Desserts are the delightful finale to any meal, offering a range of sweet treats that cater to every palate. Some cultures create desserts by sweetening traditionally savory foods, while others may not have a specific dessert course.
Types of desserts
1. Cakes: Tender, sweet bread with various flavors and decorations.
2. Puddings: Creamy, thickened desserts like rice pudding and custards.
3. Gelatin Desserts: Jellied sweets like marshmallows and flavored gelatins.
4. Biscuits and Cookies: Small, sweet baked goods such as chocolate chip cookies and shortbread.
5. Pies and Cobblers: Filled with fruit or pudding, enclosed in a crust.
6. Sugar Confections includes a diverse range of sweets, primarily made from sugar. Some popular types are candies, fudge, chocolates, marshmallow, nougat, toffee or caramels, jelly candies, and gummies.
7. Pastries: Flaky, sweet baked goods including croissants and tarts.
8. Frozen Desserts: Ice cream, gelato, and sorbet for a refreshing finish.
9. Deep-Fried Desserts: Crispy treats like doughnuts and gulab jamun.
10. Sweet Soups: Warm, sweet soups known as tong sui in Cantonese cuisine or che in Vietnamese cuisine.
11. Dessert Wines: Sweet wines like Sauternes.
Desserts in regions
Africa: In much of central and western Africa, desserts are rare, with fruit or fruit salad often serving as a sweet treat, sometimes spiced or sweetened with sauce. Colonial influences can be seen in desserts like the Angolan cocada amarela, reminiscent of Portuguese baked goods.
Asia: In Asia, desserts often function as snacks rather than a concluding course. East Asian treats frequently use rice flour and ingredients like coconut milk and palm sugar. Vietnam boasts a diverse array of sweets such as sweet soup and pudding, while bubble tea from Taiwan combines flavored tea or milk with tapioca pearls.
North America: In North America, traditional desserts range from American classics to innovative sweet treats.
South America: South American desserts include Brazil’s brigadeiros and cocada, Argentina’s dulce de leche, and Chile’s kuchen, showcasing a vibrant mix of local ingredients like coconut and guava.
Europe: European desserts vary widely, from the Turkish delights of baklava and burma kadayıf to Ukraine’s nalysnyky and the Netherlands’ vla, a custard-like dessert. France’s historical approach to desserts evolved from a final course of fruits and pastries to include a rich variety of sweet dishes.
Oceania: In Australia and New Zealand, desserts often feature fruits and elaborate cakes, with the pavlova being a notable point of cultural debate between the two countries.