A Year of Desserts Trivia Quiz

Vasilopita is a Greek bread traditionally eaten on St. Basil's Day which falls on January 1st, New Year's Day. It is very similar to a Mardi Gras king cake where a coin or small gift is baked into the bread and finder is said to have good luck for the rest of the year. After the vasilopita is cut, a Greek family will bless their house.

Rosca de Reyes is a traditional Mexican dessert bread that is shaped and decorated like a crown. It is traditionally served on January 6, Feast of the Epiphany to celebrate the birth of Jesus, Christ the King. Rosca de Reyes is made with nuts, fruit and cinnamon as well as having a toy baby in baked into the bread.

Tangyuan are dessert rice balls served in a hot broth. They are traditionally eaten during the Chinese Lantern Festival which takes place after Chinese New Year, usually in mid-February to early-March. They are also commonly found at weddings. They can be filled with a variety of fillings but red bean paste is the most common.

Zeppole are deep Italian pastry shells that are then filled with custard or cannoli cream on the feast day of St. Joseph, March 19. They are traditionally topped with dried fruit and chocolate chips. Other varieties might be filled with jam or honey.

Mammi is a traditional Finnish Easter dessert that is traditionally served chilled and on bread. It is a spread-like dessert made from milk, rye flour, orange zest and molasses. It may also be served in a milk or vanilla sauce and eaten more like a pudding.

Midsommartarta is a Swedish cake made on Midsummer. It is a strawberry cream cake. Traditionally, it is a plain sponge cake topped with cream and strawberries and not layered like an American strawberry short cake. Some variations may use a lemon curd instead of the cream.

Mooncakes are a Chinese dessert served during the Mid-Autumn Festival. Traditionally, they are small baked crusts filled with lotus seed paste or red bean paste. Although they may be served whole, traditionally mooncakes are cut into wedges and served like a pie slice. Nowadays, mooncakes are also served by businessman to potential clients and office visitors as a sign of respect.

Parkin is a traditional English cake from (most popularly) Lancashire and Yorkshire. It is made from oatmeal and black treacle. It is traditionally very dry which gives the impression it is overbaked. Parkin is traditionally used to celebrate Guy Fawkes Day (November 6) and it's drier, sticky texture is said to resemble bonfires.

Pumpkin pie is a traditional American dessert served most commonly on Thanksgiving in late November. It is made primarily from pumpkin puree but also earthy seasonings like cinnamon and nutmeg. Pumpkins, while more commonly associated with Halloween, are turned into pie for Thanksgiving because the autumn months are harvest months for pumpkins. Pumpkin pie is more common in the northern U.S. whereas sweet potato pie is the more common in the southern U.S.

Stollen is a traditional German Christmas bread or cake. It is the German version of fruitcake made with marzipan, filled with chopped fruit and dusted with powdered sugar. Traditionally served as a loaf, it may also be served in a ring called stollenkranz or the stollen wreath.

It is widely regarded as the most popular treat at German Christmas markets, especially in the city of Dresden.