Recipe

 

Les Treize Desserts de Noël

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Thirteen desserts of Christmas are a tradition in Provence. They are enjoyed after le gros souper – the big supper. These thirteen desserts represent Jesus and his twelve apostles at the Last Supper. There must always be thirteen desserts, but the composition varies greatly from village to village. However, they will always be served at the same time, on the same table and each guest must have at least a small taste of each dessert. The food traditionally is set out on Christmas Eve and remains for three days until December 27th. This allows the family to nibble as they pass the table. 

Thirteen desserts sounds like gastronomic overload, but as you’ll see, they are actually very healthy. 

The Thirteen Desserts

The first four are “les quartre mendiants”. These four beggars represent monastic communities: walnuts or hazelnuts symbolizing the order of St Augustin, almonds for the Carmelites, raisins for the Dominicans, and dry figs for the Franciscans. And then there is fougasse or pompe à l’huile. This is an olive oil flatbread eaten with grape jam made during the last harvest season. The tradition is to break the bread into individual servings with the fingers, rather than cut the bread with a knife. This is said to protect your wealth from bankruptcy in the coming year. 
 

Two nougats are next. White symbolizes good (made with pine nuts, pistachio and hazelnuts) and black nougat for evil (made with caramelized honey cooked with almonds).

So that makes seven so far.  The rest can vary considerably according to the region, but they could include: 

• Dates (perhaps stuffed with marzipan) representing the foods of the region where Christ lived and died

• Dried plums from Brignoles

• Calisson d’aix en Provence – a marzipan-like candy made from almond paste and candied melon

• Quince fruit paste or jam

• Candied melons

• Casse-dents of Allauch – a biscuit

• Cumin and fennel seed biscuits

• Fried bugnes

• Pain d’epice

• Fruit tourtes

• Oreillettes – light thin waffles
   

And finally, a platter of fresh seasonal fruit usually counts as one dessert, and is always served. It can be a selection of oranges (a sign of wealth), apples, pears, Christmas melon, plums and grapes. What a treat!  However, for les enfants (children), there is a catch.  In some households, the children are not able to start eating until they’re able to name all thirteen desserts of Christmas on display.

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Oreillettes à l'abricot

Ingredients

For the crème pâtissière

• 1/2 cup (125 mL) milk

• 1 large egg

• 1 large egg yolk

• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature
  and cut into small pieces
   

For the pastries

• 2 x sheets frozen puff pastry
  (each of mine were 227g and 10x10-inches/ 25x25cm)

• 12 fresh apricots, halved
   

To assemble

• 1 large egg, lightly beaten for egg wash

• Pearl sugar
   

Directions

Make the crème pâtissière:

1. In a medium pot, bring the milk to a boil over medium-high heat (or you can do this in a microwave)

2. In the meantime, whisk the egg, yolk, sugar and cornstarch together in a separate medium pot.

3. Once the milk has just reached a boil, remove it from the heat and pour a couple of teaspoons of milk into the egg yolk mixture and whisk until combined. Whisk quickly so you don’t scramble the eggs.

4. Slowly pour in the rest of the hot milk, whisking constantly, and place this pot over medium-high heat.

5. Continue to whisk until the mixture starts to thicken and produce large, slow bubbles. This should take 3 to 5 minutes. It should be quite thick (it should coat the back of a wooden spoon). Remove the pot from the heat.

6. Transfer the mixture to a clean bowl and whisk gently to cool the mixture down slightly. Let it sit for a few minutes.
   Whisk in the vanilla and then the butter, a couple of pieces at a time, until completely incorporated.

7. Cover the crème pâtissière with plastic wrap, with the wrap touching the surface to prevent a skin forming, allow it to come to room temperature (you can use it in the recipe now or refrigerate until you are ready to use).
    

Assemble the pastries

1. Pre-heat the oven to 375˚F. Line two baking trays with parchment paper.

2. Unroll the thawed, but chilled, puff pastry sheets and cut each sheet into quarters. Place four pastry squares on each baking tray.

3. Place a heaping tablespoon's worth of the crème pâtissière in the middle of each pastry square and use the back of a spoon to spread this across the middle of the square, diagonally.

4. Place three apricot halves on top of the crème pâtissière.

5. Fold two opposite corners of the pastry in to meet over the top of the centre apricot.

6. Brush the bottom corner of the pastry with some eggwash and lay the other corner on top, pressing slightly so it sticks.

7. Brush the whole pastry (not the apricots) with eggwash and sprinkle with a little pearl sugar.

8. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the pastry is golden and puffed.

9. Remove from the oven, transfer the pastries to a wire cooling rack and allow to cool slightly. Brush the apricots with the warm jam/ jelly.

10. Serve warm or at room temperature. Best enjoyed the day they are made!