Improve your winter menu with these 4 European Christmas treats

As Europe enters Winter, many restaurants, bakeries and cafes start offering seasonal treats to welcome the start of the festive season.

During the festive season, these food establishments boost sales by selling traditional Christmas and New Year dishes. This trend is also supported by people looking for treats to keep warm during cold weather and to get them in the holiday spirit.

Many countries across Europe have traditional dishes prepared during Christmas time. In this blog post, we’ll explore four of Europe’s most popular festive treats and the professional equipment bakeries need to make them.

The Netherlands: Oliebollen

Oliebollen is a traditional Dutch treat often consumed during the winter holidays, particularly around New Year's Eve. These deep-fried dough balls are made from a simple batter that sometimes contains raisins or currants. After being fried until golden brown, they are usually dusted with powdered sugar. The outside of an oliebol is crispy and golden brown, while the inside is soft and fluffy.

Equipment needed to make oliebollen

Oliebollen are generally easy to make and prepare but still require specific appliances to ensure high-quality products.

Planetary mixer

Oliebollen are made from a basic batter formed into small balls and then deep fried. Professional kitchens can make the batter for oliebollen using a commercial planetary mixer. A planetary mixer’s power motor, variable speed settings and attachments make it ideal for mixing and combining various batters.

Planetary mixers ensure that all the ingredients are perfectly combined and provide consistent food preparation results. They often have large-capacity mixing bowls, ideal for kitchens producing many Christmas and New Year’s Eve snacks.

Stand mixer

Oliebollen often contains toppings and fillings such as custard, whipped cream and chocolate. For this, chefs can use commercial stand mixers to whip and mix ingredients like eggs and cream efficiently. The stainless steel whisk attachment helps aerate cream-based fillings and ensures a light and smooth texture.

Alternatively, establishments serving oliebollen can use a whipped cream machine for easy, ready-to-use whipped cream.

Deep fryer

The most important equipment needed to make these Dutch treats is a high-quality deep fryer. A reliable fryer will allow kitchens to easily control the temperature and cooking time, resulting in perfectly crispy oliebollen.

A fryer with a large enough capacity is beneficial for food trucks and mobile catering services that offer oliebollen at events like Christmas markets.

Italy: Panettone

Panettone is an Italian sweet and buttery cake typically decorated with candied orange peel and raisins. It is baked in a cylindrical shape and has a soft and fluffy texture with a golden crust. In Italy, panettone is traditionally eaten for breakfast or as an afternoon snack on Christmas day.

Equipment needed to make Panettone

Cake shops, bakeries and cafés that offer panettone require a few essential pieces of equipment to ensure the best results.

Dough mixer

Commercial kitchens that specialise in dough-based products like panettone often need a high-quality dough mixer. This is because the ingredients used in dough can be challenging to mix and require specific techniques to achieve the desired consistency and texture.

A dough mixer with a hook attachment is crucial for creating a traditional panettone's light and airy texture. The mixer also prevents the dough from being overworked by keeping it at the correct kneading speed, allowing bakeries to produce high-quality and consistent panettone loaves.

Bakery oven

Bakery ovens enable professional kitchens to produce high-quality baked goods. They work best in bakeries and cake shops, making them crucial equipment for panettone.

This type of oven is designed specifically for baking bread and other baked treats, providing consistent and even heat distribution. A bakery oven typically has multiple shelves or racks, allowing bakeries to bake multiple loaves of panettone cake at once.

Prep table

A prep table is where the dough for the panettone bread is shaped and decorated with dried fruit. The dough needs to be folded and shaped in a specific way to ensure it rises and bakes properly. Having a quality prep table makes this process quicker and easier. Prep tables are also typically made from stainless steel, making them easy to clean and sanitise.

Germany: Stollen

Stollen is a traditional German Christmas yeast bread. It is baked with dried fruits, candied citrus peel, nuts and spices and a thick roll of marzipan or almond paste through the middle. After baking, it’s rolled in melted butter. Once set, it’s dusted with a thick layer of powdered sugar, resembling the snowy German landscape.

Equipment needed to make Stollen cake

You can find Stollen in almost every bakery or shop during the festive season. Here are some appliances professional bakers can use to prepare the best Stollen.

Dough mixer

When kneading the dough for stollen, it’s crucial to develop the gluten to ensure it rises properly. Professional kitchens need a dough mixer with a dough hook attachment. This powerful tool ensures that the ingredients are thoroughly mixed and the dough is kneaded correctly, resulting in a soft and pliable texture.

Food processor

Stollen is traditionally served with a roll of marzipan in the middle. To make marzipan, almonds are ground with sugar until they form a paste. A high-quality food processor is needed to make this process easier. A food processor is the best tool for grinding almonds into a fine powder and combining them with other ingredients to create a smooth and spreadable filling.

Bakery oven

The ideal type of oven to bake Christmas stollen is a bakery oven. These ovens are designed specifically for baking bread and pastries, allowing for even and consistent heat distribution. This guarantees the stollen bakes evenly, resulting in a perfectly golden crust and moist interior.

France: Bûche de Noël (Yule log)

Bûche de Noël, also known as Yule log in English, is a traditional dessert originating in France. This holiday treat is usually served during Christmas and New Year's Eve celebrations. A bûche de Noël is a sponge cake roll filled with cream or buttercream and covered in chocolate frosting to resemble a log.

Equipment needed to make a bûche de Noël

Here are the essential tools bakeries and cafes need for making a bûche de Noël.

Stand mixer

A stand mixer makes mixing and kneading dough and batters much easier and more efficient. When making a bûche de Noël, chefs need to whip the eggs and sugar together until light and fluffy. This step is crucial in creating the light and airy texture that makes this cake so delicious. Using a stand mixer will save kitchens time and effort, making the process of creating a bûche de Noël much more efficient.

Combi steam oven

A combi steam oven is essential for creating professional-quality desserts. They usually have advanced features like steam injection and precise temperature control. This ensures that the outside of baked products is crispy while the inside remains tender and moist. Using combi steam ovens to make a bûche de Noël will result in a more evenly baked and risen cake.

Bain marie for melting chocolate

The best way to melt chocolate is by using a bain marie, which allows for temperature control and even heating. This ensures the chocolate is melted to the ideal consistency and won't burn or seize. A bain marie also makes it easier to keep the chocolate warm while chefs prepare other components.

Additionally, chefs can use a chocolate melter. These specialised appliances ensure your chocolate doesn’t burn and remains at the correct temperature.

No matter what type of bakery, café or patisserie you run, any business can benefit from keeping up with seasonal trends and expanding their menu.

All over Europe, bakeries and shops benefit from selling their traditional products as customers are inclined to purchase specific items during the festive season.

It’s important that businesses have the right commercial kitchen equipment to keep up with the high demand for specialty treats.

Ensure a successful peak season with Maxima’s professional Bakery & Café equipment!