Cougnou facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Cougnou

A quéniole of Valenciennes
Alternative names	Bread of Jesus
Type	Sweet bread
Place of origin	Low Countries
Main ingredients	Flour, eggs, milk, yeast, raisins, sugar

A cougnou

Cougnou, also known as the bread of Jesus, is a special sweet bread. People usually bake it around Christmas time. It's a traditional food from the southern parts of the Low Countries, which include countries like Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg.

What is Cougnou?

This sweet bread is shaped like a baby Jesus. It is made with simple ingredients like flour, eggs, milk, yeast, raisins, and sugar.

People often give cougnou to children during Christmas and on St. Martin's Day. It's a popular treat to enjoy with a warm cup of hot chocolate.

Many Names for One Sweet Bread

This delicious bread has many different names, depending on where you are! Here are some of them:

• In places like Lille and Tournai, it's called Coquille.
• In the old region of Hainaut, you might hear it called Cougnolle or Cognolle.
• In areas where people speak Walloon, such as Charleroi, Namur, and Brussels, it's known as Cougnou.
• If you are in Cambraisis, it's called Quéniolle.
• In French Flanders, especially near Dunkirk, people call it Volaeren or Folards.

Special Decorations

Cougnou is often decorated in different ways, depending on the region.

• In Hainaut and Romance Flanders, it's decorated with small round clay pieces called Ronds.
• These Ronds were traditionally made from clay found in Baudour, but today they are usually made from plaster.
• In other places, the bread might have special cuts, or be decorated with flowers or sugar.

See also

In Spanish: Cougnou para niños