A dessert is typically the sweet course that, after the entrée and main course, concludes a meal in the culture of many countries, particularly Western culture. The course usually consists of sweet foods, but may include other items. The word "dessert" originated from the French word desservir "to clear the table" and the negative of the Latin word servire.[2] There are a wide variety of desserts in western cultures, including cakes, cookies, biscuits, gelatins, pastries, ice creams, pies, puddings, and candies. Fruit is also commonly found in dessert courses because of its natural sweetness. Many different cultures have their own variations of similar desserts around the world, such as in Russia, where many breakfast foods such as blini, oladyi, and syrniki can be served with honey and jam to make them popular as desserts.

An assortment of desserts.
A chocolate-strawberry crumble ball.
Indian confectionery desserts (known as mithai, or sweets in some parts of India). Sugar and desserts have a long history in India: by about 500 BC, people in India had developed the technology to produce sugar crystals. In the local language, these crystals were called khanda (खण्ड), which is the source of the word candy.[1]

By type

edit

Brand name desserts

edit

Cakes

edit

Cake is a form of bread or bread-like food. In its modern forms, it is typically a sweet baked dessert. In its oldest forms, cakes were normally fried breads or cheesecakes, and normally had a disk shape. Modern cake, especially layer cakes, normally contain a combination of flour, sugar, eggs, and butter or oil, with some varieties also requiring liquid (typically milk or water) and leavening agents (such as yeast or baking powder).

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

O

P

Q

R

S

T

U

W

Y

Z

Confectionery and candies

edit

Confectionery is related to the food items that are rich in sugar and often referred to as a confection. Candy is a confection made from a concentrated solution of sugar in water, to which flavorings and colorants may be added. Candies come in numerous colors and varieties and have a long history in popular culture.

 
cotton candy

Confectionery

edit

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

N

O

P

Q

R

S

T

Z

Cookies

edit

In the United States and Canada a cookie is a small, flat, baked treat, usually containing flour, eggs, sugar, and either butter or cooking oil, and often including ingredients such as raisins, oats, or chocolate chips.

Custards

edit

Custard is a variety of culinary preparations based on a cooked mixture of milk or cream and egg yolk. Depending on how much egg or thickener is used, custard may vary in consistency from a thin pouring sauce (crème anglaise) to a thick pastry cream (crème pâtissière) used to fill éclairs. Most common custards are used as desserts or dessert sauces and typically include sugar and vanilla. Custard bases may also be used for quiches and other savory foods. Sometimes flour, corn starch, or gelatin is added as in pastry cream or crème pâtissière.

Dessert sauces

edit
 
Chocolate syrup on top of ice cream

Dessert sauces are used to add flavor and texture to desserts, and tend to be sweet.

Italian cuisine

edit

Doughnuts

edit

A doughnut, or donut, is a type of fried dough confectionery or dessert food. The doughnut is popular in many countries and prepared in various forms as a sweet snack that can be homemade or purchased in bakeries, supermarkets, food stalls, and franchised specialty outlets.

Frozen desserts

edit

Frozen dessert is the generic name for desserts made by freezing liquids, semi-solids, and sometimes even solids.

Ice cream

edit

Ice cream is a frozen dessert usually made from dairy products, such as milk and cream and often combined with fruits or other ingredients and flavors. Ice cream became popular throughout the world in the second half of the 20th century after cheap refrigeration became common.

Pastries

edit

Pastry is the name given to various kinds of baked products made from ingredients such as flour, sugar, milk, butter, shortening, baking powder, and eggs.[3] Small tarts and other sweet baked products are called "pastries."

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

N

P

Q

R

S

T

U

V

W Y

Z

 
An assortment of pastries and cakes in a pâtisserie

Pastries with poppy seeds

edit

Pies

edit

A pie is a baked dish which is usually made of a pastry dough casing that covers or completely contains a filling of various sweet or savoury ingredients.

Sweet pies

edit

Tarts

edit
 
Tarte Tatin

A tart is a baked dish consisting of a filling over a pastry base with an open top not covered with pastry. The pastry is usually shortcrust pastry; the filling may be sweet or savory, though modern tarts are usually fruit-based, sometimes with custard.

Puddings

edit

Pudding is usually a dessert, but it can also be a savory dish. In the United Kingdom and most Commonwealth countries, pudding can be used to describe both sweet and savory dishes. However, unless qualified, the term in everyday usage typically denotes a dessert. In the United States and Canada, pudding characteristically denotes a sweet milk-based dessert similar in consistency to egg-based custards, instant custards, or a mousse.

By country

edit

Algeria

edit

Argentina

edit
 
Argentine pionono with dulce de leche

Australia

edit

Azerbaijan

edit

Bangladesh

edit
 
Chomchom, traditional Bengali sweet originated from Porabari, Tangail, Bangladesh.

Bosnia and Herzegovina

edit

Brazil

edit

Bulgaria

edit

Canada

edit
 
A pecan butter tart

Chile

edit

China

edit

Czech Republic

edit

Finland

edit

France

edit

Germany

edit

Greece

edit
 
Loukoumades

Hong Kong

edit

Hungary

edit

India

edit
 
Chhena Gaja from Pahala, Orissa, India

Indonesia

edit

Iran

edit
 
Kolompeh from Kerman,Iran

Italy

edit
 
Cassatas are popular and traditional Sicilian desserts.

Italian pastries

edit

Japan

edit
 
Hakuto jelly is a seasonal Japanese dessert available in the summer.

Korea

edit

Luxembourg

edit

Malaysia

edit

Mexico

edit

Netherlands

edit

New Zealand

edit
 
Afghan biscuits

Pakistan

edit

Peru

edit

Philippines

edit

Poland

edit
 
Filhos

Portugal

edit

Romania

edit

Romanian pastries

edit

Russia

edit
 
Russian kartoshka (potato) cake

Slovenia

edit
 
Kremna rezina

South Africa

edit

Spain

edit

Sri Lanka

edit

Switzerland

edit

Swiss pastries

edit

Syria

edit

Taiwan

edit
 
A plate of Bàobīng with strawberries and condensed milk

Thailand

edit

Turkey

edit

Turkish pastries

edit
 
Şekerpare

Ukraine

edit
 
Syrnyky with jam

United Arab Emirates

edit

United Kingdom

edit

Scotland

edit

United States

edit

Uruguay

edit

Vietnam

edit
 
Bánh phu thê, wrapped in palm leaves

By region

edit

Indian Subcontinent

edit
Sweets from the Indian subcontinent
Khoya sweets with varaq
Bal mithai
Khoa and almond mithais
Bengal sweets in India
Collection in UK
Sohan sweets in India
Street sweets in India
A sample of sweets from the Indian subcontinent

Bengal

edit

Latin America

edit

Latin America is a highly diverse area with cuisines that vary from nation to nation. Desserts in Latin American cuisine include, rice pudding, tres leches cake, teja and flan.

Polynesia

edit

Southern Africa

edit

In Southern Africa, desserts may simply be fruit, but there are some western style puddings, such as the Angolan cocada amarela, which was inspired by Portuguese cuisine.

By time period

edit

Middle Ages

edit

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ Elizabeth Abbot (2010). Sugar: A Bitterweet History. Penguin. ISBN 978-1-590-20297-5.
  2. ^ "Dessert". Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster Incorporated. Archived from the original on 27 February 2021. Retrieved 15 October 2012.
  3. ^ "Pastry". Encyclopædia Britannica. Archived from the original on 11 November 2013. Retrieved 3 January 2014.

Further reading

edit