8 Belgian baked goods you have to try

Next time your sweet tooth is calling, put aside the waffles and chocolate and try one of these eight Belgian bakery delights.

1. Baisers de Malmédy

Let’s start this list off with a kiss! These “kisses of Malmédy” (pictured) come from the eponymous Walloon town on the German border known for its boisterous Carnivale. This melt-in-your-mouth delight is made of two half-moons of meringue or macaron-style almond biscuits sealed together in a kiss by a rich butter cream. A guaranteed sugar rush for your three o’clock tea.

Where? If you want a good basiers, go straight to the source: despite its name, the treat was originally invent in the nineteenth century at the Hotel International in Spa, but can be found in patisseries throughout southern Wallonia.

2. Cougnou

Is it a bread or is it the baby Jesus? With the cougnou, you get both. This light, sweet roll typically eaten by children with a cup of hot chocolate on Christmas is most famous for its oblong shape that is meant to resemble the swaddled baby Jesus. To drive home the point, the bun is decorated with a tiny, pink Jesus made of sugar.

Where? The cougnou is a seasonal bread, and can be found in any Belgian bakery throughout November and December, during the celebrations of Saint Nicholas, Saint Martin and Christmas.

3. Speculoos

No list of great Belgium baked goods would be complete without mentioning the speculoos. Made with tongue-tantalizing medley of spices, including cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and clove, this buttery biscuit has won the hearts of people across the global. Traditionally, the speculoos was eaten for St. Martin’s day throughout the Low Countries and where either baked in the form of the great saint or embossed with pictures of his stories. Today, the cookies are also used to make speculoos paste, a creamy spread for breads – kind of the Belgian version of peanut butter, but so much better.

Where? Visit Brussels’ famous speculoos baker Maison Dandoy or  pick up a box of Jules Destrooper or Vermeiren speculoos from the shop.

4. Brown sugar pie

This coffee-coloured pie is sweet enough to sooth any sweet tooth. Made essentially from brown sugar and butter, it’s not for every day if you’re watching your waistline, but perfect with a cup of strong coffee on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Where? Take a trip to Patisserie Pierson in the tiny village of Courriere, halfway between Namur and Ciney to get your hands on the best brown sugar pie in the land.

5. Cramique and craquelin

These two sweet breakfast brioches that you’ll find all over Belgium have pretty much identical recipes with one key difference: the cramique has less sugar and adds raisins into the mix, while the craquelin is baked with whole nuggets of pearl sugar (that will “crack” your teeth). Historically, these breads were made between All Saints Day and the New Year, however, today you’ll find them eaten year round.

Where? For a traditional cramique or craquelin, head to Maison de la Tarte in Saint Lambrechts Woluwe.

6. Pain a la grecque

A flattened version of the craquelin, the pain a la grecque is a typical Brussels dessert made of a crispy, flakey, rectangular cooked with whole crystals of sugar baked on top.

Where? Again, together with the speculoos, the pain a la grecque is a signature speciality of Dandoy in Brussels, though any good patisserie should have a good one.

7. Tarte au stofé

A cake with a lot of history, you’re unlikely to have tried the tarte au stofé unless you’ve spent some time in Walloon Brabant, a regional delicacies that has been being made since the thirteenth century. Stofé is a light, white cheese that, together with a bed of stewed apples, fills this cheesecake. Typically, the pies are topped with a few delicate macarons.

Where? If you want to try the tarte au stofé, you’ll have to travel to Wavre. Only three patisseries in Wavre are allowed to sell the specialty: Patisserie Demaret, Boulangerie Delcorps-Gillot and Boulangerie Mohimont.

8. Vaution

Cake meets pie in this deliciously layered Verviers specialty. The vaution is a damp, gooey masterpiece of sugar, flour and cinnamon stacked on top of one another that will leave you with a full and satisfied stomach.

Where? You’re most likely to find vaution in its hometown of Verviers and the surrounding region.

Photo courtesy www.sucreriesbelges.com