Christmas is traditionally a time of overindulgence, and all of the delicious sweet treats on offer certainly play a part in that. But abstinence and self control is for the other eleven months of the year, right? If you simply can’t resist the advent calendar chocolate, the mince pies, the ginger bread and stollen, then you’re not alone. But Christmas is a time of giving too, right? Should you know someone who shares your love of the sweet stuff, then you’ll know it can make an excellent gift. Keep it interesting and original this year, with these; our 5 IDEAL sweet Christmas treats you’ve probably never heard of.
SMASH PUDS
Smash puds are hollow chocolate domes that contain a variety of sweets. Fear not; you won’t be negotiating an open flame to get to the sweet stuff, the sweet stuff within is often chocolate, too. Smaller smash puds can be decorated with icing and often have someone’s name on them, assuming it is only a few letters long (perfect for ‘mum’ or ‘dad’, we think). These classic candy treats are a great way to give someone a personalised gift that comes with an extra surprise, the contents of the pud.
A SMASH CUP
The smash cup is the smash pud on steroids. It’s the size of a drinking mug, and is typically filled with more sweet stuff than you can shake a large stick of rock at. Big enough for a decent message to be written in icing on the outside, they often carry season’s greetings in more generous prose than their younger pud sibling. Due to its capacity, the smash cup can hold a variety of treats in and of itself; treat it like a stocking full of delicious Christmas surprises for a truly festive feel!
CANDY TREES
Apologies for the title from across the pond, but if you’re looking for a unique chocolate gift idea this Christmas, we’d have to suggest a candy tree. Yep, those yanks sure take their ‘go big or go home’ mantra seriously. Fortunately, the candy tree consists of a supportive stalk planted in a solid base, and boy is it solid, and boy does it need that support. That stalk is held in place with little chocolate sweets or another type of candy. At the top of the tree is a bloom of candy, making it a real centrepiece sweet treat. Though it’s fun to eat this one all by yourself, it’s even better shared. The true spirit of Christmas, we think.
PORTUGUESE KING CAKE
Or Bolo Rei in Portuguese. If you’re up for indulgence without the chocolate, look no further than King Cake. Found in every home in the country over the Christmas period, it’s round with a large hole in the middle, resembling a crown (or massive doughnut). The batter is light and sweet, and the candied fruit, raisins and nuts adorn the cake like jewels. Boxed up and presented, with a sprinkling of icing sugar further enhances the Christmas feel; just delicious!
DANISH RISALAMANDE
Trust those Danes to truly encapsulate the Christmas spirit in sweet treat form. Channelling the festive colours of white, red and green, risalamande is essentially a vanilla rice pudding adorned with lashings of whipped cream, warm cherry sauce and toasted almonds. A little mint completes the festive colour triumvirate. So warm, nourishing and toasty, this is hygge in a bowl and we love it. A handmade one, gifted over the festive season, would simply make us swoon.