While chocolate is a big part of Switzerland’s dessert scene, it’s definitely not the only sweet treat they have. In reality, Swiss chefs use just as much fruit in their desserts as they do chocolate. They also have a bread pudding that’s just incredible. In addition to being super scrumptious, Swiss desserts are also usually very lovely. Swiss chefs put a lot of work into making their desserts the highlight of any table. So if you’re looking for something that’s delicious and will wow the crowd with its gorgeous appearance, check out this list of my 10 favorite Swiss desserts.
1. Brunsli (Swiss Chocolate Cookies)
Although chocolate isn’t the only delectable dessert for which Swiss chefs are known, they cook with it a lot. As a result, several of these recipes will use chocolate. Brunsli, or Swiss chocolate cookies, are some of my favorite uses for chocolate. They’re thick, gluten-free, and have a texture similar to that of macaroons. You can make them using fewer than ten ingredients, and between the rich chocolatey taste and the additional orange zest flavor, you won’t know what hit you once you bite into one.
2. Swiss Pears and Chocolate
If you can open and drain a can of pears and melt chocolate, you can make this tasty Swiss dessert with practically no effort. It’s all about layering the ingredients. Start with your sliced pears, then add the whipped cream and the chocolate. If you like, you can even plop a maraschino cherry on top of each one.
3. Torta di Pane (Bread Pudding from Ticino)
This bread pudding takes over an hour to make, but it’s worth every second you spend on it because it’s almost unbelievably good. It’s dense, soft, and has plenty of complementary ingredients that taste truly phenomenal together, such as Dutch cocoa powder, lemon zest, raisins, nuts, and plenty of spices. Each bite is like a little taste of heaven on your tongue.
4. Spiced Cookies with Candied Citrus Peels and Almonds (Leckerli)
You can enjoy spiced cookies (leckerli) any time, but I prefer to make them around the holiday season because of all the aromatic spices and how they make my whole house smell while baking. These also look incredible – more like unique brownies than cookies. They have this gorgeous white glaze that resembles marble, and the insides are a lovely golden brown. There are so many spices in leckerli, which gives each one this complex, multi-layered taste. If you like cinnamon, nutmeg, and citrus flavors, you’ll love them.
5. Bündner Nusstorte
Also known as Swiss walnut cake or Swiss nut pastry, Bündner Nusstorte looks like a mixture between an old-school pie your grandma would make and a giant cookie. This particular recipe leans more towards the pie than the cookie, but if you use a different recipe, you may find yourself comparing it to an oversized golden Oreo when it’s done. Despite how it looks, the Bündner Nusstorte has a very specific taste. It’s somewhat mild for a dessert and delightfully nutty.
6. Carac
These traditional Swiss pastries are as stunning to look at as they are tasty to eat, and though they take about 45 minutes to prepare and another 30 to cook, they aren’t hard to make. Each one is a cute, layered pastry that starts with a crunchy crust that’ll remind you of a graham cracker pie crust. Then, what you can’t see from the outside is the decadent chocolate ganache layer in the middle. Finally, you’ll top each one with a sweet, sugary, bright green icing.
7. Swiss Cherry Pie
I love Swiss cherry pie because it’s so tart and tangy, but still sweet enough to enjoy for dessert. If you’re picturing a cherry cream cheese pie, don’t. This looks more like a hybrid between a tasty fruit clafoutis and a deep-dish pizza, only it’s full of cream and cherries instead of cheese and tomato sauce. And despite all the other ingredients – cream, butter, sugar, flour, etc. – each bite packs a powerful burst of cherry flavor.
8. Spitzbuben
Spitzbuben are actually most popular in Germany. In fact, most people call them German Christmas cookies. However, when the holiday season rolls around, the Swiss make these, too. Traditionally, spitzbuben are always shaped like stars with a smaller star cut out of the center to showcase the jam filling wedged between the two layers of almond shortcrust pastry. You can, however, use whatever cookie cutters you like. Just remember you’ll need two of them — one for the overall shape and one to cut a smaller shape from the center. You can also use your favorite jam or jelly, but you’ll want to choose something that’s slightly tart instead of overly sweet.
9. Apple Strudel
I adore apple strudel. It’s one of those desserts that I think I could eat every day forever and never grow tired of it. The dough is just so flaky and perfect, and the filling of apples, cinnamon, sugar, almonds, rum, lemon juice, and vanilla extract is one of the best fillings inside a dessert. Once you dust the top with powdered sugar, it’s game over for me. I will eat it until I make myself sick. That’s how much I love apple strudel.
10. Swiss Chocolate Squares with Icing
Since the Swiss are so well-known for their delicious, decadent chocolate, I decided I’d both start and end on a chocolatey note. These Swiss chocolate squares with icing take a little time to make, but they aren’t complicated – just a little time-consuming. If you or someone in your family is a chocolate fanatic, this dessert is the one for you (or them). It’s a double dose of chocolatey goodness. You’ll make the squares themselves with unsweetened chocolate, butter, flour, sugar, and a few other ingredients. Then, once those are ready, you’ll cover them in milk chocolate icing and pecan halves. If you can’t get your daily chocolate fix from these squares, you may need to see someone for professional help because you’re a chocolate addict. Click on a star to rate it!
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