg white, so this one is made from scratch: a sugar syrup cooked to the soft-ball stage binds the ground almonds into a smooth, pliable paste, doing the job egg white does in some commercial pastes, and the result is naturally egg-free. Chef's tip: the common mistake is kneading the warm paste too long, which squeezes oil out of the almonds and makes it greasy; knead only until it comes together, then let it cool.

30 minGermanDessertsVeganGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

BisciolaBuckwheat fruit and nut bread

Bisciola is the Christmas bread of the Valtellina, the Alpine valley in northern Lombardy known for buckwheat. It is a soft, dome-shaped loaf of rye or buckwheat and wheat, enriched with butter, egg and honey and crammed with dried figs, raisins and walnuts, eaten from St Lucy's Day to Epiphany, often toasted with butter. Some bakers splash grappa on the fruit; this recipe uses warm water and is alcohol-free. It keeps for a week. Chef's tip: buckwheat has no gluten, so keep it to a third of the flour, or the loaf will be heavy and crumbly.

85 minItalianBaking
by KrazyBadal 0 views

VörtbrödDark Christmas rye bread

In Sweden the Christmas smörgåsbord (julbord) is never without vörtbröd, a dark, soft, slightly sticky rye loaf flavoured with wort, the sweet malty liquid brewers start beer from, plus dark syrup, orange peel, clove and ginger. It is sliced, buttered and eaten with the Christmas ham or with cheese. Many home bakers use dark beer, which contains alcohol; this recipe uses a non-alcoholic dark malt drink, which gives the same malty depth. It keeps for 4 days, and freezes well. Chef's tip: rye dough is sticky and never feels smooth like wheat; resist adding lots of extra flour or the loaf will be dry.

70 minScandinavianBaking
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Imelletty perunalaatikkoSweet baked potato casserole

Imelletty perunalaatikko is the most traditional of the Finnish Christmas casseroles, made in the days before Christmas Eve. Mashed potato is mixed with a little flour and left warm for hours, so the potatoes' own enzymes turn starch into sugar ('imelletty' means sweetened), and then it is baked slowly until the top is a deep caramel brown. The result tastes gently sweet with no added sugar and is eaten with ham, herring or, on a vegetarian table, with mushroom salad and beetroot. Chef's tip: keep the mash at hand-warm (about 55 °C) while it sweetens; too hot and the enzymes die, too cool and nothing happens.

300 minScandinavianSides
by KrazyBadal 0 views

ZeltenFig, walnut and raisin Christmas loaf

Zelten comes from the Alpine valleys of Trentino and South Tyrol, where it is baked around St Lucy's Day and eaten slowly until Epiphany, a slice at a time after Christmas dinner. The Trentino version is a dark, dense cake packed with dried figs, raisins, walnuts and pine nuts in just enough soft yeasted dough, topped with a pattern of whole nuts and cherries. Grappa or rum is usually poured over the fruit; here it is soaked in warm orange juice, and adults can add 2 tbsp rum to the soak. It keeps for 3 weeks wrapped. Chef's tip: press the decorative nuts in firmly before baking, or they pop off as the loaf rises.

90 minItalianBaking
by KrazyBadal 0 views

BeraweckaDried fruit and nut Christmas loaf

In Alsace, berawecka (the name means 'pear loaf') is baked in early December and sliced thinly through Advent, often handed to neighbours and godchildren. It is mostly fruit: dried pears, figs, prunes, raisins and walnuts held together with just enough bread dough, spiced with cinnamon, star anise and clove. Alsatian families soak the fruit in kirsch; this version uses strong black tea, which keeps the loaf moist and alcohol-free, and you can add 3 tbsp kirsch to the soak for adults if you like. It is vegan, keeps for weeks wrapped in foil, and is lovely buttered with a cup of tea. Chef's tip: cut the pears and figs the same size as the raisins, so every slice holds a mosaic of fruit instead of big lumps that tear the loaf.

100 minFrenchBakingVegan
by KrazyBadal 0 views

CalcionettiFried ravioli with chickpea and chocolate

In Abruzzo, calcionetti (caggionetti in dialect) are fried on Christmas Eve and handed round all through the holidays. The thin pastry is wrapped around a sweet filling of chickpea or chestnut purée with cocoa, honey, toasted almonds and orange zest, then fried until bubbly and dusted with sugar. Many Abruzzese families add a little rum or the local Centerbe liqueur to the filling; this version uses orange juice so children can eat them, and adults may add 1 tbsp rum. Chef's tip: seal each one firmly by pressing out all the air, as trapped air makes them burst in the hot oil.

100 minItalianDesserts
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Szaloncukor (Hungarian Christmas tree candy)

Every Hungarian Christmas tree carries szaloncukor: sweets wrapped in shiny foil and fringed paper, hung from the branches in December and quietly eaten, one by one, by everyone in the house until Epiphany. The classic is soft white fondant, but the centres vary: tart fruit jelly, coconut, marzipan or nut. Here there are two fillings, raspberry jelly and coconut fondant, both coated in dark chocolate, so each bite gives a snap of chocolate and then a tender, melting middle. They are lovely with coffee or as a small gift. These are egg-free with no animal setting agent: the fondant is just sugar syrup cooked to the soft-ball stage and worked until it crystallises into a smooth, white paste, so no egg white is needed, and the jelly is set with agar-agar, which gives clean cubes that hold their shape at room temperature. Chef's tip: let the syrup cool to about 45°C before working it; the common mistake is starting while it is still hot, which grows coarse crystals and a gritty fondant.

180 minHungarianDessertsVeganGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Chicken galantinaStuffed chicken roll

Galantina is Luzon's party roll for town fiestas and big family feasts, a Spanish-era cold dish in which chicken is wrapped around a filling of pork mince, ham, carrots, raisins and hard-boiled eggs, steamed, chilled and sliced so each round shows the eggs in the middle. Unlike embutido, which is a pork meatloaf, here the chicken skin and meat form the outer layer. Traditional cooks bone a whole chicken; this home version rolls boneless thighs instead, which is far easier. Serve it cold on a platter with banana ketchup or mayonnaise and bread. Chef's tip: roll it tightly in baking paper and foil and twist the ends like a sweet; a tight roll is what gives neat slices.

150 minFilipinoChicken
by KrazyBadal 0 views

RjúpurPtarmigan in cream sauce

For many Icelandic families, rjúpa (rock ptarmigan) is the true Christmas Eve dish, a small wild bird with dark, gamey meat that is hunted in autumn under strict seasonal limits and kept frozen for the holiday. The breasts are browned, then braised gently in stock made from the legs and carcass, and the sauce is finished with cream and a spoon of redcurrant jelly. Serve with caramelised potatoes and red cabbage. Outside Iceland, use partridge, pigeon or pheasant breasts. Chef's tip: make the stock from the legs and carcasses the day before; it is what gives the sauce its deep game flavour.

