The napolitaine : A baking creation from Mauritius

Mauritius is a multicultural country. This characteristic is clearly reflected in the food that we prepare here. In fact, the traditional Mauritian dishes are a combination of French, Chinese, Indian and creole cuisine.

© ALICE BAKES

Today I wanted to talk about a baking creation that we owe to our beautiful island; The napolitaine. It is personally one of my favorite treat. 

It was inspired by the short crust pastry that the French uses to make biscuit. A chef in Mauritius saw that and got inspired. He added his own touch and now the napolitaine is well known as two biscuit made with short crust pastry, glued together by jam and completely covered with pink royal icing. 

This delicacy can be fine everywhere, in bakeries, supermarkets, street vendors... everywhere!

Saying that the local citizen love this treat would be an understatement. 

Additionally, It also became an important part of the catholic religion in Mauritius. In fact , there is the traditional sharing of napolitaines amongst family members and friends after the confirmation of a child . However in this case, the icing is white with a Red Cross in the middle to symbolize the Holy Spirit.   

If you want to make your own, a Mauritian YouTuber uploaded a recipe on her channel. Check out her very detailed YouTube video.