Easter desserts from around the world

LUTHO PASIYA lutho.pasiya@inl.co.za

As Easter approaches, preparation occurs. All over the world, people whip up sweet treats in celebration of this festive holiday.

Here is a glimpse of Easter around the globe.

It is not Easter without a traditional dessert! Picture: Pexels/Ksenia Chernaya

Hot cross buns

A popular Good Friday delicacy in the UK, Australia, South Africa and beyond, hot cross buns are sweet, fruit-filled dough balls decorated with a cross. Every baker fiddles with their signature spice blend, but you can expect cinnamon, cloves, orange zest and nutmeg.

Hot cross buns

Torrijas

In Spain, Easter is celebrated over torrijas, a sophisticated counterpart of French toast. Slices of day-old bread are soaked in milk (or wine, or sherry) that is infused with cinnamon and lemon rind before they are dunked in eggs and fried in plenty of oil. Locals serve the crispy, caramelised slices with a sprinkle of sugar or a cascade of earthysweet honey.

Neapolitan grain pie

A popular Italian dessert is the Neapolitan grain pie. This ricotta cake is flavoured with orange-flower water and sweet pastry cream. The cake requires pre-soaked grain, which you may be able to find canned at some Italian food shops.

Chałka

Chałka is a sweet, braided egg bread used in Sabbath and holiday rituals for Jews. It’s popular in Poland, where it is served all year round, but particularly at Christmas and Easter. It may or may not contain raisins, and any leftovers are usually eaten the next day as French toast or in a bread pudding with orange sauce.

Chałka

Paskha

Paskha is a rich, sweetened farmer’s cheese and derives its name from the Russian Orthodox Easter. It is served in Russian homes to officially end the meat- and dairy-free Lenten fast.

Tsoureki

During Easter, Greeks serve loaves of traditional bread called tsoureki. Tsoureki is normally spiced with mahleb, a sweet spice that is readily available in Greece. People who can’t find mahleb often substitute cinnamon. Tsoureki usually has a red Easter egg baked in the centre. In Greek Chalka culture, the eggs are dyed red to symbolise Christ’s blood and the egg is symbolic of His tomb.

Mona de Pasqua

In Spanish cities such as Barcelona and Valencia, Easter mona or mona de Pasqua is devoured on Easter Sunday surrounded by family. Historically, godparents would give decorative cake to their godchildren. The sweet treat ranges from super traditional (brioche topped with hard-boiled eggs) to wildly imaginative (cartoon character stuffed with crème brûlée), with pastry chefs constantly raising the bar year after year.

Coconut cake

In many southern states of the US, coconut cake is a staple on Easter Sunday. Sometimes, the icing is tinted in pastel colours, and sometimes the coconut is even dyed green to mimic the appearance of grass.

Coconut cake. Pictures: Pexels

Capirotada

We will conclude this journey around the world with the Capirotada, a traditional Easter dessert in Mexico, flavoured with spices and raisins, cloves and cheese. The ingredients have a symbolic meaning: for example, the cloves represent Christ’s cross, the cinnamon represents the sticks that were used to beat Christ.