Modern Vespa

What typical Christmas sweets do you eat?

As far as I know we have no typical Christmas sweets.

Panettone and pandoro, I know both. Followed 3 year a course Italian (evening course) and in the last lesson before Christmas holiday we held a small Christmas party and both sweets were always present.

The traditional English Christmas pudding is one answer to this question. In the U.S., however, few actually make it. The "fruit cake" made commercially and available in stores is not nearly as good. The traditional sweets at Christmas in our house (and I think most American houses) are pies and cookies. Mince pies are traditional and making Christmas cookies together is a long standing practice in my family.

Had a slice of lemon panettone for the first time last night. It was fine, but certainly not my favorite. Give me a slice of pecan or mince p.i.e. any day.

Sorry, Attila.

I'm partial to dark chocolate peppermint bark and all its variations.

Easy Rocky Road.

350g semi sweet chocolate
280g small marshmallows
40g crushed nuts
50g butter
Quantities can be varied according to taste.

In a heat proof dish, place butter and choc. Cover. Cook in microwave medium heat 6 minutes. Stir till smooth. Add marshmallows and nuts. Stir well. Spread into greased and lined dish 20 x 20 cm. Cool.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocky_road_(dessert)

It's 11am. I've had a whole chocolate orange minus a couple of slices I grudgingly shared with the kids in the fleeting moments between them opening presents. Followed up with too many cinnamon rolls. I'm stuffed. There is a ham being cooked for reasons no stomach in the house can comprehend.

Today it's dark chocolate mint Tim Tams, a treat we found during a trip to Australia years ago. Mmm.

https://www.arnotts.com/products/tim-tam

https://www.thespruceeats.com/tim-tam-slam-an-australian-coffee-break-ritual-256234

You're welcome

Thank you very much! (We already ate them all)

pan de pascua and about six cola de monos.

I can't have them in the house.

Our house dutifully eats fruit mince pies at Christmas,
but my personal choice is our traditional South African milk tart.
The recipe is very similar to the Portugese pasteis de nata...
but made much bigger.

I see they are packaged in metric "baker's dozens"...

10+1 per packet !

Being a prime number it's logical that they aren't supposed to be shared.
Yes, Euclid forced me to eat the whole packet. It's not my fault.

As a child I was taught that the extra one was for the housekeeper to taste that the product was fresh and up to standard
without having less than the dozen left over to serve the host and guests.
Today it seems that this practice was more about bakers avoiding penalties for short weight per loaf under British laws.

My mother at 90 still loves making yeastbreads. This time of the year it's the German stollen, usually with a hickory nut filling. Still awesome.

Guessing she's made these the past 70+ years. She ought to be good at it with all the practice.

Panettone every Christmas in my house!

Very similar to the Italian "grandmother's cake".

Of course yes, in your case.
For those from NY and the surrounding area, I recommend the Cerasella pastry shop: +17184403488.

From Aldi...

Pandoro with chocolate, very good.

They also sell a Panettone with chocolate... Not too bad either for $6...

Panettone alla fruta, mio amico.

Every year for Christmas, without fail.

It started when I lived on the sunny Mediterranean coast, the tradition now continues at home in New Zealand. I get a light anxiety attack if I can't find one before Christmas in shops here, but always seem to be able to locate at least one.

Buon Natale!