180 minScandinavianMeatGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

MedisterkakerSpiced pork patties

On Christmas Eve in eastern Norway the main dish is ribbe, crackling pork belly, and on the same platter come medisterkaker: soft, pale pork patties seasoned with nutmeg, ginger and white pepper, fried in butter and then simmered gently in the ribbe juices. They are made from medisterfarse, a fine pork mince lightened with milk and potato starch, and are just as popular on ordinary weeknights with brown gravy. Chef's tip: beat the mince with the milk a little at a time until light and sticky, as this is what makes the patties so tender.

50 minScandinavianMeat
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Karpfen blauCarp poached in vinegar stock

In Franconia and Bavaria, Christmas Eve supper is often carp, and the old way is 'blau': the fish is poached in a sharp vinegar stock that turns its natural skin slime a striking slate blue. It is served with melted butter, freshly grated horseradish and boiled potatoes, and many families keep a carp scale in their wallet for good luck in the year ahead. Buy carp already killed and gutted by the fishmonger, and ask for it unscaled and handled as little as possible, or the blue colour won't appear. Chef's tip: never rinse or wipe the carp skin, because the slime is what turns blue.

60 minGermanFishGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Cappone ripienoStuffed Christmas capon

In Piedmont and Lombardy a capon (a large, tender cockerel) is the Christmas Day bird: some families poach it to make the broth for the agnolotti or tortellini and serve the meat after, while others roast it with a stuffing of bread, Parmesan, pork sausage and chestnuts. This is the roast version, with the stuffing cooked separately in a dish so the bird and stuffing each reach a safe temperature. A large free-range chicken or small turkey works if you can't find capon. Chef's tip: rest the capon for 30 minutes under foil after roasting; the juices settle and the breast stays moist when carved.

220 minItalianChicken
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Morue en raïtoSalt cod in tomato sauce

In Provence the gros souper on Christmas Eve is a lean but festive meal eaten before midnight Mass, with seven meatless dishes for the seven sorrows of Mary, and salt cod en raïto is often the centrepiece. Pieces of soaked cod are fried, then simmered in raïto, a dark sauce of tomato, onion, garlic, black olives and capers that is traditionally cooked with red wine. Here the wine is optional: use vegetable stock with a spoon of red wine vinegar for an alcohol-free sauce. Serve with boiled potatoes or crusty bread. Chef's tip: soak the salt cod in the fridge for 36 hours, changing the water often, and taste a flake before cooking; it should be pleasantly seasoned, not salty.

90 minFrenchFish
by KrazyBadal 0 views

JuleribbeRoast pork belly with crackling

In much of Norway, Christmas Eve means ribbe: a slab of pork belly with the ribs left in, roasted until the scored rind puffs into crackling and the meat beneath is soft and juicy. It is served with medisterkaker, tangy caraway sauerkraut, red cabbage, boiled potatoes and gravy from the pan. Butchers sell ribbe ready scored in squares at Christmas. Chef's tip: salt the rind and leave it uncovered in the fridge for 1–2 days; a dry rind is the secret of the crackling.

230 minScandinavianMeatGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

MaksalaatikkoLiver and rice casserole

Maksalaatikko is a baked casserole of rice, milk, minced liver, onion, raisins and a little syrup, and it is one of the old dishes on the Finnish Christmas table, eaten all year too. It sounds unusual, but the liver softens into a mild, savoury custard and the raisins and syrup give a gentle sweetness, all cut by sharp lingonberry jam. This version uses pork or calf's liver, minced or very finely chopped; pork liver is the most traditional. Chef's tip: soak the minced liver in milk while the rice cooks, which mellows the flavour.

100 minScandinavianMeat
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Goan milk creamMilk and cashew sweet

Milk cream is a pale, fudgy Goan Christmas sweet, set in pretty little moulds of flowers, stars and Christmas trees and laid on the kuswar platter beside neureos, bebinca and kulkuls. Whole milk is cooked down with sugar and ground cashews (and sometimes semolina) until it turns into a smooth paste, a little like Indian peda but softer. It is gluten free and very rich, so pieces are small. Chef's tip: dust the moulds with sugar, not flour, so the sweets pop out cleanly with crisp detail.

90 minIndianIndian SweetsGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

AchappamFried rose cookies

Achappam, the rose cookie, is a Christmas staple in Kerala's Syrian Christian and Latin Catholic homes, fried in big batches in December and offered to neighbours of every faith. A thin batter of rice flour, egg, coconut milk and sugar, scented with sesame or cumin, clings to a flower-shaped iron, which is dipped into hot oil until the lacy rose drops off. They keep for weeks in an airtight tin. You need an achappam (rosette) mould. Chef's tip: heat the mould in the oil each time; if the batter slides off, the mould is too cool, and if it won't release, it's too hot.

60 minIndianSnacks & StartersGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

PaimeSteamed cornmeal and pumpkin parcels

Paime (or pime) is a Trinidad and Tobago Christmas sweet, a cousin of the Venezuelan hallaca brought by the parang tradition, when singers go from house to house at Christmas and are fed at every stop. Cornmeal, grated pumpkin and fresh coconut are mixed with sugar, butter, raisins and warm spices, wrapped in banana leaves and steamed until firm. Paime are eaten warm or cold, and keep for days in the fridge. Chef's tip: soften the banana leaves over a flame or in hot water first, so they fold without splitting.

100 minTrinidadianDessertsGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Aachener Printen (Aachen spiced gingerbread slabs)

The bakeries of Aachen have made Printen for centuries, and from late autumn through Christmas the city's shop windows fill with these narrow brown slabs. Unlike soft German Lebkuchen they are firm and snappy, sweetened with dark sugar-beet syrup and studded with little crunchy bits of rock sugar, and they carry a big blend of spices: cinnamon, aniseed, coriander, cloves, cardamom and allspice. The dough rests overnight to develop flavour, then is raised with potash, which gives the dense, crisp texture. Dunk them in coffee or tea, or serve with baked apples. Printen never contained egg: the thick beet syrup is both sweetener and binder, gluing the flour into a stiff dough that sets hard in the oven. Chef's tip: let the syrup cool to lukewarm before mixing in the flour; the common mistake is adding it hot, which starts cooking the flour and gives a tough, rubbery dough.

