Selection of Spices for Desserts

A tour of the world in 4 selected spice blends for sweet preparations. Rediscover the most unique and exotic flavors in your desserts: follow the recipes or unleash your creativity in creating uniquely flavorful cakes and cookies. Visit the most remote places through the flavors and aromas that characterize them.

N°1 - ZHUATANG

Origin : China

Originating around 1300, this blend is among the oldest in the world. Legend has it that it was created with the intent of combining all five flavors that form the basis of Chinese dietary theory: sweet (cinnamon), salty (cloves), bitter (anise), sour (fennel seeds), and spicy (pepper), and to rebalance Yin and Yang. In Chinese cuisine, it is commonly used to prepare so-called "Lu" foods, a cooking method used to braise certain dishes, generally fatty meats, such as pork and duck. Thanks to the long cooking time, the latter fully absorb all the flavors. It is also recommended with tofu, soups, stir-fried vegetables, and all manner of noodle dishes.

Ingredients : Anise, Fennel, Cinnamon, Cloves, Black Pepper.

N°3 - PERDICIÓN

Origin : Polynesia

Although there is no certain information, it seems that this simple aphrodisiac blend was imported from French Polynesia in 1880 when King Pomare V agreed to cede the kingdom of Tahiti to France, obtaining its protection. On that occasion, Pomare V, among other things, gave French Prime Minister Jules Ferry the original recipe for this passionate blend used by Polynesians in courtship rites. Brought home by Ferry, La Perdición was so successful that many French people forgot its origins, considering it a French spice blend. This blend has a warm and intense aroma, due primarily to cinnamon and cloves, and today, in French cuisine, it is used to flavor soups, ragouts, sausages, and pâtés, and is also excellent paired with pork, poultry, and mushrooms. It also flavors spiced sweet breads, puddings, biscuits, or the custard used in fruit tarts.

Ingredients : Black Pepper, White Pepper, Nutmeg, Cloves, Cinnamon, Ginger, Nigella.

N°5 - PAIN D'ÉPICES

Origin : France

Pain d'Épices is a blend of spices created to flavor cakes, biscuits, bread, panna cotta, puddings, and more. It originates from the town of Colmar, the capital of Alsace, also known as the capital of Alsatian wine production. The origins of this sweet blend are lost in the mists of time. The Greeks and Romans used to make sweet breads flavored with honey, but the oldest ancestor of Pain d'Épices as we know it today can be found in a honey bread flavored with herbs and used as food by the Chinese army around 1100 AD.

Ingredients : Cinnamon, Anise, Cardamom, Coriander, Mace, Allspice, Ginger, Black Pepper, Cloves.

No. 8 - COWBOY

Origin : USA

An American BBQ classic. Naturally, coffee and cocoa are bitter, but they mellow and blend perfectly with the other spices when heated. This blend, when used on red meats, imparts a vibrant, unmistakable, and exciting aroma, especially when the spicy notes of pepper and chili pepper blend with those of coffee. Ideal for all beef, pork, and lamb. A distinctive, balanced flavor for a BBQ that will wow your guests.

Ingredients : Salt, Coffee, Black Pepper, Bitter Cocoa, Mustard, Chili Pepper, Allspice, Laurel, Marjoram, Dill, Cloves.