Is there anything better than finishing off a deliciously savory meal and knowing that, after a brief break and maybe some coffee, there’s a sweet, silky, or crumbly dessert waiting for you? No meal is ever really complete without a dessert course! The relationship that sweet-toothed people have with desserts is something akin to man and their best friend. From the best cherry pie to towering lemon meringue, from koeksisters to gateau, from bread and butter pudding to sago pudding. Desserts from all over the world are out there, just waiting for you to sample them. An entire planet filled with sweet companions to round off any meal; the sheer delight of it!
1. Cannoli- Sicily
Though Cannoli is now enjoyed all year, every year, this divine little cream roll was initially created to be consumed over the Italian period of Carnivale, potentially as a symbol of fertility. We’ll leave the details of that symbolism to your imagination! Cannoli were also made in a giant form, called Cannoli Giganteschi, for those who just couldn’t get enough, and a baby form called cannoli chip, for those who just wanted a little taste. Cannoli are made from a hard, crackly, deliciously buttery pastry shell that gives way at a bite. Contained inside this shell is classic Sicilian ricotta. The citrus flavor often found in this creamy cheese speaks of the Arab influence on Sicilian cooking.
2. Kulfi- India
There are many tasty treats in the ice-cream family, and Kulfi is definitely one of the best. This traditional Indian dessert is a labor of love, as classic recipes often require hour upon hour of constant stirring over a low, open flame. This continuous stirring is part of what gives Kulfi its rich, smooth taste and texture. The fresh milk in the pot simmers over a flame for hours, eventually reducing to the creamiest parts of the milk, becoming an almost caramelized texture brought out by the milk’s natural sugars. Today, Kulfi is commercially made and available in a wide range of flavors, but the classic version is flavored with rose, cardamom, saffron, and mango.
3. Sticky Toffee Pudding- UK
While this is certainly not the most exotic dessert on the list, a good old-fashioned Sticky Toffee Pudding is a dish known and loved in many places all over the world. The dish does have the UK to thank for its origins, but something so tasty was never going to stay hidden in its home country for long! The warm, comforting nostalgia evoked by this sticky, cake-like dish is undeniable. This treat is a soft cake studded with sweet, chopped dates in its most traditional form. The cake is served drowned in a delicious, thick sauce.
4. Tres Leches Cake- Mexico and Central America
If you aren’t of Latin American descent yourself or don’t live in the US, it’s possible that you might not have heard of this decadent cake yet. Lucky for you, we’ve got the scoop! Tres Leches is an immensely popular cake, given its rich flavor by the “three kinds of milk” that the name implies. This fluffy sponge cake is made with condensed milk, evaporated milk, and cream, so the flavor is layered and delicious. This isn’t a crumbly, dry cake, but something so moist that it’s almost drinkable!
5. Apfelstrudel-Austria
Oh, gluten, how we love you and all the good you do in baking! Strudel dough of any kind relies entirely on the gluten in its flour as the traditional dough is not rolled but stretched into fine, thin sheets of pastry. Traditional Austrian bakers all say that these sheets should be thin enough to read the newspaper through! Once rolled or stretched into its thinnest form, this dough is wrapped delicately around its apple filling: sliced apple, buttered and fried breadcrumbs, walnuts, and raisins. Apfelstrudel is available all over the world, but the best versions are to be found in Vienna.
6. Burma- The Middle East and Turkey
If you like Baklava, you’ll love Borma! This Turkish and Middle Eastern delicacy is made from fried and golden dough, which hides a sweet, rich, nutty filling. Broma is usually a fried dessert but can be baked as well. Frying Borma adds an extra layer of richness and flavor to this dessert and creates the traditionally crisp, crunchy pastry texture that stays firm and composed even after bathing in sugary syrup. Burma is rolled, similarly to Cannelloni, and is sliced into small pieces showing off its internal treasure of pistachios, walnuts, or pine nuts.
7. Brownies- USA
Brownies hardly need any introduction as they are enjoyed in most Western places in the world today. A chocolate brownie (brownies of any other flavor are NOT brownies) can be a variety of things; it can be dry and crumbly, moist and sticky, hard on the outside, and soft on the inside. This cake-like dessert has a variety of forms, but one aspect remains constant no matter how they’re made; they have to be rich and very, very chocolatey.
8. Cardamom Buns- Sweden
Any dessert type that has its own day on the Swedish calendar has to be something worth trying! Though the holiday (October 4th) is dedicated to the cardamom bun’s sweeter twin, the cinnamon bun, it is a much-held belief that cardamom buns are simply the better choice. From the family vestibular (wheat buns), the cardamom bun is a traditional part of the “Fika,” a tea or coffee break that comes twice a day in many Swedish workplaces. This almost spicy treat is mellowed by being baked into sweet yeast dough.
9. Crème Brûlée, France
Creme Brulee is most famous for the tough, crackly layer of burned, caramelized sugar that coats its precious, custardy interior. The best part of this dessert (other than eating it, of course) is using the back of your spoon to crack that hard exterior and scoop out shards of caramel swathed in thick, gooey baked custard. This French custard is baked carefully in a water bath to prevent the eggs from overcooking or curdling.
10. Eszterházy Torta, Hungary
This delicious dessert harkens back to the days when the Austro-Hungarian Empire was not a force to be trifled with. The legacy of the reach of this empire of old can still be seen in the windows of pastry shops from Sarajevo to Vienna, and especially in this rich torta. An elegant cake worthy of its imperial heritage, the Eszterházy Torta is layer upon layer of almond meringue piled up with chocolate buttercream and finally, chocolate and vanilla fondant in the traditional spider web pattern.