1465 minGermanBakingVegan
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Hutzelbrot (Swabian dried-pear Christmas loaf)

In Swabia and Franconia, Hutzelbrot is baked in early December and sliced through Advent and Christmas, traditionally on St Thomas's Day, 21 December. Hutzeln are dried pears, and they are the heart of the loaf: soaked overnight and simmered, then mixed with figs, prunes, raisins, hazelnuts, walnuts and candied peel, bound with only enough spiced yeast dough to hold everything together. The result is dark, moist and dense, closer to fruit than to bread, fragrant with cinnamon, aniseed and cloves. Slice it thin and eat it plain, spread with butter or a nut butter, with coffee or a hot fruit tea. The loaf is naturally egg-free: the yeast dough, made with the sweet pear soaking water, is the glue, and the sticky fruit holds it moist for weeks. Chef's tip: wrap the cooled loaves tightly and leave them for 3–4 days before slicing; the common mistake is cutting it on day one, when it crumbles and the flavours have not settled.

900 minGermanBakingVegan
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Bratapfel (German baked apples with almond paste)

Across Germany, Bratäpfel are the smell of Advent: on cold December afternoons and evenings tart apples go into the oven filled with marzipan, raisins and nuts, and come out puffed, split and bubbling. The skin wrinkles, the flesh turns to a soft, sweet-sour purée and the almond filling melts into the juices. Serve them hot in their dish with the pan juices spooned over, and a plant-based vanilla sauce or a spoon of cold cream if you are not keeping them vegan. Shop marzipan sometimes contains egg white, so here you make a quick egg-free almond paste from ground almonds, icing sugar and a few drops of water, which holds the filling together just as well. The raisins are soaked in apple juice instead of rum. Chef's tip: choose a firm, sharp baking apple and score a ring around its middle; the common mistake is using a sweet eating apple without scoring, which bursts and collapses before the core is tender.

45 minGermanDessertsVeganGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Crocette di fichi (Calabrian baked fig crosses)Almond-stuffed fig crosses

Around Cosenza in northern Calabria the late-summer fig crop is dried in the sun, and the best figs are kept for crocette: two figs split open, laid across each other, filled with a toasted almond and a few fennel seeds, then baked until they darken and caramelise. They come out at Christmas, often stored in tins between bay leaves, and are eaten after dinner with nuts and mandarins. Expect a soft, jammy, chewy bite with crunch from the almond and the bright, slightly liquorice note of fennel. They go well with a cup of strong coffee or a little hard cheese. There is no egg and nothing added to bind them: in the oven the figs' own sugars soften and turn sticky, and as they cool they glue the cross together. Chef's tip: pull them out when they look shiny and just a shade darker; the common mistake is baking too long, which makes the figs hard and bitter.

55 minItalianDessertsVeganGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

VaniljekranseVanilla almond butter rings

No Danish Christmas tin is complete without vaniljekranse, the ridged rings of buttery vanilla dough with finely ground almonds that snap and then melt. Many homes in Denmark make dozens in December, traditionally pressing the dough through a mincer fitted with a star plate to make long ribbons, then curling them into wreaths; a piping bag with a large star nozzle does the same job. They are eaten with coffee, gløgg or a glass of cold milk, and are a favourite for children to help shape. Some recipes leave out the egg, and a spoonful of milk works just as well here. Chef's tip: chill the piped rings on the tray for 15 minutes before baking so the ridges stay sharp; dough that is too warm is the trap, because the rings spread and lose their pattern.

58 minScandinavianBaking
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Pan de PascuaSpiced Christmas fruit cake

From late November every Santiago bakery and supermarket stacks loaves of pan de Pascua, and families exchange them like Christmas cards. Despite the name ('Christmas bread') it is a cake: dense, dark and spiced with cinnamon, ginger and clove, crowded with raisins, candied fruit and walnuts, and often moistened with honey and manjar (dulce de leche). It goes with a glass of cola de mono, the Chilean Christmas drink of coffee and milk. The fruit is usually soaked in rum or pisco; here it soaks in orange juice, and the spirit is an option. Fruit that sinks into a sticky layer at the bottom is the usual complaint, so toss it in a spoonful of the flour first. Chef's tip: wrap the loaves in baking paper and keep them for 3–4 days before cutting; the spices mellow and the crumb gets moister.

110 minChileanBaking
by KrazyBadal 0 views

BethmännchenMarzipan almond balls

Frankfurt am Main claims these little domes as its own Christmas sweet, sold by the bag at the Römerberg Christmas market and in the city's cafés through Advent. The story goes that they were made for the banking family Bethmann, with four almonds for the four sons, and one was dropped when a son died; whatever the truth, they now carry three. The marzipan is mixed with a little rosewater and powdered sugar, then glazed with egg yolk so the tops bake golden while the inside stays soft. Serve them with tea or a mug of hot spiced apple juice. For an egg-free glaze, brush with a little cream or milk instead; the colour is paler but still pretty. Chef's tip: bake them on the middle shelf and watch from the 10-minute mark, because the almond tips scorch before the marzipan is golden if your oven runs hot.

39 minGermanBakingGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

HeidesandBrown butter slice-and-bake cookies

The name means 'heath sand', after the pale sandy soil of the Lüneburg Heath in Lower Saxony, and the texture lives up to it: these little rounds crumble the moment you bite. Browning the butter first gives them a nutty, toffee-ish flavour that plain shortbread lacks. German families bake them in Advent alongside Vanillekipferl and cinnamon stars, but they are just as good with afternoon coffee in any season. There is no egg in the dough, only butter, sugar, flour and a splash of milk, and the log is rolled in coarse sugar so every slice has a glittering edge. Chef's tip: let the browned butter set back to a soft, spreadable paste before you cream it; if you beat in butter that is still liquid, the dough turns greasy and the cookies flatten in the oven.

60 minGermanBaking
by KrazyBadal 0 views

MandelhörnchenMarzipan almond crescents

Look along the glass counter of almost any German bakery and you will find these: fat crescents of almond paste, crusted in toasted flaked almonds, with both horns dipped in dark chocolate. Inside they stay soft and chewy, almost like a macaroon, while the outside crunches. People buy one to eat with a coffee on the way home rather than keeping them for a festival, though they turn up on Christmas plates too. They need no flour, so they are naturally gluten free. Chef's tip: take them out when the almond flakes are golden but the crescents still feel soft; overbaking is the common mistake, and they set hard as they cool.

39 minGermanBakingGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Buko saladYoung coconut fruit salad

Buko salad is the dessert Filipino families bring to every birthday, christening and Christmas Noche Buena: strips of soft young coconut, mixed fruit, chewy nata de coco and sweet cream, chilled until icy cold. Children fish out the cherries first. It is quick to make the day before and is gluten free; it contains milk. Grapes in tinned fruit are already halved, but quarter any whole grapes lengthwise for younger children. Chef's tip: drain the fruit and nata de coco really well in a sieve for 15 minutes, or the salad turns watery overnight.

