Sweets from Europe

The French nougat is stacked in large blocks in front of Sam Havana. "We make it according to old traditions," says the exhibitor at the La Maison de Nougat stand in Hall 4.2. The variety seems almost inexhaustible. Nougat with a speculoos flavour is on offer, as are fruity varieties with pineapple, papaya, red fruit or ginger and almonds. "It's like being on holiday," enthuses one visitor, feeling reminded of her trip to Provence as she tastes a piece.

On the wall behind Sam Havana hang the utensils needed to make the sweet. Copper-coloured pots and pans in which the almonds are roasted and the honey is melted with the addition of sugar and water. Egg whites are added later, the ingredients are mixed together, stirred for hours and solidify as they cool. The nougat is enjoyed all year round, with coffee or as a dessert. "But there are also varieties that we eat especially for special occasions, such as Nougat Noir. The dark nougat, which consists of equal parts almonds and lavender honey, is a Christmas classic," explains Sam Havana.

From the ice-cream cone to the brittle biscuit

Roberto Vittorio's family owns an ice cream shop in Bergamo near Milan. "Originally, waffles were just an accompaniment to our homemade ice cream," he says. "Ten years ago, we started to refine the waffles with a crunchy layer of almonds, pistachios or hazelnuts." This didn't work straight away. It took a few attempts before the round biscuits from La Croccanteria really worked. They are now available in numerous flavours. They can be enjoyed with or without ice cream, in the morning, in the afternoon or as a dessert. "In Italy, we eat sweets at any time of day," admits Roberto Vittorio, who also sells various pistachio creams alongside his crispy waffles.

Anyone who has ever been on holiday in Portugal will certainly remember pastéis de nata. These round pastries with a deliciously creamy filling are a kind of national dessert. They remind Luís Dinis of the popular dessert Crema Catalana. He is actually a cheese producer from the north of Portugal, but also sells the sweet tarts at Grüne Woche - also to go in packs of six as a souvenir for those at home.

Sweet works of art

Fudge in every colour of the rainbow is stacked up in Hall 7.2. The British caramel is available in various flavours, from Strawberry Vanilla to Blueberry and Coconut Ice. The wide variety of teas from the United Kingdom are a perfect match.

The marzipan chocolates in the display case of Kiralyi Marcipán from Budapest just opposite are real works of art. The dark and white chocolate-coated balls are lavishly decorated with icing and pearls. In addition to classic praline varieties such as café latte, wild raspberry and mint, they are also available in adventurous flavours such as bubble gum.