Mince pies are back on shelves, Christmas decorations are going up in shops, and there’s a faint sound of sleigh bells jingling in the distance which can mean only one thing – Christmas is coming!
Thankfully, the nation’s bakers are prepared with a slew of sweet and savoury innovation to warm the cockles (or simply bring some joy to the colder months).
With so much happening, British Baker has been busy unwrapping the trends adding flair to festive fare this year. Take a peek here:
Treat yourself (within reason)
Mince pies? Treat yo self. Beef wellingtons? Treat yo self. Christmas sandwiches? Treat yo self. You get the gist. But unlike the Tom and Donna in TV show Parks & Recreation, shoppers are looking to treat themselves with festive food and drink rather than mimosas, massages, and fine leather goods.
“Consumers tend to spend more at Christmas, with many tapping into the ‘treat themselves’ culture of the season,” says Howard Edwards, senior account manager – foodservice at The Compleat Food Group.
“When it comes to Christmas we are as consumers in a far more indulgent mood”
It’s likely part of the reason why Christmas products seemingly hit the shelves earlier each year as consumers look to enjoy the run up to the big day (and operators are happy to cater to demand). It can also be seen in the wide availability of Christmas-themed, limited-edition items for both in- and out-of-home occasions.
“When it comes to Christmas we are as consumers in a far more indulgent mood,” explains Lawrence Watson, managing director of wholesale bakery supplier Kluman & Balter. “Treating is growing as a consumer occasion out of home, and over the festive period this treat mentality will certainly increase as we get into the Christmas spirit.”
Individual treats which can be enjoyed alongside a gingerbread-spiced coffee or on-the-go when Christmas shopping will have high appeal, he adds.
High street operators such as Greggs and Costa are catering with classics such as mince pies and the slightly less classic but rather popular Terry’s Chocolate Orange Muffin in Costa’s case.
Nevertheless, value and quality will remain high on the agenda for shoppers, Watson says, but he believes “there is far more optimism around Christmas 2024” than previous years. “New research has revealed that seven out of 10 people plan to spend the same or more this year than 2023, and – especially good news for bakery – 29% expect to spend more on food and drink,” he adds.
The improvement from 2023 means that consumers are willing to trade up for the right products.
“In the UK, 67% of those who host at-home gatherings say that these gatherings encourage them to buy more premium food or drink products than they usually do,” notes Miriam Bernhart, director category bread & pastry solutions for CSM Ingredients.
This provides the perfect opportunity for suppliers and retailers to serve up festive food that feels extra special.
Dip, drizzle, and dive in!
Dipping gravy and drizzling caramel are just some of the accompaniments being sold alongside festive cuisine this year as consumers look to take their meal one step further.
It’s a trend which started in the out of home market – the likes of KFC and Nandos have been offering dipping gravy or ‘gravynaise’ (a gravy/mayonnaise hybrid) for a few years – and now consumers are seeking additional elements with their yuletide fare.
Take The Co-op, for example. It has rolled out a Peppercorn Steak Wrap with Rosemary Gravy Dip (something it claims is a first for this category) as part of its food-to-go range this year.
It’s a trend which bridges sweet and savoury sides of the market, adding an element of interactivity be it for meals eaten alone or an additional wow factor for those designed for sharing – like lighting a Christmas pudding on fire but for a new generation.
On the sweet side, Asda has a Sticky Toffee Swirl Pudding which has a unique shape providing the ideal base for lashings of the supplied caramel sauce to cascade down the side. Iceland also has a Sticky Toffee Snowflake Cake that comes with drizzling sauce and white chocolate curls.
“Surprise centres will be prevalent,” says Karin Janssen, bakery expert and business development manager at ingredients supplier Henley Bridge. “Red fruit compote centres provide an instantly festive feel, whilst indulgent white chocolate and hazelnut creams will appeal to chocolate lovers.”
Tesco’s Speculoos & Belgian Chocolate Highwall Cheesecake is among those to tap into this with the spiced mascarpone cheesecake filling hiding an oozing Belgian chocolate sauce. Sainsbury’s Golden Forest – a dessert crafted from Belgian blonde golden chocolate mousse and white chocolate-coated shortcake biscuit balls – is also concealing a centre of ginger spiced caramel sauce.
