I actually should have thought of that for two reasons: 1. In cold places traditionally people eat sweets to counterbalance the calorie intake they need and 2. Especially Quebec, with its French origins, traditionally has many delicious dessert recipes.
Quebec cuisine, poor and rural by tradition, is one of the most varied in Canada. Here the elements and ingredients of the natives have merged and mixed with those of all the populations that have gradually emigrated to this province. Many of the most famous and loved recipes are based on those essential foods that in the past were the bare minimum necessary to survive the harsh climate typical of this land. Today those ancient recipes have been modernized and are ready to be exported beyond the borders of the province.
The Chomeur Pudding, literally called the ‘unemployed pudding,’ is considered the national dessert.
It has a taste as rich as poor are its ingredients. This dessert, in fact, is said that it was created during the economic crisis of the 30s when the workers of a factory made it for the first time using stale bread. Today a light cake dough is used, left to rest for a few hours, which is garnished with cream and maple syrup or brown sugar caramel before being baked. During the cooking, the syrup mixes with the dough, depositing on the bottom and thus creating a sugary, crunchy and delicious layer. It is served upside down with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or with more maple syrup.
Timbits are the classic spherical pancakes available in various flavours throughout Canada: apple, blueberry, honey, chocolate and many more flavours are available. They are perfect for a snack or dessert accompanied with tea or coffee.
Nanaimo Bars are a simple but very caloric dessert that does not require cooking, the Nanaimo bars have a square shape similar to a creamy chocolate and consists of three layers of different consistency: a crunchy base, a creamy central layer with vanilla flavour and a top layer with icing chocolate. There are various versions according to the taste of the central layer which can also be mint, coffee, maple syrup and so on. Its exact origin has never been confirmed, although it is said that the recipe dates back to the 50s.
The Montreal bagels are a common brunch food.
Just like in the neighbouring United States also in Canada, bagels are a must for breakfast but the Canadian recipe differs from that of the United States in that in the Canadian dough there is no salt added to the recipe but instead eggs are also added, while the water to boil them for a few minutes, it is sweetened with honey. They also differ in the thin shape and the hole in the centre is larger than that of their American cousins.
…and last but not least: The Royal Banana Bread!
The only dessert recipe I can prepare and for which I can give you the recipe:
Ingredients
• 500 g of bananas, 450 g of wheat flour, 250 ml of white yogurt, 450 g of sugar, 3 eggs, walnuts, 20 g of butter, oil , salt and baking soda
Preparation
Pour the sugar, baking soda and a pinch of salt into a bowl, then add the chopped bananas, the chopped walnuts and mix everything evenly.
Add one egg at a time, mixing it well, then add the sifted flour and finally the oil together with the yogurt. Work the mixture without worrying about flaking the bananas.
Pour the mixture into a well-buttered square pan (for plum cakes), then bake in the preheated oven at 150° C for about 45 minutes.
When the cake is ready, take it out of the oven and let it rest for a few minutes, then cut it into squares and serve it warm.