20 minFilipinoDessertsGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Nigerian fruit cake

No Lagos wedding or Christmas table feels complete without a dark, heavy fruit cake, often stacked in tiers and covered in icing, with slices wrapped in napkins for guests to take home. The crumb is dense and moist, coloured almost black with browning (burnt-sugar caramel), and packed with raisins, currants and cherries warmed by nutmeg and mixed spice. Many families soak the fruit for weeks in brandy, stout or red wine; this version plumps it in orange juice instead, with a spirit given only as an option. Serve thin slices with tea, or ice it for a celebration. Bake it hot and fast and you get the classic failure: a cracked, burnt crust over a raw, sunken middle, so keep the oven low. Chef's tip: wrap a double band of brown paper around the outside of the tin and tie it with string; it slows the edges so the middle catches up.

150 minNigerianBaking
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Kerala chicken stew

Easter morning in a Syrian Christian home in Kottayam or Thrissur means lacy appam and a pot of chicken ishtu, and the same stew is the classic breakfast in Kochi's old hotels: bone-in chicken and potatoes simmered in coconut milk with cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, ginger and green chilli until tender. It is creamy, fragrant and mild enough for children. A portion is about 390 kcal; skinless thighs and part-thin coconut milk keep it lighter than most. The mistake most people make is cooking the potatoes in the thick coconut milk from the start, so the milk splits by the time the chicken is done; cook in the thin milk and add the thick at the end. Chef's tip: fry a few slices of shallot in coconut oil and scatter them over just before serving; it adds a sweet, toasted edge.

50 minIndianChickenGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

MailänderliLemon butter cookies

Come December, almost every Swiss household bakes Mailänderli, the simplest and best-loved of the Weihnachtsguetzli: buttery, lemon-scented biscuits cut into stars, hearts and moons and painted with egg yolk so they bake to a deep shine. Children across German-speaking Switzerland help cut them out, and tins of them are swapped with neighbours and eaten all through Advent. Chef's tip: rest the dough in the fridge overnight, or for at least 2 hours; warm dough spreads and the shapes lose their sharp edges.

50 minSwissBaking
by KrazyBadal 0 views

TirggelHoney biscuits

Tirggel have been baked in Zurich since the Middle Ages and are still sold at the Christmas markets on the Bahnhofstrasse and the old-town bakeries: wafer-thin honey biscuits pressed into carved moulds of guild scenes, animals and town views, then baked with heat from the top only so the raised picture turns golden while the back stays pale. They are hard and meant to be broken into pieces and let melt on the tongue. Wooden or silicone springerle moulds work at home. Chef's tip: bake them under the top heat only, or on the highest shelf with a tray below; full heat browns the whole biscuit and the picture disappears.

60 minSwissBaking
by KrazyBadal 0 views

AnisbrötliAnise cookies

Anisbrötli and their claw-shaped cousins Chräbeli are among the oldest Swiss Christmas biscuits, baked in Basel, Aargau and Zurich from Advent onwards and packed into tins beside Mailänderli and Brunsli. The egg and sugar dough is pressed into springerle moulds or cut into shapes, then left to dry overnight, so in the oven the bottom puffs up into a little 'foot' while the top stays white and smooth. Inside they are chewy and fragrant with anise. Chef's tip: beat the eggs and sugar for the full 10 minutes; under-whipped batter gives flat cookies with no foot.

60 minSwissBaking
by KrazyBadal 0 views

TsokolateThick hot chocolate

Discs of pure roasted cacao called tablea, pressed by hand in Batangas and Cebu, melt into the thick, slightly gritty tsokolate that Filipinos drink on Christmas mornings with puto bumbong or bibingka. It is whisked in a tall pot with a wooden batidor rolled between the palms until it foams, and it tastes deep, bitter-sweet and earthy rather than milky. A little milk softens it; many families drink it with water only. Chef's tip: keep the heat low once the tablea melts; boiling cacao hard makes it scorch and taste burnt.

17 minFilipinoDrinksGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Relyenong bangusStuffed milkfish

Stuffed milkfish is a party piece in Tagalog homes for Christmas Eve and big fiestas. The cook loosens the skin of a whole bangus and pushes out the flesh in one piece, picks out the many fine bones, sautés the flesh with onion, tomato, carrot, peas and raisins, binds it with egg and packs it back into the skin, so it looks like a whole fish again. It is then fried until golden and sliced crossways, with banana ketchup on the side. Chef's tip: work slowly when separating the skin and use the back of a spoon, not a knife; one tear and the stuffing leaks out in the pan.

110 minFilipinoFish
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Puto bumbongPurple sticky rice tubes

During the nine dawn masses of Simbang Gabi, from 16 to 24 December, vendors outside churches across Luzon steam puto bumbong in bamboo tubes over hissing kettles. The violet logs of ground purple and white glutinous rice are slid onto banana leaf, slathered with butter or margarine and showered with muscovado sugar and grated coconut, then eaten warm in the cold morning air. At home, small heatproof moulds or rolls of banana leaf stand in for the bamboo. Chef's tip: the ground rice must feel like damp sand, not batter; wet dough steams into a heavy paste instead of a loose, fluffy log.

60 minFilipinoDessertsGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Kue putri saljuSnowball crescent cookies

'Snow princess' cookies are a Lebaran favourite in every Indonesian city, set out in jars for the stream of visiting relatives during the first days of Syawal. Little crescents of buttery, nutty shortbread made with ground cashews melt the moment you bite them, under a thick snowy coat of icing sugar. Children love helping to roll the crescents. Chef's tip: dust them twice, once while warm so a thin layer melts on and once when cold for the snowy finish; dusting only hot cookies leaves them patchy and damp.

55 minIndonesianBaking
by KrazyBadal 0 views

EmbutidoSteamed pork roll

Foil-wrapped logs of embutido are steamed days ahead of Noche Buena in kitchens all over the Philippines, then sliced cold or fried for the Christmas Eve spread. The roll is made from minced pork bound with egg and breadcrumbs and studded with carrot, sweet pickle relish and raisins, with boiled egg running through the middle so each slice shows a yellow-and-white centre. Serve with banana ketchup and rice, or in pandesal. Chef's tip: roll the foil tightly and twist the ends like a sweet; a loose wrap lets steam in and the roll comes out soggy and crumbly.

90 minFilipinoMeat
by KrazyBadal 0 views

MorconStuffed beef roll

Morcon is a fiesta and Christmas centrepiece from Spanish-era kitchens in Pampanga and Batangas: a thin sheet of beef wrapped around strips of sausage, carrot, pickle and boiled egg, tied up, browned and braised slowly in tomato sauce until meltingly tender. Sliced, it shows a colourful mosaic, and the reduced sauce is spooned over steamed rice. It takes time but can be cooked a day ahead and reheated in its sauce. Chef's tip: pound the beef to an even thickness before rolling; thick patches tear the roll and stay tough while thin ones fall apart.

