I love listening to Kevin describe his childhood in Germany, especially his Christmas memories. His family’s holiday customs—the long afternoons spent wandering Christmas markets, visits from the Christkind, and keeping children from seeing the tree until the final moment—feel so different from my own traditions. They’re unique, charming and magical.
Now that we have our own home, we blend both of our traditions into something that fits us. I share my stories, he shares his, and together we create new memories.
One thing we both agree on is the importance of holiday treats in the house. Germany offers a wide array of Christmas confections—from Mandelspritzgebäck and Vanillekipferl to marzipan and Dominosteine. Many of these are naturally gluten-free and utterly delicious.
When Divya from Divya Yadava Magazine invited me to contribute recipes to her Winter 2012 issue, I thought it would be fun to showcase two favorites: one from my Canadian childhood and one from Kevin’s German upbringing.
I chose butter tarts for the Canadian side—a nostalgic favorite—and cinnamon stars for the German side. Kevin’s mom sends us cinnamon stars every year, so they feel like part of our holiday routine.
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- Crust:
- 1/3 cup coconut flour
- 1/4 cup almond flour
- 1 egg, at room temperature
- 3 tablespoons coconut nectar, honey or raw agave
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
- Pinch sea salt
- Filling:
- 1/4 cup coconut nectar, honey or raw agave
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
- 2 tablespoons full-fat coconut milk
- 3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup raisins
- Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C).
- In a medium bowl, combine coconut flour, almond flour, egg, coconut nectar, melted coconut oil and a pinch of sea salt. Mix until crumbly, about 1 minute with a hand or stand mixer.
- Press the dough evenly into the cups of a nonstick four-dish, 4-inch tartlet pan to form the crusts.
- Chill the pan in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling.
- Whisk together the filling ingredients: coconut nectar, egg, melted coconut oil, coconut milk and vanilla until smooth.
- Place raisins evenly into the four tart shells, then pour the filling over the raisins.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30–35 minutes, until the filling is set and the edges are golden. After the first 10 minutes in the oven, loosely cover the tartlet pan with foil to prevent over-browning around the edges.
- Remove from the oven and let the tarts rest for 30 minutes before serving.
- Serve with a light sprinkle of ground cinnamon, if desired.
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The cinnamon star recipe is available in Divya Yadava Magazine (Winter 2012, page 52).
What Christmas traditions do you and your loved ones share?