Christmas desserts connect Atlanta homes to homelands
For those who celebrate, Christmas desserts are a defining part of the holiday, deliciously bringing together time-honored traditions and memories. More than seasonal treats, they help mark the rhythm of the holiday and create a sense of continuity from generation to generation. For many, preparing familiar Christmas sweets is also a comforting way to celebrate cultural identity.
According to the Mayor’s Office of International and Immigrant Affairs, Atlanta has nearly 850,000 immigrant residents, about 14% of metro Atlanta’s total population, and nearly half are American citizens. A drive down Buford Highway, Peachtree Industrial in Duluth or a visit to Clarkston offer a visual reminder of the many different international communities that call Atlanta home. At these familiar Atlanta locales and many others, you can find restaurants offering dishes ranging from Korean barbecue, Ethiopian injera and Indian dosa to Nepalese curry and Mexican moles.
As a chef and former history major, it’s no surprise that I believe food and cultural traditions demonstrate how we define ourselves. And I feel that there is nothing that shows peace and cooperation like breaking bread with others. With this spirit of sharing in mind, I reached out to friends and colleagues who are both proud Atlanta residents and members of immigrant communities in the metro area for recipes that are part of their Christmas celebrations.
This collection of dessert recipes includes sugar-coated rabanadas, similar to French toast, from Brazil; creamy arroz con leche, a rice pudding, from Latin America; and boozy, moist, fruit-filled black cake from the Caribbean. It was necessary to adapt the servings for the Black Cake and Arroz con Leche, but I’ve made every effort not to transform the recipes so that they closely resemble the originals.
Sharing special customs and embracing our community is part of what makes the season truly merry and bright. In the true spirit of Christmas, these sweet desserts are guaranteed to fill your heart and belly.
RECIPES
This trio of Christmas desserts from around the world is an integral part of the holidays for many homes in Atlanta: Brazilian rabanadas are creamy on the inside and crunchy with cinnamon sugar on the outside, Latin American arroz con leche is sweet and rich, perfect for a celebration and boozy Caribbean black cake is perfect for festivities.
Rabanadas
This Brazilian French toast recipe is adapted from one shared by Silvia Riedel, an award-winning hospitality professional who lives in East Cobb.
Often, French toast is served at breakfast in the United States, but it is also part of the Brazilian holiday table. Brazil was colonized by the Portuguese and their cuisine has strong Portuguese influences, including Rabanadas. The dish is much sweeter, richer and heavier than a typical Brazilian breakfast and is enjoyed as a dessert.
- 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar, divided
- 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
- 1 ½ cups whole milk
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ¼ cup vegetable oil, for frying, plus more if needed
- 1 loaf day-old French bread, sliced 1-inch thick
- Mint sprigs, for serving
- Powdered sugar, whipped cream and seasonal fruit, for serving
- Combine ½ cup sugar and 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon in a rimmed, shallow dish.
- Combine milk, eggs, remaining 3 tablespoons sugar, remaining 1 teaspoon cinnamon and vanilla extract in a medium bowl. Whisk to combine.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Using tongs, dip the bread one slice at a time into the egg mixture to coat, a few seconds. Do not let the bread soak too long or it will become soggy. Shake off the excess, then place the bread directly into the hot oil.
- Repeat with the remaining bread slices, working in batches as needed to avoid crowding the pan.
- Cook until golden brown on both sides, flipping halfway through cooking, about 2 minutes.
- Using clean tongs, immediately transfer cooked bread slices to the cinnamon-sugar mixture and turn to coat, including the sides, then place on a warmed serving platter.
- Garnish rabanadas with mint. Serve immediately with powdered sugar, whipped cream and seasonal fruit.
Makes about 20 slices.
Per slice: 189 calories (percent of calories from fat, 24), 6 grams protein, 30 grams carbohydrates, 9 grams total sugars, 1 gram fiber, 5 grams total fat (1 gram saturated), 20 milligrams cholesterol, 269 milligrams sodium.
Arroz con Leche
This rich, intensely sweet and spiced rice pudding is a holiday favorite across Latin America. I adapted this version from a recipe I received from Juan Hormiga, the executive chef at Chicheria Mexican Kitchen, who said it was passed down to him from his grandmother, Ana Angel. Hormiga is a native of Bogota, Colombia, and he said some of his earliest memories revolved around helping his mother and grandmother cook meals for their family, including at Christmas.
- 4 cups whole milk, divided
- ½ cup medium-grain white rice, rinsed
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 2 whole cloves
- Pinch of fine sea salt
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
- Ground cinnamon, for serving
- Whipped cream, for serving
- Combine 3 ½ cups milk, rice, butter, cinnamon sticks, cloves and salt in a medium pot. Cook over medium-low heat, adjusting the heat as necessary and stirring constantly to prevent the rice from scorching, until the rice is soft, about 20 minutes. Remove and discard the cinnamon sticks and cloves.
