Dessert

France

Glace plombi&egrave;res is a French ice cream that was originally invented as a way to cover up a cook's failure at a secret dinner party for Napoleon. There is a theory that the plombi&egrave;re part of its name refers to the leaden ice cream molds that were used in the preparation of ice cream in the past. However, Napoleon's dinner was held in the French commune called Plombi&egrave;res-les-Bains to negotiate a secret treaty, so the true origin of glace plombi&egrave;res still remains a mystery. The defining characteristic of this ice cream is the candied fruit that is ideally macerated in high-quality kirsch, which is typically dispersed throughout the dessert.

Glace plombières

United States

Glorified rice is an American Midwestern dessert consisting of rice, canned pineapple chunks, and whipped cream. The dish is traditionally garnished with a few maraschino cherries on top. Purists claim that the rice should always be cooked in cream in order to develop a tender, melting texture. The dessert was at its most popular from the 1930s to the 1950s, with numerous variations and additions such as bananas, apples, nuts, and gelatin. Today, glorified rice is mostly popular in rural Midwestern areas, and can often be found at church gatherings and potluck dinners.

Glorified Rice

Slovenia

Gluhi &scaron;truklji or snideno testo is a Slovenian specialty originating from the Vipava area. The dumplings are made with a combination of flour, leavening agent, full-fat milk, eggs, oil, salt, sugar, butter, breadcrumbs, and ground walnuts. The dough is shaped into loaves, boiled, then cut into thin slices. After they have been cut, gluhi &scaron;truklji are mixed with saut&eacute;ed breadcrumbs and sprinkled with sugar and ground walnuts. The name gluhi &scaron;truklji (deaf &scaron;truklji) refers to the fact that the dumplings have no filling.

Gluhi štruklji

Spoon sweets are a traditional Greek and Cypriot custom and a sign of hospitality &ndash; fruits, nuts, and vegetables are placed in sugar syrup, remaining firm and retaining their original color, flavor, and aroma. They are called spoon sweets because the standard serving portion is a well-filled teaspoon which is offered to guests at numerous Greek homes. It is believed that when the custom first started to appear, everyone took spoon sweets from the same bowl as a precautionary measure &ndash; it was a way to know that the food was not poisoned. Even though spoon sweets are made throughout Greece, some of them are linked to specific regions: Andros is known for lemon and orange blossoms, Chios for grapes, figs, and mandarins, Santorini and Kos for their small, cinnamon-flavored tomatoes and almonds, Crete is famous for its grape and raisin sweets, while the Peloponnese is known for every imaginable citrus. Since these sweet treats have no fat, they are one of the Mediterranean's healthiest sweet products which can even be used as a topping for ice cream, yogurt, and various cakes.

Glykó tou koutalioú

Italy

Gnocchi di prugne are plum-filled potato dumplings covered with a mixture of breadcrumbs toasted in butter, sugar, and cinnamon. They are very popular in the Italian region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, especially the capital city of the region, Trieste. That part of Italy was long ruled by the Austro-Hungarian Empire, so it is no surprise that this dish can also be found in the cuisines of other European countries that were once part of the same empire - zwetschgenkn&ouml;dels in Germany, knedle sa &scaron;ljivama in Croatia, szilvas gomboc in Hungary, svestkove knedliky in Czechia, galuste cu prune in Romania, or slivkove knedliky in Slovakia. Interestingly, in all these countries they are considered to be a main dish, but in Italy, gnocchi di prugne are often served at the beginning of a meal - in restaurants they are usually listed under the primi part of the menu, next to different kinds of pasta and other savory dishes.

Gnocchi di prugne

These popular Ligurian cookies - traditionally prepared for the feast of Saint Agata - were named after cobeletti, the metal molds in which they are baked. Allegedly created by pasticceria Canepa in Rapallo near Genoa, gobbeletti are jam-filled shortcrust cookies flavored with sweet Marsala wine. The original recipe calls for locally made quince jam, but over time, they spread throughout the region, so many varieties exist, filled with all kinds of jams. These cookies are best enjoyed lightly sprinkled with powdered sugar, paired with a cup of coffee, tea, or milk.

Gobbeletti

Godrogodro is a traditional cake originating from Madagascar. Although there are some variations, the cake is usually made with a combination of rice flour, coconut milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and oil. In order to prepare the cake, caramel is first made, and it&rsquo;s mixed with coconut milk. The mixture is heated over low heat, and the nutmeg, vanilla, and cinnamon are mixed into the pot along with rice flour. Once the mixture becomes slightly thick, it&rsquo;s poured into a greased baking tray and baked in the oven for about half an hour. Godrogodro is left to cool down a bit, and it&rsquo;s then cut into slices and served. In the past, Malagasy didn&rsquo;t have ovens, so they baked the cake over charcoal in a cocotte pot.

Godrogodro

Australia

Gollai appan is a Guamanian dish consisting of bananas or plantains cooked in coconut milk. Alternatively, the dish can be made with breadfruit, when salt is added instead of sugar, resulting in a savory variation of the original dish. The original, sweet version is typically flavored with cinnamon in order to enhance the flavors. Gollai appan makes for an excellent side dish to barbecued meat.

Gollai åppan

Sesame seed balls or goma dango is a variety of Japanese sweet treats known as dango. These small rice flour balls are filled with sweet red beans (anko) on the inside, while their exterior is crispy due to the process of deep-frying &ndash; first at low temperatures, then at high temperatures near the end of frying. The process is quite complex and one should be careful not to burn the sesame seeds while the dough cooks. When freshly prepared, the sweet bean paste is piping hot inside, so be careful not to burn your tongue. The sweet and salty goma dango is often consumed in August as a summer delicacy at street fairs or in restaurants. In China, sesame balls are known as jian dui, and in Japan, these balls are considered chuka (food with Chinese origins).

