Do you know the story behind these popular Christmas treats?

Christmas means feasts, gifts, mulled wine, and sweets. Most of the
Christmas desserts that we know today as a part of the Yuletide tradition had
humble beginnings in antiquity. Often, these deserts started out with a neutral
or bland flavour before evolving into their rich, spiced, and candied versions.

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Here is the backstory of some of our favourite holiday sweets:

Gingerbread

There was a time when gingerbread baking was so specialised that only
professionals were allowed to make this tasty treat. In 17th century Germany
and France, only professionals were allowed to make gingerbread. These laws were
relaxed during Christmas and Easter, when anyone could make this
much-loved treat.

Queen Elizabeth I introduced the first gingerbread man when she
presented dignitaries with cookies baked in their likeness. The gingerbread
house emerged in Germany and became popular after the publication of the Brothers Grimm’ story
of Hansel and Gretel.

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Yule log

The dessert, also known as bûche de Noël, is a popular French
Christmas cake created to remind one of the Yule logs of European tradition.
Yule log, due to its slow-burning properties, would provide warmth to the home for
the 12 days preceding Christmas. The leftover wood was saved for the next year.
The roulade method is used to make the Yule log cake, with ends cut off and
used to make branches. 

The Yule log cake is said to have been first introduced in the
1600s and popularised by French bakers in the 19th century. 

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Christmas pudding

Placing a coin in a Christmas pudding is a 500-year-old  tradition.
It is believed that whoever finds the coin will gain wealth and success in the
coming year. Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria, brought over this
Christmas tradition to Britain. 

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A coin is placed in the pudding and every family member stirs the mix.
Whoever finds the coin in their piece of pudding on Christmas day is believed
to enjoy good luck and wealth in the year to come.