There are so many delicious international desserts that you can learn to make at home! From French pastries to Italian gelato, there’s a world of sweet treats waiting for you to discover. Here are some popular international desserts that you can easily recreate in your own kitchen:
French Macarons
These delicate and colorful almond meringue cookies are a favorite around the world. With a crisp shell and chewy interior, macarons come in a variety of flavors and fillings. Here’s how you can make them at home:
- Whip egg whites and sugar into stiff peaks.
- Fold in almond flour and powdered sugar.
- Pipe small circles onto a baking sheet and let them rest before baking.
- Fill with your favorite ganache, buttercream, or jam.
Italian Tiramisu
This classic Italian dessert features layers of coffee-soaked ladyfingers and creamy mascarpone cheese. Tiramisu is a crowd-pleaser that’s surprisingly easy to make at home. Here’s a simple recipe you can try:
- Whip together mascarpone cheese, egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla extract.
- Dip ladyfingers in espresso and layer them in a dish with the mascarpone mixture.
- Repeat the layers and dust with cocoa powder.
- Refrigerate for a few hours to let the flavors meld together.
Japanese Mochi
This chewy and sweet Japanese dessert is made from glutinous rice flour and can be filled with various flavors like red bean paste, ice cream, or fruit. Here’s how you can make mochi at home:
- Mix glutinous rice flour, sugar, and water in a microwave-safe bowl.
- Cover and microwave until the mixture turns into a sticky dough.
- Dust a work surface with cornstarch and knead the dough until smooth.
- Divide the dough into small pieces, flatten them, and fill with your desired filling.
Argentinian Alfajores
These delicious sandwich cookies are a staple in Argentina and are made with two buttery shortbread cookies filled with dulce de leche. Here’s how you can make alfajores at home:
- Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Gradually add in flour, cornstarch, and baking powder to form a dough.
- Roll out the dough, cut out circles, and bake until lightly golden.
- Sandwich two cookies together with a generous amount of dulce de leche.
Indian Gulab Jamun
These sweet and syrupy milk-based balls are a popular dessert in India and are often served during festivals and celebrations. Here’s how you can make gulab jamun at home:
- Mix together milk powder, flour, baking soda, ghee, and milk to form a dough.
- Shape the dough into small balls and fry until golden brown.
- Make a sugar syrup flavored with cardamom and rose water.
- Soak the fried balls in the syrup until they absorb all the sweetness.
Mexican Tres Leches Cake
This moist and decadent cake gets its name from the three types of milk used to soak the sponge cake – evaporated milk, condensed milk, and heavy cream. Here’s how you can make tres leches cake at home:
- Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, beat eggs and sugar until pale and fluffy.
- Gradually fold in the dry ingredients and pour the batter into a cake pan.
- Bake until golden brown and poke holes in the cake before pouring the milk mixture over it.