- Combine the remaining ½ cup milk and egg yolk in a small bowl; whisk until smooth. Stirring constantly, slowly add the mixture to the rice until well-combined. Increase the heat to medium and bring to a gentle boil, about 2 minutes.
- Adjusting the heat as necessary to maintain a simmer, add the sweetened condensed milk and continue stirring until the rice mixture bubbles gently, about 2 minutes.
- Immediately pour rice mixture into a serving dish. Sprinkle ground cinnamon on top. Let cool to desired serving temperature. May be served warm or cold. Serve with whipped cream and additional ground cinnamon sprinkled on top.
- Store in a refrigerated, airtight container for up to 4 days.
Makes 3 cups.
Per 1/4-cup serving: 199 calories (percent of calories from fat, 32), 6 grams protein, 28 grams carbohydrates, 22 grams total sugars, trace fiber, 7 grams total fat (4 grams saturated), 37 milligrams cholesterol, 97 milligrams sodium.
Caribbean Black Cake
Two natives of Caribbean islands, Lloyd Prince of St. Croix in the US Virgin Islands and Nneka Bascus of Antigua, contributed family recipes that I married and adapted to create this version. It is called Black Cake due to its dark brown color, a result of the brown sugar and booze-soaked fruits. Many Black Cake recipes produce multiple cakes to share during the holidays. I scaled down their recipes to make a single cake, but after tasting it – and just how good it is – I know why the classic recipes make so many.
The dried fruits used in traditional Black Cake recipes are soaked anywhere between a week to a year or more in cherry brandy, fruit wine, cherry wine or dark rum. Then, once baked, the cake is brushed with alcohol, soaking up to several more months. This recipe adaptation uses less alcohol and takes less time. Heating the fruit in alcohol speeds up the soaking process to a more manageable 20-minute minimum.
You will need 2 oranges and 2 limes for this recipe. One of each will be zested (reserve the remaining fruit for another use). The others will be cut with their skins on for garnish.
- 7 ounces pitted prunes
- 7 ounces raisins
- 7 ounces currants
- 7 ounces dried cherries
- 1 cup cherry brandy, dark rum or apple juice
- ¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for coating the pan
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the pan
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Pinch ground cloves
- ¾ cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
- 3 large eggs
- Zest of 1 lime
- Zest of 1 orange
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 orange, thinly sliced in quarters, for serving
- 1 lime, thinly sliced in half-moons, for serving
- 1/4 cup maraschino cherries, halved, for serving, plus more if needed
- Prepare the fruit: Place the prunes, raisins, currants and dried cherries in a small bowl.
- Place the alcohol in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Be very careful not to expose the alcohol to a direct flame; it will combust.
- Pour the alcohol over the dried fruit and stir to combine. Cover the bowl with a plate or lid and set aside at room temperature to macerate, stirring occasionally, at least 20 minutes or up to 24 hours.
- Make the cake: Heat the oven to 250 degrees. Butter a 9-inch cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. Butter again, then add flour to coat. Shake to remove excess flour. Set aside.
- Combine 1 ½ cups flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, salt and cloves in a medium bowl. Whisk to combine. Set aside.
- Drain the soaked fruits over a bowl, reserving the liquid. Using a chef’s knife, chop the fruit into ½-inch pieces or smaller. Leave the fruit on the cutting board while you cream the butter.
- In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream 3/4 cup butter and brown sugar high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, making sure eggs are fully incorporated between each addition. Add lime zest, orange zest, vanilla extract and almond extract. Continue to blend until well-combined.
- With the mixer on low speed, add 1/3 of the flour mixture, mixing until the flour is fully incorporated. Add remaining flour in two batches, mixing until flour is fully incorporated after each addition. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of a bowl with a rubber spatula. With the mixer on low, add the reserved chopped fruit and mix until just combined. Do not overmix the added fruit.
- Pour batter into prepared cake pan, gently tap pan on the counter to release any air bubbles. Bake the cake for 45 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 200 degrees and bake for another 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer to a rack to cool in the pan, at least 1 hour.
- Invert the cake onto the rack, remove the pan, then flip the cake so it is top-side up. Brush with reserved fruit-soaking liquid.
- To serve, place cake on serving plate and decorate cake and plate with orange slices, lime slices and maraschino cherry halves.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Serves 16.
Per slice: 308 calories (percent of calories from fat, 31), 4 grams protein, 45 grams carbohydrates, 29 grams total sugars, 3 grams fiber, 10 grams total fat (6 grams saturated), 58 milligrams cholesterol, 117 milligrams sodium.
