Just like any other nation celebrating Christmas, Canadian have their own favourite dishes they prefer to serve on this holiday. There is a variety of delightful desserts everyone should taste while visiting this country. Some of these dishes are actually available during the entire year, yet, tasting them in the time of the Christmas holiday makes these dishes even tastier.
Fruitcake
You have certainly heard about such a popular type of a dessert as a fruitcake. In fact, it is even somewhat notorious, as there are people who do not like it taste, so for some individuals it is a perfect present for the people one dislike. For that reason, there is even a special contest organised in the USA the idea of which is collecting the greatest number of recycled fruitcake which were regifted.
Even though this dessert has such a reputation, there are many fans of this dish as well. It is just a matter of whether you like pastry with dried fruits accompanied with pure sweetness.
A bit of the history of a fruitcake
The official history of a fruitcake starts in the UK, that is why it is particularly popular in the English-speaking part of Canada. The British traditional version of a fruitcake uses dried cherries, raisins and currents. The dried fruits have to be soaked in a sweet liquor such as sherry or brandy before being added to the cake. An alternative to liquors is orange juice. As you can imagine, the recipes for this dessert vary in different parts of the world. For instance, in the Bahamas, rum is used for soaking dried fruits whereas Australian enjoy this dish during the entire year and prefer serving it without any cream or butter.
Even though the Canadian version of a fruitcake comes from the UK, the very first recipe of this dessert originates in Rome. The Italian fruitcake was made of pine nuts, pomegranate seeds and honey which made the taste of the cake pretty distinct.
There is also a truly crazy fact about a fruitcake. Apparently, soaking its ingredients in liquor can preserve this dish pretty well. It is even believed that such fruitcake can be stored for years. That is why when researchers found a cake baked in 1878, there was a person eager to taste it.
The specific Canadian version of a fruitcake
Canadians call their dessert Christmas Cake preferring this name over a simple fruitcake. As it has been already mentioned, in this country a fruitcake resembles a typical British fruitcake, however, it is not typical for Canadians to soak the dried fruits in liquors. A popular way of serving this dessert is with almond icing, however, Canadians also like eating the fruitcake plain.
Butter tarts
Needless to say, butter tarts are one of the major dishes of Canada and the dessert is pretty popular during the entire year. Yet, it is also absolutely perfect for Christmas.
If you still do not know what butter tarts are made of, you should certainly try them this Christmas. As you can imagine the pastry used in tarts is made with a sufficient addition of butter. There is also brown butter and a mixture of pecans and raisins.
A bit about the history of butter tarts
Officially, it is believed the very first recipe of butter tarts was created in 1900 in Barrie which is located in Ontario. Still, there had already been a dessert known as Quebec’s Sugar Pie. This one was created in 1600s and presumably, its taste is very closed to the taste of butter tarts.
Candy Cane Ice Cream
As you have understood, both butter tarts and a fruitcake can not only be tasted while you are in Canada, but you can also take them as a gift from this country. Yet, there is also a very specific dessert which will be difficult to transport and which is actually very specific to the Christmas time. This is Candy Can Ice Cream which can be purchased only before Christmas.
You might find it strange that ice cream is popular as a Christmas treat especially in the country which is known for its cold winters. Well, this is exactly how it is with Canada and Candy Cane Ice Cream is a very special treat during the Christmas celebration.
While many people love having it separately, this ice cream is also a very popular additive to other desserts such as plum pudding, Yule Log, fruitcake. It is consumed even with a pumpkin pie.
Pay your attention that this ice cream is an exclusive product available in Loblaw’s supermarkets, however, you can come across it in some small ice cream parlours as well.