Thirteen Desserts of Noël in Provence

If you’d like to celebrate Christmas with a provençal tradition, the "big supper" (le gros souper) ends with a ritual 13 desserts, (representing Jesus Christ and the 12 apostles). The desserts always number thirteen but the exact items may vary according to local or family tradition. Here is the list :

Dried fruit and nuts Raisins Walnuts or hazelnuts Dried figs Almonds Dates Dried plums

Fresh fruit Apples Pears Oranges Winter melon Grapes Tangerines

Sweets Biscotins (biscuits) from Aix; Calissons d'Aix,almond-paste pastry with sugar icing (marzipan) Candied citron Casse-dents of Allauch (cookies) Cumin and fennel seed biscuits Fried bugnes Fruit tourtes Oreillettes, light thin waffle cookies Pain d'epice Pompes à l'huiles or fougasse à l'huile d'olive, a sweet cake or brioche made with orange flower water and olive oil Quince cheese/quince paste Yule log Two kinds of nougat, symbolizing good and evil Black nougat with honey (Nougat noir au miel), a hard candy made with honey and almonds White nougat (Nougat blanc), a soft candy made with sugar, eggs, pistachios, honey, and almonds