December is National Fruit Cake Month – Delightful Pastries Offers Modern Selections with Creative Twists

Fruit Cake fans (you know who you are), this month’s for you. December is National Fruit Cake Month. Delightful Pastries offers delicious variations including its holiday breads. Throw away any of your pre-conceived notions. Most ethnic groups have their favorite recipe for fruit and nut bread and Delightful Pastries’ modern take is as refreshing as it is delicious.

Try something new this year, like: Stollen ($20). A traditional German stollen includes candied orange peel, raisins, almonds and is ¬filled with marzipan.

The English prefer a traditional fruit cake and Delightful Pastries gives it a modern twist, Cognac Fruit Cake ($20), which is soaked in Cognac and Grand Marnier, which makes the taste of all the fruit and nuts come alive. Another modern twist on a traditional, Royal Gingerbread ($14) is filled with hazelnuts, almonds, walnuts, raisins and candied orange peel; the entire bread is dipped in chocolate. 

Holiday breads also make awesome French toast for Christmas or New Year’s breakfast.
Fruit cakes and fruit breads are available at all three Delightful Pastries location: 5927 W. Lawrence Avenue, Chicago, in the Jefferson Park neighborhood (phone: 773-545-7215). Store hours are Tuesday-Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday from 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.; closed on Monday. The Old Town Chicago location, which includes the Café, is at 1710 N. Wells St., just north of North Avenue (phone: 312-255-0724). Store hours are Monday-Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Chicago French Market location is at 131 N. Clinton Ave., Chicago (phone: 312-234-9644). Store hours are Monday-Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; closed on Sundays.