Tag: European baking

The Czech Republic is the world's largest producer and consumer of edible poppy seeds, with an average person consuming up to 400 grams annually. Many other countries, particularly throughout Central and Eastern Europe and South Asia, also feature poppy seeds prominently in their unique culinary traditions.

Vanilla sugar, a staple in many European kitchens, is simply granulated sugar that has been infused with the flavor of vanilla beans. This key difference sets it apart from regular, unflavored sugar and influences its best use cases in baking and cooking.

According to a 2024 report by Medium, a single slice of Wonder Bread can contain as much as five grams of sugar, a striking contrast to many European loaves. So, does American bread have more sugar than European bread? The short answer is yes, particularly when comparing mass-produced supermarket varieties, and the reasons lie in different baking traditions, regulations, and consumer preferences.

European brands, like Dr. Oetker, often package vanilla sugar in sachets of 8 to 10 grams, a standard that has been used for over a hundred years. For many home bakers, figuring out how much is one packet of vanilla sugar and its actual cost can be a puzzle, as prices vary significantly based on brand, region, and whether it is sold individually or in bulk.