Like the dip and drizzle, secret centres can be seen on the savoury side as well with Asda’s Camembert & Chutney Pastry serving up one example. The sharing dish sees a whole camembert wheel with a layer of fig, whisky & honey chutney encased in an all-butter pastry case with rosemary and hot honey syrup on top. The retailer’s Melt in the Middle Camembert & Pork Pie provides another version of this trend in action. It combines a blend of seasoned British pork, smoked bacon, and gammon with a creamy camembert centre, which oozes when the hot water pastry is cut into.
Sugar, spice, and everything nice
Cinnamon, allspice, and ginger are mainstays of the Christmas period, particularly when it comes to bakery, so its perhaps no surprise that warming spices are high on the list of on-trend ingredients for the season. But bakers are diversifying where the warmth is coming from to stay ahead of the game.
“At Christmas there’s no such thing as too much spice, and ultimately the top flavour will always be Christmas spice,” says Watson from Kluman & Balter. “With this in mind, bakers can give their best-selling and most popular bakes a festive makeover when it comes to flavours. Whether it’s timeless gingerbread brownies, Christmas spice cupcakes, or mince pie cookies”.
Asda, for example, has unveiled a Gingerbread Latte Plait which sees a Danish pastry plait filled with sweet-spiced gingerbread and smooth coffee remonce, topped with a crunchy spiced biscuit crumb.
Spice is front of mind for the retailer, which has also unveiled fig, whisky, & spiced honey as its signature flavour for 2024 – following in the footsteps of its 2023 variant of brown butter & spiced dark rum.
“This year it draws in rich, smoky, and fruity flavours, with a nod to the rising trends of honey and whisky, and a taste of the traditional through the fig,” says Asda senior director of food innovation & trends Jonathan Moore. It runs across the retailer’s range, including bakery lines and centrepieces.
One standout product in the bakery range, highlights Moore, is the Fig, Whisky & Spiced Honey Mince Pies which feature a whisky-infused fig mincemeat in an all-butter pastry case, hand finished with a spiced honey Florentine dusting. There’s also a Fig, Whisky & Spiced Honey Extra Thick Cream, complete with a hint of chilli spice, to bring some extra warmth.
“Expect to see lots of rum this year as well as whisky, stout, sloe gin, port, prosecco, champagne, espresso martini, and eggnog”
Jacqui Passmore, marketing lead West EU & AMEAP at Dawn Foods points to maple syrup as well as caramel, both often paired with nuts such as pecan and hazelnut, as other options to bring warmth.
Alcohol is another popular vehicle for adding warmth. Brandy comes into its own at Christmas but whisky, port, rum, and even gin are popping up more.
“Christmas and booze go together like Father Christmas and his reindeer,” enthuses Liz Gabriel, bakery specialist at flavour experts I.T.S, “so expect to see lots of rum this year as well as whisky, stout, sloe gin, port, prosecco, champagne, espresso martini, and eggnog.”
French bakery manufacturer Bridor has leaned into this with a new Mulled Wine & Chestnut Bread for 2024 designed to help caterers create on-trend canapés. The bread, made in collaboration with Maison Lenôtre, features a unique set of ingredients including red wine which is added to the kneader to give the crumb a pink colour and ‘refined aroma’, chestnuts, and mulled wine spices.
Northern retailer Booths has also got in on the action with a boozy dessert selection featuring cheesecakes with a festive twist – flavours include strawberry & prosecco, double chocolate & brandy, Irish cream, and Christmas pudding. Waitrose, meanwhile, added a Jewelled Cointreau & Cranberry Christmas Pudding to its range.
Cocktails are also serving as inspiration for sweet treats.
“Festive cocktails and Christmas desserts are similar as they both give bakers the chance to throw the rule book out and create social media worthy recipes that will entice customers into buying a festive treat,” believes Howard Edwards from The Compleat Food Group. Edwards suggests “indulgent grown-up takes” on classic desserts, such as gingerbread espresso martini trifles and Bailey’s bomboloni, as examples of how these can be brought to life.
