Your forthcoming summer vacation is the ideal time to learn about the mouthwatering baked goods and desserts that the world has to offer. This ranking of the world’s best desserts can help you identify the kind of treats you might encounter when traveling. Or, if you’ve already been gone, you can travel the globe while baking to get over your holiday blues.
1. PASTEIS DE NATA – PORTUGUESE CUSTARD TARTS
Portuguese food is rarely mentioned when discussing the top cuisines in the world. But when it comes to the best desserts in the world, it most surely should! The traditional Portuguese custard dessert known as pasteis de nata has a flaky pastry shell that is wonderfully crunchy and filled to the brim with a sweet, creamy custard. It’s tough to eat just one of these. They are best served warm with a light cinnamon coating. If you’re taking a vacation in Portugal this year, you’ll be coming back for more! Almost 300 years ago in Belem, the inhabitants of the Jeronimos Monastery invented these tasty little treats. The original recipe was given to a nearby cafe called Pasteis de Belem after the monastery closed, and it is still kept there under lock and key. It has been attempted by almost every bakery in Lisbon, although each recipe has its own peculiarities and alterations. The pasteis de nata recipe from Delicious Magazine now makes it possible for you to make a respectable version at home. Pasteis de nata is a very deserving addition to our list of the top 10 baked goods from around the world.
2. TIRAMISU – COFFEE FLAVOURED DESSERT FROM ITALY
Although tiramisu doesn’t require an introduction, we’ll nonetheless do so. This traditional Italian delicacy is formed of coffee-soaked sponge fingers that are sandwiched between mascarpone cheese that has been whisked with eggs, sugar, and coffee flavor, and then sprinkled with cocoa. Italian for “pick-me-up,” tiramisu is the ideal way to cap off an Italian meal and is included on most menus around the nation.
The majority of sources indicate that the Italian dessert tiramisu was created in the 1960s in the Veneto region, making it still a relatively recent creation. Despite its young, tiramisu has quickly risen to the top of the list of sweets consumed worldwide, and very soon in your house!
3. GULAB JAMUN – DEEP FRIED SWEETS FROM INDIA
Unquestionably among the best desserts in the world is gulab jamun. Think of a miniature deep-fried doughnut drenched in delicious syrup. Gulab jamun is what you get when you picture something that is even better than that. Dried milk powder, flour, yoghurt, and clarified butter are combined with flavorings to make gulab jamun, which is then rolled into a ball and deep-fried. After a brief period of time in an infused syrup, it is topped with crushed nuts and served.
It is one of the best sweets in the world and is usually offered throughout Southern Asia to welcome guests or to commemorate festivals and gatherings. It’s likely that you will be served gulab jamun at a restaurant if you spend your summer vacations in India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, or Sri Lanka.
4. S’MORES – A CAMPFIRE TREAT FROM USA
You must taste a s’more if you’re traveling to North America for your summer vacation, especially because National S’mores Day is observed on the 10th of August every year!
S’mores, thought to be a contraction of the words “some” and “more,” were initially consumed around campfires at Scout camps as early as the 1920s. Two biscuits are sandwiched with melted chocolate and marshmallows, which are typically melted over the bonfire itself, to make a s’more. Why not prepare these delicious treats yourself by baking your own cookies? So when you arrive home, instead of shivering outside by a bonfire, begin baking and prepare delicious s’mores in the warmth of your cozy house!
5. CHURROS – DEEP-FRIED DOUGH STICKS FROM SPAIN
Traditional Spanish dough sticks that are deep-fried have gained enormous popularity in Latin America, particularly in Mexico, Guatemala, and Colombia. On your summer vacation, you’re sure to find them served by street vendors or in cafes in any of these nations. A dough-like pastry called choux is used to make churros, which are then fried in high oil till golden brown and dusted with sugar. They are typically served with hot chocolate or dulche de leche for breakfast, however some places may offer them as a dessert option.
Despite the fact that churros are normally deep-fried, try this recipe for baked churros for all the flavor without the hassle and guilt of deep-fat fryers. Try them out!
6. LAMINGTONS – SQUARE SPONGE CAKES FROM AUSTRALIA
Lamingtons can also have a layer of jam sandwiching two lamington halves in addition to the usual vanilla sponge square covered in chocolate and desiccated coconut.
According to legend, Lamingtons got their name from Lord Lamington, who presided as Queensland’s governor in the late 1890s. His chef, according to the legend, coated leftover vanilla sponge cake in chocolate and coconut before giving it to the unexpected guests. This strengthens the argument that the tastiest sweets in the world are frequently accidental inventions. This summer, if you’re traveling to Australia with your family, keep an eye out for these delectable sweets that can be found at any reputable bakeries there. When you arrive home, don’t let the fun end though! Recreate the bake using Eat Little Bird’s Lamingtons recipe.
7. MALVA PUDDING – WARM SPONGE FROM SOUTH AFRICA
Malva pudding is a warm, gooey sponge cake baked with apricot jam that has South African origins. It is typically served with a creamy sauce or custard. If you’re traveling to South Africa in the summer, be sure to check the dessert menus for this since it’s frequently served there. You could be thankful for a slice of this pudding on chilly days considering that South Africa will be in winter throughout our summer vacation.
Due to its texture, which is similar to a marshmallow, the term Malva can be derived from the Afrikaans word for marshmallow. Although the exact source of this delectable dish from throughout the world is unknown, it is most likely a Cape Dutch recipe. Malva pudding is particularly palatable due to its comfortable texture and delectable flavor. Even better, making it is quite simple. Try this BBC Good Food recipe for malva pudding to see how it turns out.
8. BAKLAVA – A SWEET PUDDING FROM THE MIDDLE EAST
Without Middle Eastern baklava, no list of the world’s top sweets and desserts would be complete. It’s a sweet pudding that is frequently offered at restaurants when you receive the check, but you can also order it from cafés as a mid-morning or late-afternoon snack. Baklava is comprised of layers of filo dough that is as thin as paper, butter, chopped nuts, and a sweet syrup scented with orange or rosewater. Typically, it is prepared in large tins, baked, and then drizzled with additional syrup before being divided into smaller pieces.
Baklava’s origins are contested, with claims dating as far back as the second century BC from both Greece and Turkey. Regardless of where it originated, it remains a favorite today and merits a spot on this list of the top 10 baked goods from around the globe. If you want to make baklava at home with store-bought filo dough and pistachio nuts, Lucy Loves has a beautiful, straightforward recipe for you.
9. BAKING WITH MATCHA FROM JAPAN
Green tea leaves are ground into a powder called matcha. Although this doesn’t seem like a typical flavoring for sweet baked goods, it provides baked goods a delicate flavor that is great in many sweets, from matcha cakes and cookies to green tea ice cream.
It’s almost as common as chocolate in the UK, so anyone traveling to Japan over the summer will see matcha-flavored goodies in cafes, restaurants, and street food stands. Have a peek at Just One Cookbook’s blog for some inspiration if your trip to Japan has you daydreaming about creating your own matcha-based meals.
10. RUM CAKE FROM THE CARIBBEAN
One of the best traditional sweets from around the world is rum cake. Rum cake is a type of sponge cake that has its roots in the Caribbean. It is baked in a savarin mold, giving it a slightly doughnut-like shape, and then is soaked in rum. There are many options because icing, dried fruit, and nuts are frequently used as the topping.
Although it is often served during the holiday season, tons of grocery stores and gift shops sell it to tourists! When you sample rum cake in the Caribbean, be sure to check the alcohol content. Some claim that it makes them feel drunk!