Asian Desserts

Mochi, the tiny cakes made out of glutinous rice, are an important part of Japanese cuisine and culture. The preparation of mochi starts with a time-consuming process of pounding boiled or steamed rice, usually the glutinous mochigome var... READ MORE

Wagashi are traditional Japanese sweets that are usually made from natural, plant-based ingredients such as grains and azuki beans. The sweet treats are typically served with tea and are classified into three categories: namagashi (fresh ... READ MORE

Turkish ice cream is believed to originate from the city of Maraş—hence the name—and what really sets it apart from other varieties is its resistance to melting and a particularly dense, chewy texture. These qualities are brought by ad... READ MORE

Tteok are traditional Korean rice cakes that are prepared with glutinous or non-glutinous rice. The cakes are incredibly versatile, and although they are mostly sweet and enjoyed as a dessert, some plain varieties can be incorporated into savory d... READ MORE

Daifuku, often referred to as daifukumochi, is a popular Japanese confectionery. It is usually shaped into small round balls, which consist of a chewy outer layer and a creamy, sweet filling. The daifuku shell is made with mo... READ MORE

Ma'amoul is an ancient cookie filled with fruits and nuts such as dates, walnuts, and pistachios. The cookies are traditionally prepared for Easter, festivals, and celebrations, and they are typically shaped into balls or domes. In order to differ... READ MORE

Manjū is a steamed Japanese confectionery product shaped into various forms and incorporating different ingredients and flavors. Usually, there are two main parts of manju, the outer shell, created out of kneaded wheat or rice flour, and the cream... READ MORE

Kasutera is a traditional sponge cake made with sugar, flour, eggs, and starchy syrup. This Nagasaki specialty is raised solely by egg foam, with no added butter or oil, and has a soft, moist, and spongy texture. The cake is also known as Cast... READ MORE

Kakigōri is a Japanese dessert consisting of shaved ice and flavored, typically fruit-based syrup. It can also be sweetened with condensed or evaporated milk and topped with mochi and sweet bean paste. Its origins date back to the Haeian period (7... READ MORE

The remarkable baklava is a luscious dessert created with layers of thin phyllo dough intertwined with chopped nuts, all doused in a sweet, viscous syrup. The popularity of baklava has long surpassed borders, regions, and ethnic groups to become a... READ MORE

Dango is a traditional sweet treat, presented as rice flour and sugar dumplings skewered on a bamboo stick. Some region-specific versions use other types of flour (such as potato or millet flour) or different ingredients such as green tea or azuki... READ MORE

Mehalabiya is a creamy Arabian dessert, in many ways similar to the French blancmange. It is made with a mixture of milk and sugar, cooked and thickened with rice flour or cornstarch, and usually flavored with orange blossom or rose water... READ MORE

Fènglísū are Taiwanese pineapple cakes, one of the country's most popular desserts and souvenirs. The cakes consist of a buttery, crumbly crust that is filled with a tangy, slightly sweet pineapple jam. The name of the dish is derive... READ MORE

One of the most famous Chinese desserts is the classic egg tart, a delicious pastry consisting of a flaky outer shell with a creamy, but firm egg custard in the center. The origin of this traditional Chinese dessert is vague. It is believed that i... READ MORE

Lokum are succulent, sugary cubes from Türkiye based on a gel of starch and sugar. Traditionally, lokum is flavored with rose water, lemon, bergamot orange, mastic, or mint, but the Turkish favorite remains a lokum of plain jelly combined wit... READ MORE

Monaka is a type of wagashi (traditional Japanese sweets) consisting of an azuki bean jam filling that is sandwiched between two thin mochi wafers. The wafers are crispy, dry, and neutral in flavor, coming in various shapes, colors, and s... READ MORE

Kaminari-okoshi, often called merely okoshi, is a popular Japanese confectionery, similar to rice crispy treats. The main ingredient in okoshi is expanded rice, created by roasting rice grains until they pop. A mix of sugar and butter or ... READ MORE

Originally a Cantonese specialty, tong sui (lit. sugar water) is a type of sweet soup or a custard-like dessert made with a base of either water or coconut milk. Extremely popular throughout the country, these sugary treats are nowadays found in t... READ MORE

Tangyuan is a traditional dessert consisting of glutinous rice flour balls, which are soft and chewy, and can be either small and plain or larger with fillings. The fillings vary but commonly include sweetened black sesame, peanut, red bean paste,... READ MORE

Purin is a popular Japanese dessert similar to flan or crème caramel. It’s a soft, creamy custard pudding topped with a layer of caramel sauce. Unlike Western-style puddings, purin has a firmer, jiggly texture that holds its shape whe... READ MORE

