Satisfy your sweet tooth this winter

Resting in an open picture frame in a cabin of dark wood, 2 gingerbread men stand either side of a large gingerbread heart that says "Merry Christmas".
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The winter season is meant for indulgence. Especially in a cold country like Finland you must lather up the calories if you want to create a protective layer that will keep you warm against the cold breeze.

Christmas buns and pastries

A sweet Christmas staple for the Finns is the traditional Finnish joulutorttu, a danish pastry shaped like a star that has plum marmalade plonked in the middle. This pastry is a loved and cherished seasonal delicacy and can be found in a number of places, but if you are looking for a new take on this then plenty of cafes and bakeries around Helsinki have put a twist on this classic and we are not mad about that at all. 

Patisserie Teemu Aura will be serving the traditional flaky pastry alongside a new concoction they have created; a rum and cherry pastry. If an alcoholic kick in your dessert is something you like then this is something you ought to try.

If you dare not deviate from the traditional plum flavour but yet are looking for a creative spin then try the Christmas pastry at St. George Bakery. The thick buttery and salt specked pastry is topped with candied almonds, finished with a sprinkling of demerara sugar. To say that this is a gourmet version of the humble joulutorttu is no exaggeration. 

Kanniston Leipomo introduces an array of delicacies that are seasonal specialities every quarter. Yet their winter menu is the most wholesome. Not only do they have baked goods such as date cake, traditional pastries, as well as a vegan version, they also serve a plum danish that has a dollop of vanilla custard upon which the marmalade sits. Alongside these pastries the bakery serves another Finnish staple with a Christmas twist, the joulupulla, a cardamom laced bun with a gingerbread cookie baked atop, best of two worlds.

If it is gingerbread spices you are looking for in a cinnamon bun then Gateau's Christmas bun is worth trying. The bun has all the traditional spices and is generously dusted with powdered sugar and gingerbread crumbs. 

Additionally Story annually creates a Christmas special bun and pastry that is worth checking out! There is no shortage of cafes and bakeries in the city so it is definitely worth exploring the baked goods scene.

Ekbergin herkkuja ikkunavitriinissä
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Christmas coffee

We have discussed pastries and buns so it is natural to progress to coffees. They are essential to the Christmas table in Finland; and are enjoyed after the Christmas meal and first thing on Christmas morning. Local coffee roasteries in Helsinki offer a wide selection of their own unique blends for Christmas that feature chocolate, cardamom, cinnamon and other seasonal flavours. Christmas coffees are great gift ideas, or you can simply buy them for your own enjoyment – either at home or in a café to go with a fresh cinnamon bun!

Helsinki has well-established coffee traditions and has been home to many large roasteries. Most famously, Gustav Paulig founded the first industrial coffee roastery in the entire Nordic region in the Katajanokka district of Helsinki in 1904, spreading the intoxicating smell of fresh coffee throughout the rapidly growing city.

In more recent years, numerous smaller roasteries have appeared on the local scene roasting the exclusive artisan coffees. With the arrival of the holiday season, many roasteries offer special Christmas blends that you can sample in local cafés or at home.

Established in 2007, Kaffa Roastery has rapidly grown to become the biggest artisan roastery in Finland. Situated in the Punavuori district, Kaffa Roastery has offered special Christmas coffees for years. Kaffa Roastery’s Christmas coffee is available directly from its own shop and café located alongside the roastery on Pursimiehenkatu 29.

This year, Lauttasaari's ROST & Con's Christmas coffee will have notes of chocolate, toffee and fig. You can find this delicacy, for example, in the roastery's own shop or at Kaffecentralen in Kamppi. Holme Coffee's HoHoHo coffee in Roihupelto, in Eastern Helsinki, is flavored with plums, caramel and pepper - you can find it at the roastery or, for example, at the Muji Market in the Kamppi shopping center.

Good Life Coffee's Christmas coffee is called Avoid Bad Xmas, and you can order coffees for yourself or as a gift, through the online store. The taste of Christmas coffee at the Helsingin kahvipaahtimo is based on carefully selected beans and does not contain Christmas spices. You can find it, at Teurastamo's Päiväkahvibaari, it is definitely worth visiting and recharging energy in the middle of the dark season.

A variety of Christmas coffees can be found in many cafés. You are guaranteed to find the winter atmosphere in Helsinki's city center, at least in the classic places such as Fazer Café, Ekberg, Café Engel and Café Strindberg - or in the numerous seaside cafés.

Patisserie Teemu & Markus, leivoksia
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Sweet Confectioneries 

It would be treason to talk about the festive season and the treats you can enjoy without mentioning chocolate. In winters confectioneries are an essential part of a balanced diet, so you must do yourself the duty and get your five a day. 

Chjoko is a modern artisan chocolate maker in Helsinki. They specialise in quality artisan chocolates, pralines and delicacies. All their products are made at their shop at Liisankatu 9 where you can also enjoy a cup of fresh coffee or hot chocolate as well taste and purchase seasonal selection of products. You can also find them at the shopping center REDI Helsinki. In the winter season they create a mouthwatering array of Christmas themed confectioneries. Ranging from Christmas truffles to chocolate coated gingerbread cookies and even a gourmet advent calender. 

Konditoria pH7 does not just create mouthwatering pastries and cakes but their Christmas truffles and chocolate confectioneries are something else. You can buy their Christmas basket, which includes a selection of truffles and spiced chocolate bars. But if you want to really push the envelope then how about throw caution to the wind and try their gingerbread macarons! 

If you are looking for a one of kind luxurious mouthful then you ought to make a trip to Vanhankaupungin Suklaa, or make a big order online. Each beautiful chocolate truffle is crafted by hand and packs a punch in a tiny mouthful. Their seasonal collection offers range of flavours that will satisfy any sweet tooth!

If your sweet tooth needs further satiating then read up on the sweets that the city has to offer!

 

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There is something in the winter air that makes people want to nest and enjoy flavours and food like no other time of the year. There is wide range of treats you can find in Helsinki that will easily satisfy your sweet tooth.