John Myers
When the oven exudes the scent of typical Christmas spices, a festive atmosphere is created as if by magic. The aroma of cinnamon, aniseed, vanilla, nutmeg, cardamom, or cloves is deeply rooted in the collective memory and awakens Christmassy feelings.
Cinnamon, cloves & co.: Christmas spices
Some foods are almost a synonym for certain seasons and moods: Summer smells like fresh lemons and grilled sausages, for example. The intense scent of cinnamon, vanilla, or cloves stands for cozy winter days, a contemplative Advent season, and of course Christmas. Without the classic Christmas spices, not only would there be something missing in the Christmas pastries, but the atmosphere would only be half as nice. Gingerbread, speculoos, mulled wine: They all live from the aroma donors and spread the Christmas scents that are so important to us.
Christmas spices: These are the classics
But what are the Christmas spices that characterize cookies and Christmas cakes like Stollen in an incomparable way? Commonly used spices include:
- Cinnamon: Indian Ceylon cinnamon tastes delicately sweet, and Chinese cassia cinnamon is strongly aromatic. In stick form, tea can also be flavored and stirred with it.
- Cloves: The dried flowers have a spicy, slightly hot taste, which unfolds wonderfully in homemade mulled wine, among other things. Ground cloves can of course also be used for baking.
- Star anise and anise: The extremely decorative anise stars, with their liquorice-like, somewhat tart taste, go well with drinks such as punch, but also in hearty dishes. The unrelated anise has a very similar aroma and refines numerous pastry specialties.
- Vanilla: Whether as natural, fine Bourbon vanilla in stick form or as synthetic vanillin – the typical taste characterizes popular delicacies such as vanilla crescents like hardly any other
- Christmas spice.
- Nutmeg: The tart-sweet nutmeg gives Christmas baked goods a slightly nutty note and is also indispensable in savory dishes such as mashed potatoes.
- Cardamom: The green pods are related to ginger. The dark seeds inside unfold a sweet and spicy taste. Also, try a chai tea in which you simmer a whole cardamom pod.
- Allspice: The clove pepper combines a variety of typical Christmas aromas such as cloves, cinnamon, pepper, and nutmeg. This makes it versatile, for example for gingerbread and honey cake or savory dishes.
- Ginger: With its sharp, refreshing note, freshly grated or dried and ground, the ginger root really spices up Christmas cookies and dishes. The contrast with the sweet chocolate is particularly attractive: for example in our chocolate spice cake.
Make your own Christmas spices
It is not always practical and sensible to keep all Christmas spices in stock individually. A Christmas spice mixture that you can easily make yourself can help. Simply put together your favorite recipe, for example, a mixture of cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, aniseed, ginger, and cardamom for gingerbread. Fill this into a jar with a screw cap and keep it in a dry, light-protected place. Expectant mothers should be careful not to consume excessive amounts of Christmas spices during pregnancy. Cinnamon, for example, can trigger labor from around 300 grams.
