Merry Christmas, folks
Christmas is here, and with it comes desserts galore. In the spirit of this cheer, these Dubai pastry chefs share their favourite Christmas confectionaries.
Farah Sheikh Al Sagha of Rise Bakehouse
I absolutely love baking a mixed berry biscuit cobbler for Christmas—it’s the perfect blend of comfort and festivity. The sweet, tart berries covered in a warm, fluffy biscuit topping make it a cozy treat that’s always a hit. What I love most about this dish is its versatility, it’s just as delicious in the winter with a little bit of cinnamon and nutmeg as it is in the summer when fresh berries are at their ripest topped with some vanilla custard. It’s easy to adapt to whatever’s in season, so I find myself baking it all year round.
Chef Pelajie Nkwain of Girl & the Goose
Some dishes nourish you. Others carry you home with memories. Yoltamal does both for me.
A soft tamale made from tender young corn, gently wrapped in corn husk and slowly steamed, it’s
traditionally enjoyed with fresh cream and curd cheese. Simple, humble, and deeply comforting.
For me, yoltamal is inseparable from Christmas in Nicaragua. As a child, I would wake before sunrise and walk to early morning mass with my grandmother. On the way home, we’d stop to buy yoltamales and sit together to enjoy them for breakfast. The stillness of the morning, the warmth in our hands, the
quiet ritual, those moments are etched into my heart.
At Girl & the Goose, we’ve brought that memory back to life with a modern expression: whipped ricotta, white chocolate and pink peppercorn crumble, a touch of chili oil, and a delicate tarragon ice cream. It’s a gentle evolution of tradition; bold yet balanced, familiar yet unexpected.
Sweet Yoltamal is a love letter to my roots, to Nicaraguan holiday tables, and to the beauty found in
simplicity.
Chef Angelo Musa of Bonbon Cafe
My favourite Christmas cake is, without a doubt, the Yule Log. It is more than just a dessert to me, as each year, it becomes a true creative challenge and an opportunity to reinvent a timeless classic without ever compromising its authenticity or the emotion it is meant to evoke.
Reimagining a Yule Log means finding a delicate balance not only between tradition and modernity but also between technique and flavour. It pushes me to go beyond my limits – refining textures, perfecting the harmony of flavours, and above all, telling a story. I truly believe that a Yule Log must speak before it is even tasted.
The moment the Yule Log is placed at the centre of the table is when everything comes together and all the work we have done finds its meaning. When my loved ones take their first bite, I hope to create a sense of wonder where the dessert becomes a memory. These moments, shared with my family, are deeply emotional for me and remain the greatest reward for my work.
Chef Keren Ye
Whenever I think about Christmas pastries, Mont Blanc always comes to mind. It captures the warmth of the season with the comforting aroma of chestnuts, reminiscent of festive streets filled with heat and laughter.
I’ve always loved chestnuts, especially during the holidays—their nutty, caramel depth, a flavour that pulls you gently back to the earth. Mont Blanc speaks in quiet elegance, three soft colours marking the year’s end, meant to be shared with friends and family. Light Crème Mousseline melts into clouds of Chantilly, Candied chestnuts resting like sweet memories on top. Each bite feels nostalgic and calm, a small celebration of comfort, warmth, and the simple joy that only Christmas can bring.
Chef Nouel Catis of Sna’ap Chocolates
This may come as a surprise, but what truly brings Christmas rushing back to me is stollen – the traditional German Christmas bread. Finding a good one in the UAE is never easy, so I rely on German friends traveling here to bring it along. It’s the warm blend of spices, the generous nuts and dried fruits, and that unmistakable ribbon of almond paste that instantly creates Christmas vibes. I love enjoying it simply: lightly toasted, a touch of butter melting into each slice, filling the kitchen with comfort, nostalgia, and quiet festive joy that feels deeply personal and wonderfully timeless always.
Image credit: Pinterest
Deeply passionate about food, culture and community, Manaal loves telling extraordinary stories of ordinary people. Besides sniffing out a tale to tell, her favourite things to do include binging true crime documentaries, chasing cats on the streets and curating a good outfit.
