March 2022
Dessert Traditions from Around the World

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essert is one of the most exciting meals on a menu, no matter where you are. From rich chocolate cakes to light fluffy pastries, almost every country has its own way of satisfying a sweet tooth. Whilst you travel you will get to learn about different food cultures as you eat around the world. But, to save you the trip, here we’ll explore the most delicious dessert culture and food traditions, that’ll make you want to buy a plane ticket. Or, place an order for a delicious cake delivery!
1. Tiramisu - Italy
Tiramisu is a rich coffee-flavoured dessert from the wonderful country of Italy. The name translates to “pick me up“ in Italian, it's the perfect after-dinner treat! Its made with coffee-dipped ladyfingers and layered with a mixture of eggs, sugar, and mascarpone cheese. Then, finished topped with cocoa- delicious! Try baking Tiramisu yourself at home.
2. Crème Brûlée - France
Crème brûlée, also known as ‘burned cream’ is one of the most-loved food traditions in France. It’s rich and indulgent, made with creamy custard and topped with a layer of crunchy caramelised sugar. You can now find this dessert throughout divine restaurants around the world.
3. Gulab Jamun - India
Gulab Jamun is one of India's most popular desserts in their food culture, but it's also popular in Southeast Asia. It’s a sweet treat of fried dough balls soaked in sticky sugar syrup. Traditionally, the syrup has a rose flavour which is where it gets its name from. Gulab means ‘rose water’ and ‘Jamun’ refers to a petite berry, just like itself.
4. Apple Pie - USA
We all know and love apple pie! But did you know it come from the USA? Made up of juicy apples wrapped in a pastry crust, it’s so delicious! Best served with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or custard, this is an American dessert you need to try if you haven’t already.
5. Mochi - Japan
You can find these little balls of goodness all year round in Japan, but they are typically made to celebrate Japanese New Year. Mochi is a rice cake made from mochigome. It’s made with chewy rice that’s steamed then hammered into a paste and finally rounded into balls. In Japanese food culture, it is traditionally filled with sweet red bean paste. But, if you travel to Japan today, you’ll also be able to find then it is filled with smooth ice cream.
6. Banoffee Pie - England
Banoffee pie, a wonderful pie filled with bananas, cream, toffee, and sometimes chocolate or coffee, originates from England food culture. With a similar taste to the traditional banoffee pie, taste our Banoffee Gateau. It pairs perfectly with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Baklava is one of the world’s tastiest, sweet desserts. In the Middle East, it’s traditionally served at the end of a meal in restaurants when you’re given the bill. It’s made from layers of filo pastry, butter, almonds, and orange or rose-scented syrup. Before serving, even more syrup is added - what a treat!
8. Rum Cake - Caribbean
One of the tastiest desserts from around the world is rum cake and it comes from Caribbean food culture. It’s a sponge cake baked in a savarin mould which gives it a slightly doughnut-like shape. Next, it’s soaked in rum, hence the name. There are several options for toppings, including frosting, dried fruit, and nuts. The cake is a fabulous treat to share at celebrations with family and friends.
9. Gelato – Italy
If you’re lucky enough to travel to Italy you’ll walk the beautiful streets and find plenty of restaurants and cafes serving gelato. The choice of flavours is impeccable! It’s the Italian version of ice cream, it's soft and delicious. Make sure you try the chocolate, pistachio and classic vanilla gelato.
10. Churros – Spain
Churros are deep-fried dough sticks that originated in Spain, but they've become extremely famous all around the globe. They are made from choux-like pastry that is piped into hot oil through a star-shaped nozzle. Next, they are fried and then dusted with sugar. They taste amazing dipped in chocolate sauce!
There are so many tasty desserts from different cultures around the world. Food and travel go hand in hand - you can’t visit all these beautiful places without tasting their local delicacies. We hope we’ve inspired you to try them! To taste a selection of our scrumptious desserts, try our Patisserie Boxes, Cakes, and Easter Treats!