Dessert

Fifteens is a traditional cake consisting of digestive cookies, coconut, marshmallows, and cherries. The dessert is usually rolled into a log, left in the fridge to set, and it's then cut in slices. It can be found in numerous bakeries and at festivities and celebrations throughout the country. The name of the dish refers to the traditional recipe which calls for fifteen of each ingredient.

Fifteens

Canada

Figgy duff is a flavorful Canadian pudding made with flour, molasses, raisins, breadcrumbs, brown sugar, and butter. The mixture is stuffed in a cotton bag or cloth, then steamed or boiled in water. It is believed that the dish originated with the first settlers in Newfoundland and Labrador. Regarding the name of the dish, figgy refers to raisins, while duff refers to the dough. It is recommended to serve the pudding with whipped cream or fruit custards.

Figgy duff

This flat, marzipan-filled Maltese cookie is typically shaped into lambs or bunnies because it is traditionally prepared during the Easter festivities. These sweet treats are often decorated with icing, melted chocolate, or chocolate Easter eggs. Originally, figolla was made in the shape of fish, baskets, or women, and it symbolized fertility. Regardless of the design, figolla is a staple of Maltese pastry shops and home kitchens around Easter.

Figolla

Spain

Figues albardaes is a traditional Valencian dessert originating from Castell&oacute;n. It's usually made with a combination of dried figs, flour, yeast, water, sugar, and salt. The figs are cut in half and flattened. In a bowl, the yeast is dissolved in warm water, and flour is then added to the bowl and mixed until the batter becomes slightly thick. The batter is left to stand for about an hour, and the figs are then dipped in the batter and fried in hot oil until nicely golden. Once done, figues albardaes are rolled in sugar and enjoyed warm or at room temperature.

Figues albardaes

Australia

This flavorful Fijian dessert consists of crushed wafer cookies, butter, shredded coconut, Nutella, and chocolate ice cream. When served, Fijian mud pie is typically sliced into wedges. It can be made in advance, then refrigerated, which is another reason to indulge in this decadent and dense dessert.

Fijian mud pie

In their simplest form, filh&oacute;s are traditional Portuguese deep-fried treats prepared with leavened dough. They come in numerous regional varieties that may differ in form and often incorporate different spices and additions such as pumpkin or orange juice. After frying, they are usually coated in cinnamon sugar, and in Algarve, they are occasionally dipped in brown sugar syrup. Although they are often associated with Christmas, filh&oacute;s are enjoyed all year round. In some regions, the term filh&oacute;s may refer to the round Portuguese-style doughnuts that are better known as malasadas.

Filhós

Financier is a small French cake that is sometimes erroneously mistaken for a pastry since it is similar to a sponge cake. The cakes are baked in moulds and shaped to look like golden bricks known as lingot in French. Financiers are usually made with almond flour, almonds, egg whites, brown butter, and sugar. The dessert was originally invented in the 19th century by a pastry chef named Lasne. As most of his clients were brokers who didn't want to stain their fingers, he invented this moist sponge cake, shaped it to look like a brick of gold, and financier was born.

Financier

Equally popular in Portugal and Brazil, this traditional Portuguese dessert has a form of thin, golden threads. It is prepared with a special technique of pouring the egg mixture through a sieve into a boiling sugar syrup. Fios de ovos can be used as a decoration or a filling, but it is also commonly enjoyed plain, served in the form of small clusters. Since it is time-consuming and complicated to make this dessert, it is usually bought pre-packaged. Similar techniques and products also exist in Spain, Japan, Cambodia, Malaysia, and Thailand. The Thai version of fios de ovos is called foi thong.

Fios de ovos

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 versions often incorporate vanilla as a flavoring. After cooking, fırın s&uuml;tla&ccedil; is browned in a salamander broiler, and it is usually topped with either ground cinnamon or chopped hazelnuts before serving.

Fırın sütlaç

Firnee is a traditional dessert that is believed to have originated in India, where it is known as phirni. Afghan firnee is usually made with cornstarch (instead of ground rice in the Indian version) that is cooked in a mixture of milk and sugar, and just like Indian phirni, it is typically flavored with aromatic spices such as cardamom, saffron, and rose water. The traditional version calls for sprinkling the dessert with finely ground pistachios, but these days it is often enriched with pieces of seasonal fruit, dried fruit, or coconut flakes. Similarly to Indian phirni, Afghan firnee is also traditionally prepared for special events and festivities such as weddings and religious holidays like Ramadan and Eid. In Afghanistan, rose water-flavored and banana-flavored firnee are the two favorite versions of this sweet treat.