Christmas with a twist
Tradition with a twist is the trend that keeps on giving, meaning iconic Christmas dishes are in line for a makeover. It’s an evolving trend – new iterations of mince pies and Christmas puddings are expected these days but the flavours and formats coming through bring some excitement.
“When it comes to Christmas consumers like to see traditional products they have always enjoyed as well as new twists with different toppings, inclusions and colour ways so a combination of both will work well together,” explains Miriam Bernhart at CSM Ingredients.
She points to yule logs as one format being reinvigorated with bite size and sharing versions available, but moving to toppings such as pistachio, raspberry, and gold leaf for added flair. Booths has opted for a fruity variation with the White Chocolate & Passion Fruit Yule Log added to its line-up complete with Swiss white chocolate buttercream.
Looking at mince pies, it is the toppings providing the twist this year with the likes of Viennese whirl biscuits, florentines, and crumble among the variants seen in the market.
Cambridge-based craft bakery Fitzbillies is putting a twist on its classic Chelsea bun recipe with a chocolate orange variant available for the first time in its branches. “We’re really excited about this combination of 104-year-old bun recipe, with a well-loved modern flavour,” says Jenny Pace, marketing & ecommerce director at the bakery. Elsewhere, it is utilising festive flavours such as clementine, white chocolate & ginger, and mint chocolate to the table via limited-edition macarons.
The trend can also be seen in savoury items too as bakers look to “offer classic comforts with a premium twist”, notes Edwards from The Compleat Food Group. “In the long, dark nights of winter consumers crave dishes that are warming and nostalgic,” he says. “Hearty pies and festive bakes are always a classic addition to any winter bakery menu, but bakers looking to attract festive shoppers should incorporate premium ingredients to elevate their savoury bakes.”
Additions can be as simple as incorporating herbs and spices into the shortcrust pastry of a pie or adding truffle oil to vegetables in fillings, he notes.
Co-op has opted to put a seasonal twist on the classic quiche by adding turkey. Its Turkey Feast Quiche sees a shortcrust pastry base deep-filled with a layer of cranberry chutney, before being topped with British turkey, bacon, and Somerset vintage Cheddar.
Sainsbury’s, meanwhile, opted to add a spruced-up vegetarian pastry to its range in the form of a Roast Carrot Galette complete with a herby crumb nestled in hand-raised vegan puff pastry. The retailer has also added a spot of luxury to its party food portfolio with the likes of King Prawns in Duvets and Lobster Thermidor Crumpets. Waitrose has pimped its crumpets as well by topping them with crab and brown butter for an indulgent bitesize option.
Wishing you a Joyeux Noël, Buon Natale, and more
Merry Christmas, Joyeux Noël, Buon Natale… Christmas is going international this year as bakers take inspiration from around the globe for their yuletide creations.
Some countries are more prominent than others, though, when looking at Christmas food line-ups.
“Look out for French and Italian influences in Christmas bakery,” advises Passmore at Dawn Foods. “In addition to the traditional flavours of Christmas, there are plenty of exciting modern flavours in this year’s Christmas offerings which are sure to capture consumer interest. These include exotic fruits and nuts such as yuzu, date, pistachio, blood orange, passion fruit and praline,” she adds.
Many of these flavours, Passmore notes, give a nod to global festive traditions and “very much reflect consumer desire to have one foot in the past and another in other food cultures”.
The desire for familiarity with a hint of exploration also aligns with demand for a new spin on things.
“Tiramisu, the classic Italian dessert, is surging in popularity, influencing dessert menus across the UK,” explains Samantha Winsor, UK marketing manager for Lantmännen Unibake. “In out of home, chefs are experimenting with tiramisu, considering ‘healthier’ iterations and swapping cream for quark, mixing up formats and spooning it into a croissant for an even greater indulgence and elevating it with only the finest cocoa and liqueurs, for example.”
Retailers are also taking advantage. Asda, for example, has added a Tiramisu Danish Square to its seasonal rotation comprising pastry filled with a rich aromatic coffee and creamy mascarpone, finished with tiramisu’s signature dusting of cocoa powder.
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