As a result of the preparation method, kichel cookies are light and airy, which earned them the nickname of nothings. The ingredient list is short and simple; eggs, flour, sugar, salt, oil, and sometimes baking powder. Although sweet, they are often eaten with savory dips or with chopped herring in South Africa.
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Cantonese mooncakes are a type of traditional Chinese pastry that is notably enjoyed during the Mid-Autumn Festival, which is a significant festival in many Asian countries. These mooncakes are distinctive with their tender, thin, and slightly browned crust and are usually filled with sweet, dense fillings.
The most common filling in Cantonese mooncakes is lotus seed paste, which is smooth and sweet, and usually contains salted egg yolks, representing the full moon and offering a savory contrast to the sweet filling. Another distinctive feature is their appearance: the top of the mooncake is typically embossed with Chinese characters indicating the type of filling, the name of the bakery, and additional decorative motifs.
Yeot is a group of South Korean confectionery made with steamed glutinous rice, sweet potatoes, and corn. There is a big variety of yeot candies such as hobakyeot (made with pumpkin), kkaeyeot (rolled in sesame seeds), and boriyeot (made with barley).
These traditional products can be produced either in liquid or solid form. Solid yeot is commonly consumed as a snack, while liquid yeot is often used as a replacement for sugar in a variety of sweet dishes.
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Uirō is a sweet Japanese cake consisting of sugar, rice flour, and water. The cake is traditionally steamed until it develops a chewy texture. It dates back to the 16th century, when it was used as a part of Japanese tea ceremonies, a tradition that is also practiced today.
There are a number of variations on the cake, so it can be flavored with ingredients such as matcha, chestnuts, strawberries, or azuki bean paste. Although it's made from the same ingredients as mochi, the method of preparation is different - uirō is poured into a mold and steamed, while mochi is pounded in order to become sticky.
In its original form, guilinggao was a herbal paste that consisted of the powdered plastron (bottom shell of Golden coin turtle) and a variety of flowers, herbs, spices, roots, and tree barks. Although it was initially used as a health remedy, modern variations are mainly enjoyed as a well-chilled, refreshing jelly dessert.
Since the Golden coin turtle is critically endangered, the original paste is nowadays rarely found and usually comes with a hefty price tag. Many producers opt to use other turtle species, and guilinggao nowadays usually appears as a canned version, or as a powder mix that is easily made into jelly.
MOST ICONIC Guilinggao
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This unique Turkish dessert consists of dried apricots that are first cooked in a lemon-flavored syrup until soft, then stuffed with kaymak—a type of clotted cream made with water buffalo milk. In the end, the apricots are rolled in ground pistachios.
Fruity, creamy, and nutty all at once, kaymaklı kayısı delivers an interesting combination of textures and flavors. To enhance their color, the apricots can also be simmered in red wine, and alternatively garnished with walnuts or hazelnuts, while blanched almonds can also be added to the cream filling.
Inipit is a popular Filipino dessert consisting of two sponge cakes combined with a creamy, custard-like filling. Although it exists in many versions, the most common combination of flavors is plain vanilla sponge with a mashed potato filling. It originated in the city of Malolos and was invented by Salome P.
De Ramos in the 1940s. Nowadays, it is one of the most famous signature dessert stemming from the Bulacan region, and it is usually sold at traditional Filipino bakeries.
MOST ICONIC Inipit
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Shio daifuku is a traditional confectionery which consists of chewy mochi shells filled with creamy or coarse anko red bean paste. Unlike other daifuku varieties, the red bean paste in shio daifuku is lightly salted, which results in an unusual combination of sweet and savory flavors.
They are usually round, and occasionally whole black beans are incorporated in the mochi wrapper. These soft cakes are a staple at many specialized daifuku shops, but they can also be commonly found in many stores and supermarkets throughout the country.
MOST ICONIC Shio daifuku
A common staple at every special occasion in Korea is a rich and sweet rice cake known as yaksik. It is made with a combination of steamed glutinous rice, honey, pine nuts, dried jujube fruit, and chestnuts. The dessert is infused with a dark brown sauce consisting of caramelized sugar, cinnamon, soy sauce, and sesame oil.
The cake is then steamed until all the elements are bound and the sauce develops a more pronounced flavor. The sticky and warm yaksik is usually scooped with a spoon from the tray, and when chilled, it is easily cut into squares and can be eaten by hand.
Omani halwa is a gelatinous and sticky sweet that is commonly served at weddings, birthdays, festivities, and during the holy week of Ramadan. The ingredients vary from one halwa-maker to another, but the base is usually made with water, sugar, ghee butter, and cornflour.
Halwas can be flavored with anything from rosewater and saffron to dried fruits and nuts. Aromatic and extremely flavorful, Omani halwa is traditionally served with kahwa (coffee).
MOST ICONIC Omani halwa
TasteAtlas food rankings are based on the ratings of the TasteAtlas audience, with a series of mechanisms that recognize real users and that ignore bot, nationalist or local patriotic ratings, and give additional value to the ratings of users that the system recognizes as knowledgeable. For the “100 Worst Rated Asian Desserts” list until March 26, 2025, 38,167 ratings were recorded, of which 14,176 were recognized by the system as legitimate. TasteAtlas Rankings should not be seen as the final global conclusion about food. Their purpose is to promote excellent local foods, instill pride in traditional dishes, and arouse curiosity about dishes you haven’t tried.