Cuberdons are a colourful and tasty treat from Ghent that you should try if you are visiting Belgium.
Cuberdons are a traditional confection from Ghent, available at stalls in Groentenmarkt square as well as in various shops throughout the city. Because of their conical appearance, they are sometimes known as neuzekes (little noses). They are primarily raspberry-flavoured, with a candy crust and syrupy filling.
When you taste them, it’s like an explosion of sugar and fruit flavour inside your mouth. It’s a delightful sensation that dances on your tongue, leaving you craving more with each bite. The vibrant notes of sweetness mingle perfectly, creating a symphony of flavours that are utterly irresistible.
The origin of cuberdons
According to the most common version, the original cuberdon formula dates back to 1873. It was then that a Ghent chemist named De Vick dumped a batch of therapeutic syrup. When De Vick returned a few days later, he saw that the syrup’s top had hardened to form an outer crust, while the centre was still liquid. Inspired, he created a new candy and opened a shop, and thus the cuberdon was born. When Antoine Geldhof worked at De Vick’s factory in Ghent in the 1950s, he learnt the recipe and went on to establish Confiserie Geldhof, the current market leader for cuberdons.
The narrative of a clergyman who created cuberdons for the first time in the 19th century and lived close to Bruges is another explanation for the origin of cuberdons and their name. It was given the moniker “bonnet de cure” (priest’s hat) for this reason. The fact that the Dutch word “kuper” means “cone” seems to support its Flemish origins. The Flemish refer to the sweet as a “neuzeke”, which translates to “small nose”, rather than a “cuberdon”, as their Walloon neighbours do.
How cuberdons are made
The original recipe for cuberdons required gum arabic, sugar, glucose, and starch. The ingredients are boiled together, then placed in a conical mould and baked for at least 12 hours before cooling. Their primary colour is purple because they are raspberry flavoured; however, additional colours and flavours have lately been available. In recent years, varieties of cuberdons have been introduced, including orange, strawberry, jenever, ice cream, dessert sauce, and cookie flavours. Cuberdons have a limited shelf life of approximately three weeks, after which the insides begin to crystallise. Due to their poor preservation capabilities, these delicacies are seldom transported beyond the borders of Belgium.
Groentenmarkt
Nothing about Groentenmarkt’s contemporary appearance in Ghent hints at its origins as a place of execution. The square’s path changed in the nineteenth century, when the authorities installed a water pump in the centre. The pump is like an obelisk and includes two semi-circular water reservoirs that used to hold water pushed up manually. The pump was intended for the vegetable vendors on the square who sold their wares there. As a result, the square took the name “Groentenmarkt”, meaning “vegetable market”. However, the square is also home to the city’s unique culinary treasure. The square is the place in Ghent where the authentic cuberdons are sold in brightly coloured stalls.
Where can you buy cuberdons
Although the most common place to buy cuberdons is the Groentenmarkt in Ghent, they may also be found in a variety of shops in Ghent and other Belgian cities, particularly those that sell traditional products such as Belgian chocolate. The most charming of these establishments are the Le Belgique Gourmande chain’s shops. In addition to the usual raspberry flavour, La Belgique Gourmande provides a wide range of superb cuberdon variants such as violet, strawberry, cherry, lemon, apple, and wild fruits.
A colourful and tasty memory
Cuberdons are a colourful and tasty treat from Ghent. If you are visiting Belgium, you must try them, as you can only found them here. It is a unique experience to pick up a bag of cuberdons from a stall and savour them while wandering along Ghent’s picturesque canals and charming streets. Each time you reach into the bag, a different colour appears, and a new flavour fills your mouth. It is a colourful and tasty memory that will stay with you after your trip.
