Travel the world with sweets. The story of the birth of Christmas sweets in four countries

Christmas brings with it a variety of sweets from around the world that are unique to this season. We will take you on a journey through four countries so that you can find your favorite treat. Our navigator is Sweets Nakano, a comedian who makes people happy with sweets.

Sweets Nakano

Born in Tokyo. After graduating from Waseda University, he decided to become a comedian. Having loved sweets since childhood, he taught himself about them, and is active as a one-of-a-kind sweets comedian, with his trademark pancake hat. He has tried over 10,000 different types of Japanese and Western sweets, and has appeared on TV shows such as "Hayashi Sensei's First Time Hearing" and "Meringue no Kimochi" with his solid knowledge. He is active in a wide range of fields, including planning events at Seibu Shibuya and launching products supervised by the government.

Welcome sweets!
This is Sweets Nakano, the sweets comedian!

During this season, I have more opportunities to see sweets from around the world, so it's exciting to go to a cake shop or bakery.

Many of the sweets we eat at Christmas have ancient origins, and the more we learn about them, the more intrigued we become about the path they have taken to get to where we are today.

There are many different kinds, so some people may have heard of them but never tried them, or may eat them without knowing which country they are from. We hope that this opportunity will help you become at least a little interested in other countries through these sweets.

This time, we will select sweets from four countries and explain the connection between Christmas and sweets, as well as their history. We will also introduce Japanese shops where you can actually enjoy these sweets, so please take this opportunity to visit them!

It is customary to eat a little bit of "Stollen" every day

Stollen is becoming more and more common in Japan. It is a traditional German pastry made by kneading dried fruits, nuts, marzipan, and other ingredients into the dough and baking it.

In the United States, as Christmas approaches, stollen is made not only by bakeries and confectionery shops, but also at home. Because stollen keeps well, it is customary to cut a little bit and eat it every day during the Advent period before Christmas.

You may be thinking, "Huh? Isn't the name "Stollen"?", but the correct German pronunciation is Stollen. More accurately, it is called "Christstollen." The "Christ" is included because the shape of the pure white stollen is modeled after the swaddling clothes worn at the time of Christ's birth. However, this name was only given to it after the 16th century, and the original stollen is said to have been eaten in the 14th century.

At the time, according to Catholic doctrine, dairy products such as butter and milk were prohibited during fasting, and the taste was very simple. It was so bland that a letter was sent to the Pope asking to use butter instead. Although it was refused at the time, the request was granted later, and an order was issued allowing the use of butter instead of oil, which became the prototype of the modern-day stollen.

Recommended shops for Stollen:
GARDEN HOUSE CRAFTS

"GARDEN HOUSE CRAFTS" is popular for its bread made with carefully selected wheat and homemade yeast. Bakery chef Takashi Suzuki has experience working at famous patisseries and first-class hotels, and is well-versed in both bread and sweets.

Chef Suzuki's new stollen is peach and violet flavored! I eat a variety of stollen every year, but this is the first time I've tried one with peaches. Peaches and violets are a combination that Chef Suzuki has always liked, and the scents of the ingredients are similar, so he thought they would go well together based on his experience as a pastry chef.

Dried fruits such as peaches and apricots are soaked in dry gin and violet liqueur and then kneaded into the dough. The balance of ingredients is carefully considered so that you can fully enjoy the peach when you eat it.

As you can see from the pink cross section, the dough is made with a puree of raspberries, blueberries, and violets, and is a unique treat. When you take a bite of the moist dough, you're enveloped in a sweet and refreshing aroma that goes perfectly with the fruity taste of the peach. It's not too sweet, has a light aftertaste, and is so easy to eat that you'll want to eat another slice! It's a one-of-a-kind stollen that is beautiful to look at, delicious to eat, and fragrant.

GARDEN HOUSE CRAFTS

▼Other sales outlets
Megan - bar&pâtisserie Tokyu Food Show store, GARDEN HOUSE CRAFTS Daikanyama store, GARDEN HOUSE Store CIAL Yokohama store, GARDEN HOUSE Kamakura store, GARDEN HOUSE Shinjuku store, GARDEN HOUSE Minatomirai store, GARDEN HOUSE Sogo Yokohama store

"Panettone" is made with great care and time

Panettone is a large, puffed, dome-shaped pastry. It is a traditional pastry said to have originated in Milan around the 15th century. It is said that the name "panettone" evolved from "pane di toni," which means "bread made by toni." It turns out that it was the name of a baker.

In Japan, it is strongly associated with Christmas, but in Italy, it is a common food that can be bought all year round. As Christmas approaches, you will see more and more of it, and it is also customary to give it as a gift to close friends.

However, making panettone is quite difficult. It requires natural yeast called panettone starter, which is difficult to handle, and the process of fermenting and resting the dough is repeated, which is very time-consuming. For this reason, although it was often baked at home in the past, most people now buy it from a store.

Locally, there is a wide variety of flavors, from the traditional panettone made with dried fruits such as raisins and orange peel to flavors that mix pistachio cream and chestnut glacé, and the lineup is surprisingly wide. There are also uniquely Italian ways to eat it, such as adding mascarpone cream or Marsala cream (a fortified wine made in Sicily, Italy), so why not try a variety of different options?

Recommended shops for panettone:
Palace Hotel Tokyo

"I want to perfect the essence of panettone." Bakery chef Toshiyuki Hoshi's strong desire led to the renovation of Il Panettone at the Palace Hotel Tokyo in 2021. Until now, the bakery has been made with an emphasis on enhancing the texture and aroma, but this year, the bread has a sponge-like melt-in-your-mouth texture and a more fragrant finish.

