Les treize desserts de Noël

We’ve discussed French Christmas traditions in other blogs, but did you know that different regions of France have their own festive customs?

In Provence, for example, one of the most famous local traditions is known as ‘les treize desserts de Noël’, or the thirteen desserts of Christmas. This plentiful course is typically enjoyed after the Christmas dinner, eaten on Christmas Eve in France, and consists of an eclectic variety of sweet treats, fruits and pastries. And you'd better leave a lot of space in your stomach, as the 'treize desserts' is a lot of food, all served at once, with diners expected to sample at least a little of each item. Leftovers are common, however, and tradition dictates that the food should remain on the table until 27 December. Of course, tradition changes from household to household, and some families even have fourteen desserts instead of thirteen.

Why thirteen? As with many Christmas traditions, Les treize desserts de Noël have their origin in Christianity. Numerically, the desserts are meant to represent Jesus and his twelve apostles, although the desserts aren't individually representative of particular figures.

For instance, four of the desserts are known as les quatre mendiants, symbolising four different monastic orders. The Carmelites are represented by almonds, the Franciscans by dried figs, the Dominicans by raisins and the Augustinians by nuts, usually either walnuts or hazelnuts.

Related blogs:

• 14 things the French eat for Christmas
• How to celebrate Christmas in France

The other nine desserts can vary from city to city, or even from village to village. For example, in Marseille, navettes (orange blossom biscuits) and croquants (almond biscuits) are a staple of les treize desserts, while calissons are indispensable on a Christmas Eve in Aix (link to Aix blog). Generally speaking, however, the types of food you'll find in the thirteen desserts are all of a similar type. Here is a representative selection of what you might see on the Christmas dinner table, ranging from fresh fruits to tasty cakes:

• Les chocolats/Chocolates - these can be anything from truffles to chocolate-coated nuts or fruits
• Nougat blanc and nougat noir - two types of nougat considered essential to the treize desserts
  
• Casse-dents of Allauch - a biscuit similar to biscotti, and very tough to chew on - hence the name 'break teeth' in French
• Fruit Confit/Candied fruit- a good way to get the kids to eat fruit!
• Pâte de Coing/Quince paste - quince pâte is a popular spreadable food, typically paired with another item of the treize desserts, such as the calisson or the Pompe à l’Huile
• Pompe à l’Huile - perhaps the most celebrated item of the treize desserts, this loaf is made from olive oil and orange blossom water
• Raisins/Grapes - 'raisins' in French actually refers to fresh grapes. What we call 'raisins' in English are known as 'raisins secs' in French
• Prunes séchées/Dried plums - similar to dates, dried plums are another sweet fruit that won't go off, thanks to the lack of moisture
• Bugnes - bugnes are a kind of French doughnut, often made in a diamond shape
  
  

Watch Alexa try out Les treize desserts de Noël in this YouTube video.