5 of the Best Baked Desserts from Around the World

[Natalie Wilson]

Sakaman

If you were to imagine the best dessert or baked item in the world, then your favourite would likely be very different from your friends and family members. From childhood treats to family recipes, there are many foods that are personal to each individual and this is especially true when it comes to desserts. Sugary, sweet treats hold a lot of nostalgia for most people and often these bakes and desserts use influence from local flavours.

A lot of these “desserts” are actually classed as afternoon snacks or morning eats, depending on their cultural heritage. And they're often cross-cultural  - tiramisù, for example, relies heavily on chocolate, coffee and sugar, all of which arrived in Italy via the global trade market, whilst dan tats from Hong Kong have links to Portugal and its pasteis de nata.

Whilst there can never be a definitive list of the best bakes from around the world, here are five of what I consider the best! 

Baklava - Turkey/Middle East

This sweet treat made from dozens of layers of pastry which come together in one single bite (top) is widespread across North Africa and the Middle East, but the spiritual home of baklava is Turkey, where it originated as a staple of Ottoman cuisine. Here pastry shops serve huge, great trays of baklava sliced into diamond shapes, which are filled with ground nuts and honey syrup. With a simple list of ingredients and multiple variations, it is often ranked in the world’s best-baked goods from around the world, and for good reason!

Mikelo

Black Forest Cake - Germany

In addition to mountaintop castles and fairytale scenery, Germany’s Schwarzwald region, in the southwestern state of Baden-Württemberg, is the place where the country's most luscious confection  originated. Thought to have been invented in 1915,  Black Forest gâteau is made up of layers of dark-chocolate sponge cake interspersed with layers of whipped cream. The whole thing is doused in cherry syrup and kirschwasser (sour cherry brandy) and crowned with dark-chocolate shavings and fresh cherries. 

mat's eye

Cannoli - Sicily

These tube-shaped shells of fied pastry dough stuffed with a sweet, creamy filling based on ricotta cheese have a long and honored history in Italian cuisine - traced by some food historieas back to the 9th century. Apart from the traditional ricotta-sheepsmilk filling, other flavors have been added, including pistachio, lemon, Nutella, and strawberry, and various toppings such as nuts and chocolate chips/shavings are also added to each end, where the filling emerges from the pastry shell.

Joel Kramer

Crème Brûlée - France

This French classic is a tasty study in contrasts: a thin, hard layer of sugar burnt just to the edge of bitterness, overlaying rich, silky smooth vanilla custard. Often made using pure cream, crème brûlee ("burnt cream") must be gently cooked in a bain marie (double boiler) in order to prevent curdling. Meanwhile, the crispy caramelized sugar is achieved with a small kitchen blowtorch. Oftentimes Grand Marnier is added but other flavorings (such as violet) may be substituted.

Cabeza2000

Gulab Jamun - India

Popular in India and elsehwere in South Asia but actually a medieval import from Iran via Turkic conquerors from Central Asia, according to traditional recipes gulab jamun is made from dough which starts with kohya, a reduction of buffalo or cows milk simmered for hours over a low flame, lending the finished product a soft, melting texture. These balls are then fried in ghee, then soaked in a rich, rosewater-scented sugar syrup. . 

Half the fun of travelling is enjoying rich, unfamiliar cuisines, including their desserts. It's also fun to recreate these at home - so book your next trip soon, and in the meantime check out your nearest ethnic grocery store or look online for baking ingredients and get cooking today!