Goma dango

Serbia

Gomboce or knedle sa &scaron;ljivama are plum-filled dumplings consumed throughout the Balkans, especially in Serbia and Croatia. The dough is made with potatoes, eggs, and flour. The potatoes should be cooked in their own skin, peeled, then mashed before they are combined with other ingredients. Once prepared, the dough is rolled and plums are placed in the middle of each square, which is then assembled into a dumpling. These dumplings are boiled, then rolled in a combination of breadcrumbs, sugar, and (optionally) butter for the best experience.

Gomboce

This traditional Norwegian spread is either a type of sweet, brownish-colored cheese or a type of porridge made with milk and oats or rice. The consistency of the dish can be thin or thick. Additionally, raisins and cinnamon can be added. It is commonly enjoyed as a dessert, spread on bread, milk cakes, waffles, or lefse - a type of Norwegian flatbread made with potatoes, flour, butter, and cream.

Gomme

Goody is a popular Irish dish prepared by boiling bread in milk with the addition of sugar and various spices. It is believed that goody was invented in the 18th century or before. Today, it is traditionally consumed on the 23rd of June, also known as St. John's Eve, when it is served as a dessert.

Goody

A hallmark of the city of St. Louis, gooey butter cake almost certainly originated in the southern part of town, where most of the German bakers lived in the past. It is a flat cake consisting of wheat flour, butter, sugar, and eggs. The cake is traditionally garnished with powdered sugar and a few raspberries. Sweet, dense and firm, it is similar in texture to a brownie. Originally, it was invented by a baker in the 1930s who was making a yellow cake but put in too much sugar, butter, or shortening. As those were the times of the Depression, he couldn't throw away the gooey, sticky mess, so he sold it, and the consumers wanted more and more. Some versions of the cake incorporate cream cheese, cherries, or pineapple slices in the cake, but if you ask any St. Louisan, it's not the real deal until you try the original in St. Louis.

Gooey Butter Cake

Goolab jamoon (also spelled gulab jamun) is a festive Trini treat that was developed under the influence of Indian cuisine. Milky and sweet, these fritters consist of milk, flour, ghee, water, and ground cardamom. Fried until golden brown and then drained, the fritters are glazed with a sweet syrup consisting of sugar, water, and ginger. Goolab jamoon is especially popular during Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights.

Goolab jamoon

This traditional British dessert is made with a combination of gooseberries, elderflower cordial, lemon juice, sugar, and heavy (whipping) cream. The gooseberries are placed in a big pan with the cordial, lemon juice, and sugar, and the combination is then simmered over low heat until the gooseberries burst. It's then crushed, usually with a fork, and left to cool for a few hours. The cream is whipped to a soft consistency, and the gooseberry mixture is swirled into it. The fool is spooned into glasses and well chilled before serving. This dessert is typically prepared and enjoyed in the summer when the fruit is in season. If desired, the fool can be enriched with bits of biscuits and elderflowers for garnish.

Gooseberry and Elderflower Fool

Goosnargh cake is a traditional cookie originating from a village north of Preston, Lancashire. The cookies are made with a combination of flour, sugar, local butter, and flavorings such as ground coriander and whole caraway seeds. The dough is rolled out, cut into rounds, sprinkled with caster sugar, and baked until firm, but very pale. The texture should be similar to shortbread. These cookies were popular in the region during the 16th and 17th centuries. If stored properly, these cookies can keep for several months.

Goosnargh cake

Goro are traditional Norwegian Christmas cookies. They're usually made with a combination of flour, butter, eggs, sugar, vanilla, cardamom, and heavy cream. The smooth dough is wrapped in plastic and left in the fridge to chill for at least 8 hours before it's pressed with a special goro iron, which imprints beautiful decorative patterns on the dough and bakes the cookies as well. Once baked, each cookie is removed from the iron and placed on a wire rack to cool down. Once done, the cookies can be enjoyed immediately or stored in airtight containers once they are cold. It's recommended to serve the cookies with a cup of coffee on the side. Interestingly, in the past, some of the wealthier bakers had unique irons with their initials inscribed on the inside.

Goro

Gosh-e fil is an Iranian and Afghan fried sweet pastry that is popularly nicknamed elephant's ear due to its shape. The main ingredients in the dough are flour, sugar, eggs, and milk, which once it's kneaded and rested, is thinly rolled and only shortly fried in oil, about a few seconds on both sides. An additional element of flavor and texture is added by sprinkling these crunchy pastries with icing sugar, powdered cardamom, and crushed pistachios, as well as the optional rose petals.

Gosh-e fil

Goshiki-ito is a traditional type of wagashi called higashi (dry, pressed Japanese sweets). It comes in the form of colorful weaved threads and the threads are flavored with ginger, yuzu, mint, plum, and cinnamon. Combined with wasanbon sugar, the threads come to life and they are dyed in five distinctive colors. During the Tanabata Star Festival in July, women traditionally hang the goshiki-ito from leafy bamboo branches. For them, these threads represent their prayers for better skills in sewing and weaving.

Goshiki-ito

Sweden

Gotl&auml;ndsk saffranspannkaka is a traditional dish made with rice pudding, sugar, cream, eggs, saffron, and almonds. The rice pudding is combined with saffron, sugar, almonds, and beaten eggs. The concoction is then baked in the oven, and when it's ready, saffranspannkaka is cut and served with fruit jams (especially dewberry jam) and whipped cream. Although this dessert can be made throughout the year, it is typically served around Christmas.