The most delicious gastronomic gifts from Barcelona

With Christmas just around the corner, now is the time to look for and decide on gifts for our loved ones that, in addition to being original, offer experiences and show the marked gastronomic character and excellence that our artisans and producers offer.

And where this excellence is visible is in the universe of sweets.

To the rich panettone

We begin this selection with a sweet that in the last decade has gained ground, positioning itself among the favorites of Barcelona residents to entertain the most festive after-dinner gatherings and even liven up the days before such important meals. This sweet that we have adopted as our own is the panettone, a piece of art of Italian origin that is a display of mastery of dough and baking. The traditional format is made with a soft, fluffy, and flavorful brioche dough in the shape of a dome and incorporates candied fruit and raisins, and shows a crunchy glaze.

Ton Cortés, from the Suca'l bakery, has won this year the prestigious Coppa del Mondo award in Milan with his traditional panettone proposal. A true milestone, as this Christmas sweet is considered the cathedral, due to its complexity, and Cortés is the first non-Italian master to win this award. However, if you ask Cortés for the secret, he will give you a smile and tell you that it's a lot of passion and many hours of work. It is worth trying this marvel that costs 45 euros per kilo and 27 euros per half kilo.

Continuing with the awards, another award-winning panettone that cannot be missed is Mervier Canal's: the best artisanal classic panettone 2024, made by master Toni Vera, can be enjoyed for 40 euros; 750 grams of profession with its traditional candied fruit (cedar, orange, and golden raisins) that is a true delicacy to the palate.

Searching in the field of panettone innovation, there is the specialty coffee panettone by master pastry chef Oriol Carrió in his Pastisseria Carrió, made with specialty coffee from the Tornado roastery in Granollers. The result is a panettone that navigates between sweet and sour in a smooth way, with the recognizable airy and very spongy texture that makes this coffee and chocolate panettone the protagonist of breakfasts, after-dinner gatherings, and snacks for those with a sweet tooth. It is sold in 500-gram portions for 24 euros.

In Brunells, on the other hand, neither the traditional nor the chocolate one is missing (both for 40 euros per kilo), but where they go a step further is in proposing an idea that, being so surprising, is brilliant: slice the panettone as thinly as possible, add sweet ham and cheese, and heat it. Voilà the bikittone, a sweet-nuanced version of our bikini, which is delicious. Finally, we cannot forget Miquel Saborit's panettone, another artisan considered one of the best in the world. The trip to Torelló to buy this jewel in his bakery Més k Pa is more than justified.

Artisan nougats: from tradition to creation

Although panettone has conquered many homes and preferences, nougat remains the king of Christmas tables and a gift that the Tió de Nadal used to offer and is now given as an object of consumption and desire. There are as many varieties of nougat as its makers have imagination: from the most classic ones of Jijona, almond, burnt yolk, or chocolate with almonds, to absolutely surprising creations, in which savory flavors become sweet and incorporate ingredients such as salt or corn.

La Campana is one of the most interesting classic traditional workshops in our city. Run by the third and fourth generation, and led by Maria Dolors Mira, when Christmas arrives, the windows of their two shop-workshops on Princesa street are adorned with their own, absolutely artisan-made nougats and polvorones. Their Xixona nougat (20.95 euros) is delicious, but the one that has brought the most fame to the house is the burnt yolk one (20.95 euros): every morning, in a Christmas bell, they burn the yolk nougat bars and wrap them in waxed paper to maintain the crunchiness and preserve the succulent soft interior. Another essential are their polvorones, some of which have won international awards.

Bomboneria Pons, in Sants and Les Corts, has a varied assortment of 36 references of homemade nougats. This artisanal chocolate workshop, opened in 1960 in Sants and one of the few still active in Spain, is worth visiting: stepping through its door is like entering a time tunnel with a stop at Willy Wonka's chocolate factory. Shelves and counters full of chocolate creations, wrapped in cellophane or jewelry-like boxes, with great care, welcome the customer. The essential nougats of the house are the black Cuban (14.95 euros), the black almond praline (14.95 euros) or the truffle with marc de cava (14.95 euros).

Continuing with brands made in Barcelona, Simón Coll is another to consider. Chocolate artisans since 1840, their chocolate nougats are defined by being made with selected origin chocolate (made in their workshop from cocoa roasting to the final product) and whole nuts, with a firm texture and delicious flavor where the ingredients are noticeable and enjoyable. The best known are those with chocolate and almonds or hazelnuts and it is possible to choose between milk chocolate and dark chocolate (70%). Its price is 5.95 euros per bar and can be purchased online or in their store, on Rambla Catalunya (specifically, on Rosselló street, 80).

In this journey through the nougat world, and having seen the most classic artisanal proposals, the products of artisans who take nougat as a reference and play with shape, texture and flavors cannot be missed. Casa Cacau, the reference in sweet elaborations of the Roca brothers, has a nougat proposal inspired by the imaginary of The Nutcracker, the story written by Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann in which a toy comes to life at Christmas: the nougat recreates the shape of the toy and is made with dark chocolate and walnut, filled with a creamy gianduja with crunchy biscuit, a caramel ganache center with orange, and the top part of aerated gianduja with pieces of caramelized walnuts.

The new generations of chocolate creatives have found inspiration and an international showcase in Barcelona

Chocolate, the undisputed star

There is no sweet universe without chocolate, the undisputed star. And there are no Christmases without the precious elaborations made with cocoa, in multiple forms, percentages and textures, being one of the most prized gifts, ideal for all ages. Lluc Clusellas, awarded in 2023 as the Best Chocolatier in the World in the international World Chocolate Masters competition held in Paris, is one of the protagonists of the scene. Under the Eukarya brand, he markets his creations: from traditional almond and dark chocolate rocs or hazelnut with milk chocolate, to bars. For those who have not yet tried Eukarya's exceptional chocolates, the gift that will conquer hearts is the Eukarya Selection, a pack that contains Clusellas' hits: four chocolate bars, spheres, rocks and cocoa and hazelnut cream. It is sold in Eukarya's online store for 62 euros and in its physical store in Vic, where, as a novelty this year, you can enjoy its liquid chocolate.

Bubó, another benchmark in sweet creativity for decades in Barcelona, always has original novelties, but on this occasion the focus is on enjoying Bubó's excellence in a box that contains the chocolate products that have brought them the most renown, such as bars, chocolates and exclusive creations (the Cubombons, in cube shape, or the Mendiants, flat chocolates with nuts). The most complete box has a price of 120.80 euros, although six other packs with various products and more affordable prices are offered, available in their online store or in their store in the Born.

The new generations of creatives in chocolate have found in Barcelona the inspiration and the international showcase to display their particular vision of the sweet. At Es4sense, Tatiana and Ksenia propose a more sentimental, emotional, and sensitive approach, seeking the delicacy of details and moments that they want to encapsulate for Christmas. Their selection of chocolates is a journey through the main production centers (Venezuela, Dominican Republic, Bali, Madagascar, Brazil, or Ghana) and a good example of the delicacy and elegance of their creations is the Haute Couture box (51 euros), a selection of 16 chocolates, among which is the finalist bonbon for Best Bonbon in Spain: blood orange, burnt milk, raspberry ganache, and white chocolate. All their delights can be purchased at their store at Balmes 147 or in their online store.

Now, Christmas trees and festive tables can feature a selection of Christmas sweets for all palates in the family and friends to enjoy. A selection made in Barcelona from its main artisan creators, designed so that no wallet is left without a gift, no gourmet is left without savoring a sweet Christmas.