165 minFilipinoMeat
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Filipino fruit salad

Ask any Filipino family what Christmas tastes like and fruit salad will be near the top of the list: tinned fruit cocktail, chewy nata de coco, sugar-palm kaong and sometimes cubes of cheese, all folded into sweetened cream and chilled until icy. It is made a day ahead for Noche Buena and New Year's Eve and served straight from the coldest corner of the fridge. Chef's tip: drain the fruit really well, even overnight in a sieve; leftover syrup thins the cream into a watery puddle.

15 minFilipinoDessertsGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Kerala duck roast

Christmas morning in Kuttanad and Kottayam often begins after midnight Mass with palappam and a dark, glossy tharavu roast. Ducks are raised along the Kerala backwaters, and Syrian Christian families save this dish for feast days. Duck is a richer, firmer bird than chicken: here it is cut into curry pieces, marinated with pepper, turmeric and vinegar, pressure-cooked until tender, then roasted in coconut oil with masses of onion, ginger, garlic and green chilli, coriander and plenty of black pepper, before thick coconut milk softens the heat. Cook the duck right through until tender, and for safety until 74 °C in the thickest pieces. The finished roast should be thick and clinging rather than soupy. Serve with appam, idiyappam or crusty bread, with a vegetable stew on the side. Common mistake: leaving all the duck fat in; skim the rich fat off the cooking liquid or the roast turns greasy. Chef's tip: keep the skimmed duck fat in the fridge and use a spoonful to fry potatoes.

120 minIndianMeatGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Salpicão de frangoChicken salad

Salpicão is the cold dish that appears at every Brazilian Christmas and New Year table, from Rio apartments to family farms in Minas, and the leftovers are just as loved on 25 December in sandwiches. Poached shredded chicken is folded through grated carrot, diced green apple, celery, sweetcorn and raisins in a lime-sharpened mayonnaise, then piled high with batata palha, fine crisp potato sticks. Chef's tip: poach the chicken gently and let it cool in its broth so it stays juicy when shredded.

45 minBrazilianSaladsGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Ensalada de NochebuenaBeetroot and fruit salad

Late on 24 December, families in Mexico City and the central states gather for the cena de Nochebuena, and on the table, next to the romeritos and bacalao, sits this jewel-bright salad. Beetroot stains the crisp jícama pink, sweet oranges and apple balance its earthiness, and roasted peanuts and pomegranate seeds scatter over the top with a little lettuce underneath. It is fresh relief among rich Christmas dishes and children love the colour. Chef's tip: dress the beetroot separately and add it at the last minute, unless you want everything magenta.

25 minMexicanSaladsVeganGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

BacalhoadaBaked salt cod with potatoes

Brought by Portuguese settlers, bacalhoada has become the dish for Good Friday and Christmas in Brazilian homes, especially in São Paulo and Rio, where big Portuguese communities kept the tradition alive. Thick flakes of desalted cod are layered with sliced potatoes, onions, sweet peppers, tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs and black olives, drowned in good olive oil and baked until golden. Plan two days ahead for soaking the cod. Chef's tip: be generous with the olive oil, which is what turns the potatoes silky and carries all the flavour.

90 minBrazilianFishGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Arroz natalinoChristmas rice with raisins

On the night of 24 December, when Brazilian families sit down to the ceia de Natal close to midnight, a big bowl of festive rice sits beside the roast, golden with grated carrot and studded with raisins and toasted almonds. Some families in São Paulo and the South add diced tinned peaches, which divides the table every year. It is a plain garlicky white rice at heart, made special by the sweet and crunchy things folded in at the end. Chef's tip: add the raisins while the rice rests so they plump in the steam without turning soggy.

40 minBrazilianRice & GrainsVeganGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Bacalao navideñoSalt cod stew

Mexican families inherited bacalao from Spain, but the version on the Christmas Eve table in Mexico City, Guadalajara and Puebla has gone its own way. Instead of the Basque sauce of dried choricero peppers with whole cod pieces, the cod here is soaked, finely shredded and cooked down for an hour with a lot of fresh tomato, olive oil, almonds, green olives, capers and pickled güero chiles until thick enough to pile into bolillo rolls. It tastes even better the next day, which is when the leftover tortas are eaten. Chef's tip: soak the cod in the fridge for 36–48 hours, changing the water four times a day, and taste a flake before cooking; it should be pleasantly salty, not briny.

130 minMexicanFishGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Pierna adobadaAdobo roast pork leg

From Puebla to Monterrey, a dark red leg of pork comes out of the oven on 24 or 31 December, its adobo of ancho and guajillo chiles, garlic, vinegar and orange caramelised into a sticky crust. It is sliced at the table with apple salad and Christmas rice, and the leftovers fill tortas for days. This recipe uses a smaller boneless leg or shoulder joint of pork that fits a home oven; it marinates overnight in the fridge and roasts low and slow. Chef's tip: baste with the pan juices every half hour once the foil comes off, so the adobo glazes rather than burns.

300 minMexicanMeatGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Peru de NatalChristmas roast turkey

For many Brazilian families the ceia de Natal, eaten late on Christmas Eve, is built around a glossy roast turkey surrounded by farofa, rice and fruit. The bird is marinated for a day in garlic, onion, lime, herbs and dry white wine, then roasted slowly under foil so it stays moist. The marinade traditionally contains wine; for an alcohol-free version swap it for the same amount of unsweetened apple juice with 2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar. Chef's tip: trust a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh, not the clock or a pop-up timer.

240 minBrazilianChickenGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Tamales de rajas con quesoPoblano and cheese tamales

On the evening of 2 November, after the graveyard visit, many families in central Mexico sit down to a pot of steaming tamales, and rajas con queso is the meat-free favourite at every tamalera's stall. Soft, fluffy masa beaten with fat until it floats wraps a filling of charred poblano strips, a spoon of tomato salsa and a finger of melting cheese. Fresh Mexican cheeses such as queso Oaxaca or panela are often made with animal rennet; choose a vegetarian mozzarella-style cheese if that matters to you. The masa here uses vegetable shortening rather than lard. Chef's tip: test the beaten masa by dropping a pinch into cold water; when it floats, it is light enough.

150 minMexicanSnacks & StartersGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Ensalada de manzana navideñaCreamy apple salad

In homes from Monterrey to Guadalajara, a big bowl of creamy apple salad is chilling in the fridge on Christmas Eve, ready to sit alongside roast pork or turkey, and the kids usually go back for seconds as dessert. Crisp diced apple, juicy pineapple, celery for crunch, raisins and toasted pecans are folded into a sweet dressing of cream, condensed milk and a little soured cream. Many versions add marshmallows, but most contain gelatine, so they are left out here. Chef's tip: chill it for an hour before serving; the dressing thickens and the flavours marry.

