How the World Eats Christmas

Thick dreamy custard is spooned over dense currant-laden steamed pudding in this classic English dessert.

Salmon rillettes

Made of a thin, waferlike dough, this crisp flatbread is a holiday tradition in Iceland. Many families make it together a few days before Christmas; some Icelanders joke that it’s the only time of year the men will help in the kitchen. It’s first cut into intricate geometric patterns, then deep-fried and saved to be eaten as an accompaniment to Christmas dinner. Traditionally, a special tool called a leaf bread iron is used to cut the patterns, but we found a paring knife works just as well. See the recipe for Leaf Bread »

Adding a mint tea bag is the perfect way to flavor hot chocolate. For a stronger mint flavor, steep the tea bag for longer, but you only need a couple minutes so the mint doesn’t get too grassy. A couple fresh mint leaves don’t hurt, either. Get the recipe for Mint Hot Chocolate »

Icelandic home cook Þorgerður Gunnarsdóttir serves ptarmigan, or wild grouse, with a sweet-tart sauce made with thyme and bilberries. Here, we substitute blueberries, a slightly sweeter cousin of bilberries. See the recipe for Icelandic Christmas Grouse with Berry Sauce »

These glittering almond squares make a fantastic Christmas cookie on their own, but sandwiched with raspberry jam, they’re even better. Get the recipe for Almond Sugar Cookies »

Icelandic Langoustine Soup

Slow-roasted belly stands in for the classic whole suckling pig that graces virtually every special occasion in the Philippines. Chef Dale Talde also swaps out the sauce’s pungent pork liver for more mellow and easier to source chicken livers. Don’t worry, though. It still tastes, as Talde lovingly puts it, like “liverwurst mixed with sweet and sour sauce.” Get the recipe for Filipino Roast Pork Belly with “Lechon” Sauce »

Roast Pork Loin with Salted Caramel Potatoes

Battered and fried veal cutlets—scattered with horseradish, capers and lemon juice—is the perfect breakfast cure after a night of holiday revelry. Get the recipe for Wiener Schnitzel »

Also referred to as angel wings, these sugar-dusted fritters are both crunchy and pillowy and are often served at Polish weddings and holidays. See the recipe for Krusciki (Polish Bow-Tie Fritters) »

A specialty of the Netherlands and Belgium, speculaas are cousins of gingerbread, only lighter and more delicately spiced. Intricately carved wooden molds are used to form the cookies into bas-relief images of characters and symbols from stories about Saint Nicholas, or Sinter-klaas, whose name day, December 6, kicks off the Christmas season in that part of the world. See the recipe for Speculaas (Molded Ginger Cookies) »

These Austrian vanilla crescents made with ground walnuts and showered in confectioners’ sugar are typically served throughout central Europe during the weeks leading up to Christmas, but they make perfect bite-sized treats any time of year. Get the recipe for Vanilla Crescents (Vanillekipferl) »

Specialties of Basel, in northern Switzerland, these chocolatey confections are often described as Swiss brownies. Almonds, sugar, and chocolate are ground fine and bound together with egg whites to create a satisfyingly chewy texture, while cinnamon and cloves impart an unmistakable flavor of old-fashioned Christmas cheer. See the recipe for Basler Brunsli (Chocolate-Almond Spice Cookies) »

This roast goose makes a splendid centerpiece for the American holiday feast. See the recipe for Christmas Goose With Stuffing »

Cornflakes bring a pleasing crunch to these chewy chocolate meringues, a popular holiday treat in Iceland. See the recipe for Chocolate Cornflake Cookies »

Tiny, ring-shaped butter cookies like these are a popular holiday treat in Mexico. They’re typically decorated with chocolate sprinkles, but green, red, and white ones transform them into festive Christmas wreaths. Get the recipe for Galletas con Chochitos (Mexican Butter Cookies with Sprinkles) »

A thick cornmeal and smoked ham filling is rolled in blanched cabbage leaves and braised in a paprika-spiked tomato sauce in a comforting dish from Hungarian home cook Edit Szabó Gézáné. Get the recipe for Hungarian-Style Stuffed Cabbage (Töltött Káposzta) »