This year, between Paris, Milan and Tokyo, Christmas is served on collectible plates. The great international pastry maisons present creations that go far beyond taste.

Harrods

The Grosvenor Christmas Hamper by Harrods is not simply a basket: it is an archive of British Christmas. Fine preserves, sumptuous puddings, spiced biscuits and the iconic teddy bear dressed for the season come together in a celebration of heritage and indulgence. www.harrods.com

Pierre Hermé

With the Panettone Ispahan, Pierre Hermé transforms the Italian Christmas classic into an olfactory creation: rose, raspberry and lychee. The wooden packaging, essential and graphic, embodies pure Parisian minimalism. www.pierreherme.com

Marchesi 1824

The Pandoro Corona, hand-decorated by Marchesi 1824, is a tribute to Milanese classicism. Gilding, reliefs and artisanal details turn the cake into a baroque sculpture, suspended between past and present. www.marchesi1824.com

Ladurée

Ladurée’s Bûche de Noël Signature feels as if it has stepped out of an illustrated fairytale. A delicate sugar sculpture topped with a golden-hued soufflé apple reveals an elegant entremets: vanilla sponge with muscovado sugar, a crunchy buckwheat base, melting apples, a fleur de sel caramel cream and a light vanilla mousse. At the base, a final surprise: festive macarons designed by the Chef, accompanied by vanilla-coated hazelnut pearls. www.marchesi1824.com

Cédric Grolet

For Christmas, Cédric Grolet chooses the most universal language of all: form. The result is three mousse desserts — a reindeer, a snowman and Santa Claus. Creations meant to be admired before they are tasted. cedric-grolet.com

Toshi Yoroizuka

Japanese pastry engages in a dialogue with the European imagination, resulting in an elegant, quiet and deeply contemporary synthesis. ToshiYoroizuka