20 minMexicanSaladsGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Lombo de porco assadoRoast pork loin

Brazilians like pork on the Réveillon table because a pig roots forward as it feeds, a sign of progress in the new year, while chicken and turkey scratch backwards. This boneless pork loin is soaked overnight in garlic, lime, orange and paprika, then roasted over potatoes and onions that drink up the juices. It is the centrepiece of many New Year's Eve dinners in São Paulo and Minas Gerais, sliced thin with farofa and rice. Chef's tip: take the pork out at 63 °C in the centre and let it rest; it stays juicy and slightly pink.

100 minBrazilianMeatGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

RomeritosSeepweed in mole

In Mexico City and the towns around it, Christmas Eve without romeritos is unthinkable: tender sprigs of seepweed (romerito) simmered in dark mole with little potatoes and cactus, crowned with fritters of dried shrimp and egg. It is eaten again at Lent, when meatless dishes rule. Find romeritos at Mexican grocers in December; samphire tips or tender spinach stems are the closest swap. A ready mole paste keeps this to an afternoon. For a vegetarian version, leave out the shrimp tortitas and use vegetable stock. Chef's tip: blanch the romeritos briefly and squeeze them well, or their bitterness and water flood the mole.

120 minMexicanCurries
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Ponche navideñoHot Christmas fruit punch

During the nine nights of posadas from 16 to 24 December, neighbours in central Mexico walk the streets singing for shelter, and the reward at the last door is a cup of steaming ponche ladled from a clay pot. Whole fruits, tejocotes, guavas, apple, prunes, sticks of sugarcane, simmer with hibiscus, cinnamon and piloncillo until the punch is fragrant and amber, and everyone fishes the soft fruit out with a spoon. This recipe is alcohol-free and good for all ages; some adults add a splash of rum to their own cup, but none is used here. Chef's tip: add the guavas late, as they collapse if cooked too long.

70 minMexicanDrinksVeganGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Tamales dulcesSweet tamales

Every tamal tray in Mexico City has a few pink ones tucked in among the green and red, and these sweet tamales are what children reach for first at December posadas and on 2 February, Día de la Candelaria. The masa is beaten with butter and sugar, tinted the colour of a sugared almond and studded with raisins, then steamed in husks until soft and cakey; they are eaten warm with atole or hot chocolate. This version uses butter and vegetable shortening, not lard. Chef's tip: add a few drops of colour at a time; the pink deepens as it steams.

115 minMexicanSnacks & StartersGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Marrons glacésCandied chestnuts

Marrons glacés are the luxurious Christmas sweet of the Ardèche and Privas, whole chestnuts candied slowly in vanilla syrup and finished with a thin sugar glaze, given as gifts in December and served with coffee after the Christmas meal. Home versions use cooked, peeled chestnuts, which saves the hardest work. The common mistake is stirring, which breaks the chestnuts. Chef's tip: wrap the chestnuts in muslin, or set them in a steamer basket, so you can lift them in and out of the syrup without touching them.

110 minFrenchDessertsVeganGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Insalata di rinforzoCauliflower and pickle salad

Insalata di rinforzo, the "reinforcement salad", is on every Neapolitan table from Christmas Eve to New Year. It is made in a big bowl and "reinforced" each day with more vegetables and pickles as it is eaten: boiled cauliflower, pickled peppers (papaccelle), giardiniera, black olives, capers and anchovies, dressed with olive oil and vinegar. It is served alongside the fried fish of the Vigilia. Chef's tip: boil the cauliflower until just tender, still with a little crunch; it soaks up the dressing better and won't fall apart over the days.

30 minItalianSaladsGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

MendiantsChocolate nut and fruit discs

Mendiants are little discs of chocolate topped with an almond, a hazelnut, a raisin and a dried fig, the four "beggars" of the Provençal Christmas, whose colours were said to match the robes of the four mendicant orders of monks; they are part of the thirteen desserts and a favourite home-made Christmas gift. The common mistake is letting the chocolate set before adding the toppings, so they fall off. Chef's tip: pipe only six discs at a time and top them straight away.

30 minFrenchDessertsGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Nougat glacéFrozen nougat parfait

Nougat glacé is the frozen dessert of Provence, inspired by the white nougat of Montélimar: an airy parfait of whipped cream and honey meringue, studded with caramelised almonds, pistachios and candied fruit, served in slices with a red berry sauce at summer dinners. It needs no ice-cream machine. The common mistake is folding in the cream too hard, so it freezes icy instead of light. Chef's tip: take it out of the freezer 10 minutes before slicing.

50 minFrenchDessertsGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Dinde aux marronsRoast turkey with chestnuts

Dinde aux marrons, roast turkey with chestnuts, is the Christmas Day dish of much of France, carried to the table at lunch on 25 December, often after oysters and smoked salmon. The bird is rubbed with butter, roasted with a gentle chestnut and onion garnish, and served with its pan juices. The stuffing is cooked separately here, which keeps it safe and the bird evenly cooked. The common mistake is roasting too long, which dries the breast. Chef's tip: the turkey is ready when the thickest part of the thigh reads 74 °C; rest it for 45 minutes under foil before carving.

240 minFrenchChickenGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Pompe à l'huileOlive oil orange flatbread

The pompe à l'huile is the centrepiece of the thirteen desserts of Christmas Eve in Provence, a flat, slashed sweet bread made with olive oil and scented with orange-blossom water. Tradition says it must be torn by hand, never cut, or you will be ruined in the year to come, and it is eaten after the gros souper on 24 December. The common mistake is using a harsh, peppery olive oil, which overpowers it. Chef's tip: use a mild, fruity olive oil and brush more over the warm loaf.

170 minFrenchBakingVegan
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Bûche de NoëlChocolate Christmas log

The bûche de Noël is the Christmas Eve and Christmas Day dessert in homes all over France, a rolled sponge filled and covered with chocolate cream and marked with a fork to look like the Yule log that families once burned through the holidays. This classic home version uses a light sponge, a chocolate ganache cream and a dusting of icing-sugar snow. The common mistake is letting the sponge cool flat, so it cracks when rolled. Chef's tip: roll it up in a clean tea towel while hot, then unroll to fill once cool; it remembers the shape.

57 minFrenchDesserts
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Nougat noirDark honey almond nougat

Nougat noir is the dark, crunchy sister of white nougat, made of just honey and almonds cooked until caramelised, and in Provence both are placed on the Christmas Eve table as part of the thirteen desserts, the white for purity and the black for the shadows. The common mistake is cooking it too far, so it tastes burnt and bitter. Chef's tip: stop as soon as the honey turns a deep amber and the almonds start to crackle.

30 minFrenchDessertsGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Nougat blancWhite honey nougat

White nougat is the most famous sweet of Montélimar in the Drôme, made with lavender honey, whisked egg white and plenty of almonds and pistachios, and it is one of the thirteen desserts on every Provençal Christmas Eve table. It needs a sugar thermometer, but no special skill. The common mistake is undercooking the syrup, so it never sets firm. Chef's tip: work quickly once the nuts are in, and press the nougat flat with an oiled sheet of baking paper.

