Trentino’s Christmas Dessert Menu
A round-up of traditional Christmas desserts to tempt and impress our guests
Christmas lunch and New Year’s Eve dinner: these are the perfect occasions to treat our taste buds and make an impression on our guests. Our tables brim with good food and well-wishing toasts, the decorations are thoughtfully displayed, the finest produce and the best traditional recipes at hand, but a festive meal is not complete without an indulgent dessert. Find your favourite here.
The saying goes “At Christmas, all roads lead home”. This is true also when it comes to what we bring to our table: traditional, family recipes are just the best, especially those handed down by our grandparents. Although, the flavours don’t have to be the same: why not try something new, maybe experiment with different combinations of wine & desserts?
We revisited some traditional dessert recipes, handed down from generation to generation, matching them to the best wines to enhance their flavours, please our palate and add a festive cheer to our tables.
Apple Strudel
Apple strudel made with apples from Val di Non, is - no doubt - the most traditional dessert in Trentino. It pairs well with Trentino Doc Moscato Rosa, sweet with a distinctive floral aroma.
Zelten
Zelten, Trentino’s quintessential Christmas dessert, is best served moist paired with a glass of mellow and spirituous Trentino Doc Vino Santo.
Brazedel
“Il Brazedel di Capodanno” is a soft doughnut- shaped cake dappled with raisins, not well known yet popular in some valleys as a gift to give to godchildren on the first day of the new year: dip it into a glass of Trentino Doc Moscato Giallo, refreshing, elegant with a zesty note.
Gingerbread cookies
A children’s favourite, Gingerbread cookies - spiced biscuits – enjoyed by adults too especially if complemented by a sip of the notoriously intense Trentino Grappa.
Fiemme Beer Cake
For those looking for something refreshing, less formal, perhaps an alternative flavour combination, we suggest Fiemme Beer Cake, a beer-infused cake. And of course, to wash it down, Trentino’s genuine craft beer- worth taking the time to savour each sip. Amongst the best labels: Lupinus di Fiemme, Black Mama di Rethia & Mendola di Sidrobirrificio Melchiori.
Saint Lucy’s Little Donkey
On the night between 12 and 13 December, Saint Lucy rides down many roads on her little donkey, with her faithful assistant Gastaldo by her side. The children of Trentino eagerly await her and celebrate her arrival with a type of soft, delicious brioche that’s perfect for eating at breakfast or snack time during the festive season. Serve theirs with milk from the mountain pastures or tasty fruit juice and savour yours with a nice, leisurely glass of sweet Trentino Moscato Rosé.
Christmas cheesecake
Cheesecake’s always a must in Trentino, including at Christmas time. The sweet smell of vanilla, mandarins, oranges, lemons and custard stirs the senses and the flavour makes you feel like you’re wrapped up warm at home after a great time out in the snow. Trentodoc extra dry sparkling wine from the mountains is the perfect pairing for this delightful dessert.
Buckwheat cake with red cranberry preserve
The red cranberries that you pick in the woods in summer can be made into delicious preserves and enjoyed in the winter, dusted with soft icing sugar. The crunchy almonds and invigorating buckwheat make this cake the ideal dessert for a day with family or friends that you never want to end. There’s no better way to complement it than with an amaro from Trentino.
Christmas-scented muffins
What’s the quintessential smell of Christmas? In Trentino’s valleys, cosy homes and villages adorned with sparkling lights, cinnamon is the queen of scents. Cardamom is the king, reigning alongside her with a bunch of cloves in his hand. Even people who don’t know their names instantly recognize the festive fragrance that fills the air when they’re used to make sweet seasonal treats. These muffins are perfect with mulled Trentino apple juice.
Christmas mousse with Rennet apples and persimmons
This simple but genuinely gourmet recipe is just the thing if you like to try exciting new desserts, even at Christmas time. Make plenty of it because young and old alike are bound to come back for seconds. Trentino grappa flavoured with mountain fruits or herbs makes the ideal match for the fragrant apples, delicious persimmons and refreshing ice cream.
