Christmas is the best time to discover new dishes and share special moments with family and friends . In this sense, you can try these traditional Christmas dishes from France to learn a little more about its gastronomic culture.
Similarly, although these recipes are more common at Christmas, you can make them at any time of the year . Get to know 5 recipes for traditional French Christmas dishes that you should try!
Traditional Christmas dishes from France
Roast goose with orange glaze
Roast goose is one of the traditional Christmas dishes of France and other countries of the world for its pleasant taste . In addition, the way this French dish is prepared gives it a special and characteristic flavor of French cuisine.
Ingredients (8 servings)
- 1 goose of 4 to 5 kg (clean and without excess fat).
For the marinade
- 4 to 5.5 liters of cold water.
- 1 cup of salt.
- ½ cup of sugar.
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom.
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon.
- ½ bay leaf.
- ½ teaspoon of ground black pepper.
- A pinch of allspice (to taste)
For the frosting
- ½ cup of orange juice.
- 2/3 – ½ cup orange marmalade.
- ½ cup of dry white wine or champagne.
Preparation
- Place the cleaned goose in a large covered container .
- Place a cup of water, spices, sugar and salt in a saucepan, and heat until it dissolves as much as possible. Let cool and add the rest of the water.
- Pour the previous mixture over the goose . If not completely covered, add more room temperature water and refrigerate for 12-24 hours.
- Discard the marinade and pat the goose dry to remove as much of the liquid and fat as possible.
- Prick the turkey in different parts to air it out and place it in a preheated 190 ° C oven for 20 minutes.
- In a saucepan add all the glaze ingredients and heat over low heat for a few minutes.
- Remove the turkey from the oven, remove the fat, cover with a layer of the glaze and bake again at 160 ° C until tender and golden.
Potatoes au gratin, one of the most popular traditional French Christmas dishes
Gratin dauphinois potatoes or gratin are another traditional Christmas dishes from France, especially in the Dauphiné region. The special combination of all its ingredients make it a palatable dish that you should try.
Ingredients (6-8 servings)
- 1 kg of potatoes peeled and cut into cross slices.
- 5 cups of whole milk.
- 2 garlic cloves crushed.
- ½ cup heavy cream.
- ½ cup of cream or crema fraiche .
- 1 teaspoon salt.
- ½ teaspoon of ground black pepper.
- 2 teaspoons of butter or margarine.
- Nutmeg and Gruyere cheese to taste.
Preparation
- Place the potatoes, milk and garlic in a large pot and cook for 15 minutes until the potatoes are soft.
- Drain the milk and mix the potatoes with the cream, heavy cream, salt, pepper and nutmeg , and cook for 15 minutes.
- Place the potatoes delicately in a baking dish (previously buttered) and top with the remaining mixture and cheese.
- Bake at 150 ° C for 25 minutes or until the top layer is golden brown.
Macarons or almond cookies
Almond macarons are an important part of traditional French Christmas dishes due to their sweet taste and easy preparation . In this way, this variant of the famous and colorful French macarons will allow you to enjoy the food of this European country with your loved ones.
Ingredients (8 servings)
- 1 cup of cleaned and blanched almonds (without the outer part).
- 1 cup of granulated sugar.
- 2 egg whites previously beaten.
- ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract or essence.
- 2 tablespoons powdered or confectionery sugar.
Preparation
- Place the almonds, sugar (granulated), egg whites and vanilla essence in a food processor .
- Blend the ingredients until they have a smooth , creamy consistency and a creamy appearance. Let it rest for 15 minutes.
- Divide the mixture into eight equal portions and place on a previously greased pan covered with parchment paper. You can use molds to give it an attractive appearance. Let it rest again for another 15 minutes.
- Bake the macaroni in a preheated 200 ° C oven for 12 minutes.
- Let cool to room temperature and sprinkle with confectionery or powdered sugar.
Chocolate log, one of the best traditional Christmas dishes in France
This chocolate cake recipe is one of France's traditional Christmas dishes best known for its attractive finish . In addition, due to the combination of its ingredients, it has a sweet and exquisite flavor that will help you enjoy a special moment with your loved ones.
Ingredients (7-14 servings)
For the cake
- 4 large eggs.
- 2 cups of sugar.
- 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract or essence.
- ½ teaspoons of salt.
- 1 cup of wheat flour.
For the topping cream
- 7 egg whites.
- 1 and a half cups of granulated sugar.
- 3 cups of water
- 170 grams of previously melted unsweetened chocolate.
- ½ teaspoon of instant espresso powder.
- 1 and a half cups of unsalted butter.
- Sugar and cocoa powder to taste (optional).
Preparation of the cake
- Place the eggs in a bowl and beat them until they are foamy.
- Add the sugar, vanilla essence and salt , and continue beating for 3 minutes.
- Gradually add the flour and continue beating until it is all added.
- Pour the mixture into a previously greased rectangular cake pan covered with a parchment paper. It should form a thin layer about 1 cm thick or high.
- Place the mold with the mixture in an oven previously heated to 200 ° C for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Flip the cake so that it cooks evenly and remove when it is golden.
- Let it rest for a few minutes and mark a line at one end at a distance of 2 cm, but without cutting.
- Cover with a towel and roll the cake gently to avoid breaking it. Let sit while the towel absorbs the grease and moisture.
Preparation of the topping cream
- Place the egg whites in a bowl and beat until thickened .
- Place the sugar in a pot with the water, cook until it thickens and add to the previous mixture.
- Incorporate the rest of the ingredients while beating and let it rest until it thickens. The butter should be added last.
Decor
- Unroll the cake and cover the top with an even layer of the topping cream .
- Roll the cake again and cut off any excess edges.
- Make a diagonal cut dividing the cake into 2 parts and cover the outer part with the cream giving the appearance of a tree.
Spinach Soufflé
This is another of the traditional Christmas dishes in France for its delicious taste and easy preparation . Also, it can be served as a dessert or an aperitif before main dishes at festivities.
Ingredients (6 servings)
- 5 tablespoons of butter.
- 3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
- 500 g of fresh spinach.
- 2 tablespoons of wheat flour.
- ½ tablespoon of salt.
- 1 cup of whole milk.
- 3 eggs.
- A little pepper and nutmeg to taste.
Preparation
- Butter a bowl or deep mold and sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese .
- Place the chopped spinach in a pot and cook it a little to dehydrate it.
- Add the rest of the butter to another pot and add the flour and salt while cooking over medium heat for 1 minute. You must constantly beat.
- Add the milk to the previous mixture and cook for 4 minutes.
- Add most of the spinach, pepper, and nutmeg and cook for 1 minute.
- In another bowl, beat the egg yolks with half a cup of spinach and heat slightly.
- Separately, beat the egg whites, combine all the mixtures and distribute them in the molds or containers.
- Bake for 30 minutes at 190 ° C.
