Regardless of culture or religion, food plays a central role in the way we all celebrate special occasions and holidays. Within our own culture, food can unite us, making us feel connected to one other. Today, we take a look at 10 creatively different desserts around the world that make their grand appearance during specific times of the year. Grounded in tradition, these unique desserts are always a welcome sight, as they're usually the perfect ending to a delicious meal or a reminder that we should always be celebrating the sweetest moments in life!
Spain: Rosca de Reyes
This oval shaped cake pastry is traditionally eaten on January 6 to
celebrate "Día de los Reyes" (or "Kings' Day"), which honors the arrival
of the three wise men. In addition to decorating the cake with dried or
candied fruits, one usually hides a trinket, a coin or a figurine of
Jesus Christ inside the bread to represent baby Jesus fleeing from King
Herod's plan to kill all the babies that could be the messiah. The lucky
person who finds the figurine is blessed and is said to enjoy good luck
in the year ahead. (Learn how to make this bread here.)Philippines: Bibingka
Typically enjoyed during the Christmas season, bibingka is a rice
cake from the Philippines that's made with rice flour, coconut milk,
sugar, eggs and baking powder. Traditionally, banana leaves line a
special clay pot where the mixture is poured into. Then, more banana
leaves are added on top and underneath to cover it as it's heated on hot
coals. The soft, spongy cake's toppings include butter, sugar, cheese
or coconut. The dessert's texture can either be spongy or sticky. During
the holiday season, bibingkas are usually enjoyed right after Midnight
Mass where they are sold outside of churches. (Try making this
mouth-watering dessert by checking out this recipe.)Australia: Pavlova
Widely recognized as a popular Australian dish, Pavlova is a light
and fluffy dessert similar to a meringue but different in that it has
cornflour in it, which results in a crisp and crunchy outer shell and a
soft marshmallow-like center. This cake is notorious for deflating if
exposed to cold air, so after it's cooked, it's left in the oven to
fully cool before the oven door is opened. It was named for the Russian
ballerina Anna Pavlova, who toured Australia and New Zealand in 1926.
Frequently served during celebratory and holiday meals, this dessert is
usually decorated with fresh fruit and whipped cream. (Make the
strawberry topped one, pictured above, by following this recipe.)Czech Republic: Kolache
Tucked away inside the middle of a sweet roll or pocket are fillings
like poppyseed, prune, pineapple, apple, and apricot. This is a kolache,
a pastry that holds a a dollop of fruit rimmed by a puffy pillow of
supple dough. An indigenous food of the Czech Republic, the kolache has
become quite popular in the United States as a semi-sweet alternative to
more sugary desserts. In the US, the fruit has often been swapped out
for sausages, cheese and even jalapenos. (Try out this raspberry white chocolate chip kolache recipe!)Turkey: Asure (aka Noah's Pudding)
Asure or Noah's Pudding is a delightful Turkish dessert that was
traditionally made to commemorate the ark's landing and to celebrate the
bond between families, friends and neighbors without regard to religion
or belief systems, but as an offering of peace and love. As the legend
goes, Noah and his animals were about to run out of food on the ark when
he mixed together whatever ingredients were left and cooked them all
together to feed his people. It's usually enjoyed during the first
significant holiday of the Muslim year, Muharrem, which takes place on
the tenth day of the first lunar month. On this day in history, Noah and
his family were able to leave the ark after the floodwaters receded.
This pudding is basically a mixture of grains, fruits and nuts. (Learn
how to make this a version of asure here.)India: Gulab Jamun
Gulab jamun is a popular Indian dessert made from deep fried dough
soaked in sugar syrup and flavored with cardamom seeds, saffron and
rosewater. It's enjoyed during important Indian festivals, marriages,
birthdays and Diwali (the Indian festival of light). The dough is made
mainly of milk and then rolled into a ball with some flour. It's a
delightful dessert for those who enjoy the texture of spongy foods. (The
recipe to this sweet dessert can be found here.)Korea: Tteok
Tteok (pronounced duk) are Korean rice cakes made with glutinous rice
flour. A favorite during celebrations, especially weddings and
birthdays, tteok has been a part of Korean culture dating back over
2,000 years, going back to the Three Kingdom’s Period. There are about
200 forms of rice cakes which vary in terms of size, shape and color,
however, there are only four basic methods of preparation - boiling,
steaming, pounding and frying. Korea has an actual Tteok Museum where
visitors can learn about the rich history and tradition of Korea's
favorite dessert. (Find out how to make this colorful rice cake here.)Germany: Lebkuchen
Also known as honey cake, lebkuchen is a traditional German baked
Christmas cookie that resembles gingerbread with main ingredients that
include honey, flour, sugar eggs and spices like cinnamon and ginger. It
was invented by Medieval monks in Franconia, Germany back in the 13the
century and can be traced back to the early days in Europe when sugar
was an expensive luxury, so honey was used as a sweetener. These chewy
cookies are the perfect holiday treat for the person who enjoys
something sweet and spicy. (Find a recipe for this German Christmas
cookie here.)Italy: Panforte
Similar to a Christmas fruitcake, panforte (which means "strong
bread") is a traditional Italian dessert that's packed with fruits and
nuts. Originating in Siena, Italy, this chewy cake is also made of sugar
which is dissolved in honey before all the nuts, fruits and spices get
mixed in together with flour. Wonderfully aromatic, this confection is
said to have been paid to monks and nuns of an Italian monastery as a
tax or tithe. (Find out how to make this delicious treat here.)France: Bûche de Noël
Bûche de Noël is a traditional dessert that originated in France
which is very popular during Christmastime. The cake resembles a log and
is cut off on one end so that it looks like it's been chopped off. To
mimic snow, powdered sugar is sprinkled on top and the cake is decorated
with branches, berries and mushrooms made out of meringue. The origins
of this dessert can be traced back to the ancient Celtic tradition of
celebrating the winter solstice. On the shortest day of the year, the
Celts would search for a large trunk and burn it as a symbol of the
rebirth of the sun. It is typically made of a yellow sponge cake that's
frosted and filled with chocolate buttercream. (Try making an elegant
version of the yule log by following this recipe found on Gourmet.)
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