At Christmas, things get really cooked up. While we in Austria and Germany tend to enjoy cookies, baked apples and stollen as dessert, in other countries it gets very elaborate and flavorful. Why Italians can't do without their "big bread" and for what reason they eat sweet mince in the UK, read here.

You might even find an inspiration or two for this year's Christmas dinner. Take a Christmas trip around the globe with us.

Panettone, Italy

A Christmas without panettone? For Italians, an impossibility. According to legend, the "big bread", as the dessert is also called, comes from the famous baker Antonio Cova, hence the Italian name "pane di tonio". The yeast cake is not only eaten at Christmas, it is also a popular dessert at the turn of the year or at Easter. Typical for the traditional Italian dish are the cylindrical shape, as well as sultanas, candied oranges and cedar essence.

Mince Pie, Great Britain

Even though mince literally means "minced meat", it doesn't mean meat for dessert in the UK. Rather, the "mince" consists of nuts and fruits. By the way, not only the British consume the pie for dessert, this is also a popular Christmas dish in Ireland. Fruits used include apples, candied oranges, raisins or other dried fruits. Nuts such as walnuts or almonds can also be used. The little cakes are best served warm and with icing sugar or sugar icing.

Buñuelos, Spain

The Spanish like it hearty! That's why they serve buñuelos at Christmas. They resemble doughnuts and are filled with something sweet or savoury. The mixture consists of a simple yeast dough, the unique taste is given by apples and figs, but also potatoes, cheese or even fish. The airy dough is formed into small balls and then deep-fried - if the filling is sweet, then a glaze is added on top. This dish is also eaten in many Latin American countries, Greece, Turkey and Morocco.

Blinis, Russia

If you've ever been to Russia, you've probably tried the delicious blinis there. Similar to pancakes and pancakes, the pastry can be eaten sweet or savory. The small, thick pancakes are part of various dishes in Russia and can be served with almost any course due to their versatility. For a traditional preparation, buckwheat flour and a specially made small pan are used to give the blinis their typical shape.

Basel treats, Switzerland

The Basler Leckerli originate, as is easy to see, from beautiful Switzerland. They are often compared to a classic gingerbread. But the luggage from Basel is a little harder and without decoration. The Leckerli are classically made from wheat flour, honey, candied fruits, hazelnuts and almonds, with fruits and nuts only very roughly chopped. Most of the time they are not eaten immediately, but stored for a while in a tin together with a piece of apple. Then they also become a little softer.

Picture Credit: Décio Guanabarino Silveira Guanabarino / Pixabay, Becky Wiggins / Pixabay, Ally J / Pixabay, fotosforyou / Pixabay, Asya Vlasova / Pexels