50 minFrenchDessertsGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

RicciarelliSoft almond biscuits

Siena has been making ricciarelli since the Renaissance: soft, chewy almond biscuits in the shape of a diamond or a curved eye, with a crackled top covered in icing sugar. Sienese families buy them from the historic pasticcerie near the Campo at Christmas and serve them with a glass of Vin Santo after dinner, but they are eaten all winter with coffee. This recipe is naturally gluten free. Chef's tip: let the shaped biscuits dry at room temperature overnight before baking; a dry crust cracks beautifully in the oven while the inside stays soft.

35 minItalianBakingGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

MostaccioliSpiced chocolate biscuits

Neapolitan Christmas trays always include mostaccioli: soft, spiced biscuits shaped like diamonds and covered in a shiny coat of dark chocolate. The dough is flavoured with honey, cocoa, orange and pisto, a Neapolitan spice mix of cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, star anise and coriander. They are made in early December with roccocò and struffoli and kept in tins for the whole holiday. Not for babies under 1 because of the honey. Chef's tip: let the biscuits rest a day before coating; spiced honey biscuits soften and their flavour deepens after a night in the tin.

50 minItalianBaking
by KrazyBadal 0 views

StruffoliHoney fried dough balls

No Neapolitan Christmas is complete without a plate of struffoli: hundreds of tiny balls of dough, fried until golden, then rolled in warm honey with candied orange and coloured sprinkles and piled into a wreath or a cone. Families make them in the week before Christmas, often together around the kitchen table, and give them away to neighbours. They keep for days under a cloth and are eaten with fingers or a spoon. Chef's tip: roll the ropes of dough no thicker than your little finger and cut tiny pieces, about the size of a chickpea; they puff up as they fry.

90 minItalianDesserts
by KrazyBadal 0 views

CartellateFried honey pastry rosettes

In Bari and the towns of Puglia, cartellate are the Christmas sweet that families make together: thin ribbons of dough, pinched every few centimetres and rolled up into a rosette with lots of small pockets, fried, then dipped in warm vincotto, a dark, syrupy reduced grape must, or honey. The pockets fill with syrup, and they are sprinkled with cinnamon and coloured sprinkles. The dough traditionally includes a little white wine; this version gives a water and lemon option for an alcohol-free bake. Chef's tip: pinch the ribbon firmly every 3 cm before rolling; well-sealed pockets hold the syrup instead of flattening in the oil.

90 minItalianDesserts
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Buccellato sicilianoFig and nut pastry ring

In Palermo and western Sicily, buccellato is the great Christmas ring: a crumbly shortcrust wrapped around a dark, sticky filling of dried figs, raisins, almonds, walnuts, orange peel, chocolate and spices, often decorated with cuts along the top and coloured sprinkles. Families start the filling days ahead and bake several rings to give away. The filling traditionally includes a splash of Marsala; use orange juice for an alcohol-free version. Chef's tip: cut slits along the top of the ring before baking; they let steam out and show off the dark filling.

95 minItalianBaking
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Cappon magroLayered fish and vegetable salad

Cappon magro is the grand Christmas Eve centrepiece of Genoa, once eaten by rich families on the night of "lean" eating before Christmas. On a base of gallette (ship's biscuits) rubbed with garlic and soaked with vinegar, cooks build a tall dome of boiled vegetables and white fish, held together by a rich green sauce of parsley, capers, pine nuts, anchovies and egg yolks, then decorated with prawns and mussels. It takes a whole afternoon and is served cold. Chef's tip: dress each layer of vegetables with oil and vinegar separately as you build; it seasons the whole dome evenly instead of only the outside.

150 minItalianFish
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Capitone frittoFried eel

Capitone, the big female eel, is the star of Christmas Eve in Naples: families buy it at the markets in Porta Nolana or the Pignasecca on 23 December and fry it the next night as part of the meatless Vigilia dinner. Eels are said to represent the serpent of Eden, and eating them is said to bring luck for the year. Ask the fishmonger to kill, clean and cut the eel for you; at home you only need to cut, flour and fry. Chef's tip: marinate the eel pieces with vinegar and bay in the fridge for an hour; the acid tightens the skin and balances the rich, fatty flesh.

45 minItalianFish
by KrazyBadal 0 views

RoccocòHard almond spice rings

Roccocò are the hardest biscuits on the Neapolitan Christmas tray, ring-shaped and studded with whole almonds, scented with orange and pisto spice. The name is said to come from the curly French "rocaille" shape. They are baked in early December, and Neapolitans dunk them in sweet wine or milk, or break them carefully, because they are famously hard on teeth. Chef's tip: bake them twice as long as you think and leave them to dry overnight; roccocò are meant to be crunchy, and they soften pleasantly after a week in the tin.

50 minItalianBaking
by KrazyBadal 0 views

PeradGuava cheese

Goan grandmothers make perad when the guava trees are full in winter, and it sits in a tin on the dresser all through Christmas, cut into dark pink squares for the kuswar plate. The name and the method come from the Portuguese goiabada: ripe guavas are cooked, sieved, then boiled down with sugar and lime juice for the best part of an hour until the paste is thick, glossy and comes away from the pan in one mass. Set in a tray, it slices cleanly and tastes intensely of guava, sweet and slightly tart, with a chewy, jelly-like bite. Eat it on its own, with a piece of cheese, or on bread. The common mistake is stopping too early: it looks thick in the pan but stays soft and sticky once cool. Test a little on a cold plate; it should hold its shape and peel off cleanly. Chef's tip: choose fragrant pink-fleshed guavas and add a couple of slightly under-ripe ones; they carry more pectin and help it set.

95 minIndianIndian SweetsVeganGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Goan chana dal doceChana dal and coconut fudge

Doce de grão is one of the oldest sweets on the Goan Christmas kuswar platter, made in Catholic homes from Margao to Mapusa in the weeks before Christmas and also for weddings. Chana dal is boiled and ground with fresh coconut, then cooked with sugar in a wide pan, stirred constantly for the best part of an hour, until it turns into a thick, glossy dough that leaves the sides of the pan. Spread on a plate, cut into diamonds or pressed into small moulds, it is dense, fudgy and nutty, with a soft coconut flavour. Some families add a little ghee at the end for shine, and that makes it vegetarian rather than vegan. The usual mistake is taking it off the heat too soon: it stays sticky and never sets. Push a spoon through the middle; it is ready when the line holds and the mixture rolls into a ball. Chef's tip: grind the coconut and dal together while the dal is warm and without water; a wet paste takes twice as long to cook down.