Aşure or Noah's pudding is often said to be one of the oldest desserts in the world. Though the exact combination of fruits, nuts, and beans can vary, aşure is most typically prepared with dried figs and apricots, golden raisins, currants... READ MORE

Known as soufflé cheesecake in Japan and cotton cheesecake or Japanese cheesecake outside of Japan, this light and fluffy dessert is made by incorporating whisked egg whites into the cake mixture (eggs, milk, suga... READ MORE

Taiyaki is a Japanese fish-shaped cake that is often consumed as a snack, made from flour and filled with azuki sweet bean paste. It is usually served warm and is often found at most taiyaki stands at any winter festival in Japan. Most people beli... READ MORE

Gaz is the Iranian variety of nougat. Nowadays it is mostly prepared with a blend of egg whites, sugar, and nuts, but the original gaz consists of slightly different ingredients. The raw gaz is an exudate of an insect, which is found and collected... READ MORE

Turkish tulumba is a hot water dough fritter traditionally found in the cuisines of the former Ottoman Empire, particularly throughout the Middle East and the Balkans. Even though tulumba (lit. pump) was named after a special tool used to make it&... READ MORE

By far one of the most popular wagashi (traditional Japanese confections) types, dorayaki is a delicious snack consisting of a sweet filling sandwiched between two fluffy pancakes. Its name stems from dora, the Japanese ... READ MORE

Kheer or payasam is an ancient Indian dessert, a creamy rice pudding that is made in several versions across the country. It is a common dish at numerous Indian ceremonies, festivals, and celebrations, although it can be consumed any time... READ MORE

Interestingly, this classic Turkish chicken breast pudding doesn't taste like chicken at all—instead, it is often flavored with cinnamon and vanilla, and is more reminiscent of a thick, creamy, and smooth milk or rice pudding, both in flavor... READ MORE

Kulfi is a traditional ice cream made with slowly simmered whole milk. Although the long-simmering process results in a loss of volume, it makes up for it with a delicious, nutty, caramelized flavor. The ice cream is characterized by its unusual, ... READ MORE

Kunāfah consists of two crunchy layers of shredded and buttered kataifi or knefe dough, filled with a luscious cheese cream that's often flavored with orange zest and cardamom, then drenched in a sugar syrup infused with lemon ju... READ MORE

Gulab jamun is a dessert based on milk solids that are kneaded into a dough, shaped into balls, and deep-fried in ghee. The balls then get soaked in a sugary concoction flavored with saffron, green cardamom, and rose water. When served, gulab jamu... READ MORE

Vietnamese chè dishes include any traditional sweet soup, beverage, pudding, or any other custard-like dessert that is made with a base of either water or coconut cream and served either hot or cold. Other ingredients for making ch... READ MORE

This traditional Thai rice pudding is a favorite way to finish any Thai meal. The dish is prepared with glutinous rice that is first steamed, then doused in sweetened coconut milk. Lastly, the rice is served sided with slices of fresh mango. This ... READ MORE

Dating back to the Ottoman times, kazandibi is a Turkish dish that can be translated to burnt bottom pudding, referring to the burnt bottom of the pan that it is cooked in. The dessert consists of butter, milk, rice flour, sugar, starch, ... READ MORE

This Turkish oven-baked rice pudding is made with water, milk, sugar, rice, and rice flour. It is a simple, light dessert that is said to have origins in the Ottoman cuisine. Although it has been traditionally flavored with rose water, the modern ... READ MORE

Japanese zenzai is an unusual dessert which combines thick red bean soup with mochi, the famous sticky rice cake. It can be made by boiling dried red beans or diluting anko (sweetened red bean paste) in water. The soup can either have a coarse or ... READ MORE

Although it is believed to have its origins in Persia, zulbia or jalebi is an international dessert with variations that spread throughout the Middle East, India, and Asia. In its basic form, this sweet dessert is created by combining flour with y... READ MORE

Egg waffle is a popular Hong Kong delicacy consisting of egg whites and yolks, milk, butter, sugar, flour, and salt. It is characterized by its puffy visual appearance and a pull-apart texture. These tiny treats are traditionally sold throughout H... READ MORE

Made with a special kind of dehydrated bread soaked in sugar syrup, the delicious ekmek kadayıfı is traditionally prepared during Turkish religious celebrations such as Şeker Bayramı (lit. festival of sweets), which marks the end of Ramadan, the I... READ MORE

Rasgulla is a traditional sweet that is usually served at the end of a meal, like many other Indian milk-based desserts. It is prepared from chhena paneer dumplings and semolina dough, cooked together in a sugary syrup. The origin of rasgulla is t... READ MORE

This internationally known, decadent, and sugar-packed dessert is usually made with a mixture of flour, sugar, yeast, and salt, which is deep-fried and then bathed in syrup or honey. The origin of lokma fritters is ancient but often debated. It is... READ MORE