The dried fruits used are sultana raisins and orange peel, which are often used in classic panettone. By narrowing down the number of types from six to two, the fruity flavor is more pronounced.

The dough is made from a homemade panettone dough that has been brewed over the course of a year, blended with Harukirari wheat from Hokkaido. It was created with the image of slowly growing the dough, and by taking more time than ever before, they were able to accentuate the "matured feel." By infusing the dough with the aroma of a combination of cocoa butter, vanilla, orange zest, etc., they also added a flavor that is different from the aged feel. Along with the moist texture, the rich, full-bodied flavor that spreads in your mouth is so powerful that you'll be surprised at how powerful it is, and the pleasant aftertaste makes for a nice sweet treat!

It's delicious as is, but it's also great cut and toasted, so enjoy it in a variety of ways! This is a panettone that anyone who loves panettone should definitely try.

Palace Hotel Tokyo Pastry Shop "Sweets & Deli"

Mince pies are said to be Santa's favourite food

Mince pies are rarely seen in Japan, but in the UK they are a standard sweet that can be seen around town as Christmas approaches. They are said to be Santa's favorite treat, so some households prepare mince pies on Christmas Eve.

In Britain, a sweet filling made from dried fruits and nuts combined with spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg is called "mincemeat," and mince pies are made by wrapping this in puff pastry.

Many of them have stars or crosses on the surface, giving them a Christmas-like design. There are various theories, but one is that mince pies originated from a pie dish that was popular in the Middle East in the 13th century, which was brought back by European Crusaders when they returned from their expeditions. As this story makes clear, mince pies were originally savory pies. "Mince" means "minced meat," and in the early days they were also called mutton pies, which used lamb. "Mincemeat" is sweet, but the word "meat" is included because of this history.

It is said that in the past, the shape was not circular like today, but oval, resembling the cradle in which Jesus slept. Over time, the taste and appearance have changed, but now it has become an indispensable Christmas treat. I would like to try an authentic mince pie someday!

Best places to buy mince pies:
Swan and Lion

Swan & Lion is a British meat pie specialty store. The owner, Ian, is from the UK and was fascinated by the richness of Japanese food culture when he visited Japan for work. He opened the store in 2015 to bring the taste of authentic British meat pies and chutney to Japan. They also sell seasonal products, and their mince pies, which are on sale as Christmas approaches, have been a popular item since the store first opened.

The original mince pies are a bit heavy and dense, but Swan & Lion's mince pies have a smooth texture and are easy to eat. They are made with dried fruits and nuts such as raisins, currants, sultanas, cranberries, walnuts, and almonds, and are flavored with cloves and brandy.

Its main feature is that it uses homemade apple puree and marmalade, giving it a refreshing sweetness. The pie crust, made with plenty of butter, has a crispy cookie-like texture. When combined with the chunky fillings, it is very satisfying to eat, and the combination of the fragrant crust and the sweetness with spices makes for a great sweet treat!

Ian says that in addition to mince pies, Christmas pudding is also an essential Christmas dessert. Come and experience the British Christmas atmosphere at the Swan & Lion.

Swan and Lion

Pavlova, a Christmas sweet from the Southern Hemisphere

Pavlova is a meringue dessert popular in Australia and New Zealand. Its gorgeous appearance, made with cream and fruit, makes it even more popular at Christmas. To make it easy to make at home, supermarkets sell just the pavlova base, and there are even kits for making it yourself.

However, it is difficult to unravel the history, and I mentioned Australia and New Zealand at the beginning because there is still a debate between the two countries as to which country the pavlova originated in. These kinds of stories are always associated with sweets, and I always find them amusing to watch (laughs).

It is not clear which country it was born in, but it is said that its creation comes from a legendary Russian ballerina. In the 1920s, she toured Australia and New Zealand with her ballet company, and both countries made a cake in honor of her. This is said to be the origin of pavlova, and the name comes from her name, Anna Pavlova.

The light and delicate cake, with its pure white and dazzling appearance, is the perfect image of a ballerina. There are other theories, but I like this story, and I'm happy that it has become a sweet that has been loved for so long in both countries.

Recommended restaurants for Pavlova:
Bills

When it comes to restaurants where you can eat pavlova, you can't miss Bills. This restaurant originated in Sydney, Australia, and many people have tried their popular ricotta pancakes. Although the image of pancakes is strong, pavlova has been a staple dessert since the restaurant first opened, and it is a menu item that owner Bill Granger has a strong attachment to. When he was invited to a banquet by Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace, he served her a pavlova, which was so well received that he later received a letter of thanks.

The main feature of the meringue is that it is made with brown sugar. Bill likes the subtle caramel flavor of this, which gives it a soft, gentle color rather than pure white. The whipped meringue is baked with pistachios, so you can enjoy the crispy texture of the dough and the crunchy, fragrant taste of the nuts at the same time.

The cream is mixed with yogurt to give it a sour, refreshing taste. The meringue is quite sweet, while the cream is light, making it easy to eat, and the overall balance is just right for a sweet treat! The rose water adds a gorgeous fragrance, making for a very elegant finish. It has a luxurious feel, but also a homely, comforting taste, so it's recommended for those trying pavlova for the first time.

Bills

What did you think of these Christmas sweets from around the world?

This season is said to be the busiest time of the year for confectionery shops, and many people buy cakes every Christmas.

There are many other sweets around the world that have been loved for hundreds of years.

Just as "ohagi," a type of rice cake that has long been believed to ward off evil, is offered at the equinox, one of the joys of sweets is learning the stories behind traditional sweets unique to a country, such as how they came to be eaten and how they came to be.

Why not use this opportunity to try some different sweets this Christmas? And if it makes you want to visit those countries and try their authentic sweets someday, that will be a delight!