90 minIndianIndian SweetsGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Goan cashew marzipan

Where Europe makes marzipan from almonds, Goa uses its own crop: cashews. Maçapão is a Portuguese legacy that Goan Catholic families make every December, pressing the cashew paste into rubber or plastic moulds of stars, flowers, fish and bells, tinted pink, green and yellow, for the Christmas kuswar tray. Ground cashews are cooked with sugar syrup and a little egg white (which gives it its smooth, pliable texture) until it leaves the pan, then kneaded, coloured and shaped. It tastes rich, sweet and buttery, softer and creamier than almond marzipan. Because of the egg white, it is vegetarian with egg rather than vegan. The common mistake is grinding the cashews too long, which releases their oil and gives a greasy, sticky paste; pulse them in short bursts. Chef's tip: when the mixture is ready, a small piece rolled between your fingers should feel like soft play dough and not stick; if it does, cook it a few minutes longer.

60 minIndianIndian SweetsGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

BolinhasSemolina and coconut cookies

Bolinhas (small balls in Portuguese) are the cookies Goan Catholic families bake in batches for the Christmas kuswar, the tins of sweets sent to friends and neighbours in Panjim and Salcete in mid-December. Fresh coconut is cooked briefly in a sugar syrup, mixed with semolina and left overnight so the grains soften, then bound with butter and egg yolks, shaped into small balls, marked with a fork or a cross and baked until golden. The texture is sandy and crumbly outside with a chewy coconut centre, and they smell of cardamom and browned butter. They contain egg yolk, so they are vegetarian with egg, not vegan. The common mistake is baking them the same day: unsoaked semolina stays gritty and the cookies spread. Chef's tip: shape with slightly damp hands and keep them small, about 3 cm; they puff a little and need room on the tray.

55 minIndianBaking
by KrazyBadal 0 views

KulkulsSugar-glazed dough curls

No Goan or Mangalorean Catholic Christmas kuswar (sweet platter) is complete without kulkuls, the tiny ridged shells that families sit round the table rolling for hours in the week before 25 December. A soft dough of flour, coconut milk, egg and butter is pinched into small balls, pressed and rolled over the back of a fork (or a clean comb) so each curls into a ribbed shell, then fried until crisp and tossed in a white sugar glaze. They are crunchy, lightly sweet and moreish, and they keep for weeks in a tin, which is why the kuswar is shared round the neighbourhood. These contain egg: vegetarian, not vegan. The mistake everyone makes once is rolling the dough too thick, which leaves them hard and doughy inside; each should be no thicker than a coin. Chef's tip: fry on a medium-low flame until just golden; kulkuls darken a little more once out of the oil and the glaze is meant to stay white.

75 minIndianIndian Sweets
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Frozen Christmas pudding

In the heat of an Australian December, many families swap the steamed pudding for a frozen one, ice cream packed with fruit, nuts and chocolate and set in a pudding basin so it still looks the part on the Christmas table in Brisbane or Perth. It is made days ahead and turned out just before serving. A common mistake is letting the ice cream melt too much while mixing, which makes it icy when refrozen; soften it only until stirrable. Chef's tip: soak the fruit in orange juice the night before so it stays soft when frozen.

30 minAustralianDesserts
by KrazyBadal 0 views

KusliSemolina-filled Diwali pastries

Kusli are the crimped half-moon pastries that fill tins in Chhattisgarhi homes before Diwali and Chhath, close cousins of the gujiya and karanji but filled with semolina roasted in ghee, dry coconut and sugar rather than mawa. They keep for a fortnight and are handed to visitors with thethri and khurmi. The common mistake is frying them in very hot oil; they blister and brown outside while the pastry stays raw within. Chef's tip: seal the edges with a dab of milk and a firm pinch-and-fold twist so not a crumb of filling leaks into the oil.

75 minIndianIndian Sweets
by KrazyBadal 0 views

NeureosCoconut and jaggery pastries

No Goan Catholic kuswar, the tray of Christmas sweets sent to neighbours, is complete without neureos, little crimped half-moons of crisp pastry stuffed with fresh coconut cooked down with jaggery, cardamom and a few raisins or cashews. Families gather in the week before Christmas to roll, fill and pinch them by the hundred, and they keep well in a tin until New Year. The common mistake is a wet filling: if the coconut mix is still moist when sealed the pastries burst in the oil, so cook it until it leaves the pan and cool it fully. Chef's tip: use a fluted pastry wheel to trim the edge after crimping, which gives the classic frilly finish and a tighter seal.

75 minIndianIndian Sweets
by KrazyBadal 0 views

White ChristmasPuffed rice and coconut slice

White Christmas is an Australian Christmas tradition from the days when a hot December made baking a misery, a no-bake slice of puffed rice, dried fruit, glacé cherries and coconut set in white chocolate or coconut fat. It is cut into squares and kept in the fridge for drop-in visitors through the holidays. A common mistake is overheating the white chocolate, which seizes; melt it gently. Chef's tip: red and green glacé cherries make it look festive.

20 minAustralianDesserts
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Glazed Christmas ham

A whole glazed leg ham is the centrepiece of the Australian Christmas table, served cold with salads and mustard on a hot December day and eaten in sandwiches for a week after Boxing Day. It is a cured, smoked leg of pork, already cooked, that is scored, studded with cloves and baked with a sticky orange and honey glaze. A common mistake is cutting the rind off too roughly; ease it away with your fingers so the fat stays smooth. Chef's tip: store the leftover ham in a cotton ham bag soaked in water and vinegar in the fridge to keep it moist.

120 minAustralianMeatGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Bollito mistoMixed boiled meats

In Piedmont, bollito misto is the great winter feast, served from November to carnival in Turin trattorias and on family tables when there are many to feed. Several cuts of beef, a chicken and a cotechino (a soft, rich pork sausage) poach gently in one big pot until tender, then come to the table sliced on a warm platter with a sharp parsley and caper salsa verde; the broth is saved for soup or risotto the next day. The usual mistake is letting the pot boil hard: the meat turns stringy and the broth cloudy, so keep it at a bare shiver. Serve with boiled potatoes or mostarda if you like. Chef's tip: put the beef into water that is already boiling so its juices stay in the meat, and use cold water only if the broth matters more to you than the meat.

240 minItalianMeatGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Pan de jamónChristmas ham bread

Caracas bakeries start taking orders for pan de jamón in early December, and families set it on the Christmas table beside the hallacas: a soft, slightly sweet bread rolled around cooked ham and smoked bacon (both pork), green olives and raisins, glazed with panela syrup. Each slice shows a spiral of salty and sweet. The common mistake is rolling loosely, which leaves gaps in the spiral. Chef's tip: roll it as tightly as you can, pressing as you go, and seal the seam well before it proves.

170 minVenezuelanBaking
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Showing 96 of 228 recipes

Show more recipes

Page 5 of 10

More occasions