Firnee

This Turkish sweet is made with a smooth, green, paste-like filling known as fıstık ezmesi (lit. pistachio butter). It is like a pistachio version of marzipan, and its bright green color is all-natural&mdash;it comes from the early-harvested Gaziantep pistachios. The delicious pistachio paste is wrapped around a single sheet of phyllo dough, just to hold its green goodness together, which is why this type of baklava is called either fıstıklı sarma or fıstıklı d&uuml;r&uuml;m, meaning pistachio wrap or pistachio roll.

Fıstıklı sarma

Flan de coco or coconut flan is a delicate dessert that is popular in Colombia, Costa Rica, and parts of the Caribbean. It is typically made with eggs, coconut milk, condensed milk, cream, vanilla extract, and flaked coconut. The dessert is usually baked in small ramekins with caramel on the inside, so when flan de coco is inverted, it has a nice caramel layer on top and on the sides. Before serving, the dessert is often topped with flaked coconut.

Flan de coco

Flan mixto is a typical Argentinian combination of a custard flan that is served with a dollop of whipped cream and dulce de leche. The flan is similar to cr&egrave;me caramel, consisting of a light custard base and a sweet caramel topping. The dish is a restaurant staple, as well as a common homemade dessert.

Flan mixto

Flan p&acirc;tissier, also known as flan parisi&eacute;n, is a tart consisting of a pastry shell filled with creamy vanilla custard, all together baked until puffed and golden brown. It is similar to the Portuguese pastel de nata or British custard tart but bigger, less buttery, and less flaky. The recipes for flan p&acirc;tissier vary from patisserie to patisserie, but the base is most often shortcrust or puff pastry, and the custard is made with whole milk, heavy cream, cornstarch, and eggs, with the addition of vanilla. Nowadays, vanilla is sometimes replaced with other flavors, like chocolate, coconut, or seasonal fruits. When done, this tart is cut into triangular slices and most often served as a go&ucirc;ter (afternoon snack). As such, it is very popular with schoolchildren.

Flan pâtissier

Although the term fla&oacute; is used in other Spanish regions to denote similar cheese-based specialties, the Ibizan version refers to a dessert consisting of a pastry base that is filled with a combination of fresh cheese, eggs, sugar or honey, citrus zest, and fresh mint. The cake usually calls for the use of goat or sheep cheese, and it is traditionally flavored with aniseed and anise liqueur. In the past, fla&oacute; was typically prepared for Easter, but nowadays it is enjoyed all year round and has become one of the most common desserts on Ibiza.

Flaó de Ibiza

Flapjack is a blend of porridge oats, golden syrup, sugar, and melted butter that is baked, and then usually cut up into squares or rectangles. A touch of salt and ground ginger are often added to the oat mixture for extra flavor, while white corn syrup or even maple syrup can be used as alternatives to the golden syrup. The simplicity of this sweet treat, and the few basic ingredients needed for its preparation, have made flapjack an all-time favorite in England and beyond. Chewy or crunchy, depending on individual preferences, this sweet oat bar is a teatime, lunch box, and picnic staple as well as the perfect snack to eat on the go. An infinite number of additions can be added to the simple flapjack&rsquo;s base to enhance its flavor and nutritional value, including dried fruits, nuts, seeds, chocolate, coconut flakes, and marmalade, among others. However, it should not be confused with the American flapjack, which is a thick pancake prepared in the USA, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Flapjack

This pie is a staple of Canadian prairie culture, consisting of a graham crumb pie crust that is filled with a creamy custard, then topped with an airy meringue. The custard is usually made with milk, sugar, cornstarch, egg yolks, vanilla, and salt, while the pie crust consists of graham crackers, sugar, butter, and maybe a bit of cinnamon. Although flapper pie is notorious for the fact that it falls apart quite easily, preparing this dessert is certainly worth the effort. Before serving, it is typically sprinkled with breadcrumbs and left to chill in the refrigerator.

Flapper pie

Flatbr&oslash;dsoll is a traditional and simple dessert originating from Norway. This cool and refreshing dessert is especially popular on hot summer days and it's usually made with a combination of flatbread (usually lefse), brown sugar, and kefir. The crisp flatbread is torn into pieces and placed into a wide bowl. A generous amount of kefir is then poured over the flatbread pieces, and the dessert is finished with a sprinkle of brown sugar on top.

Flatbrødsoll

France

Flaugnarde is a baked fruit flan that is similar to clafoutis. It comes from the French region of Limousin. Clafoutis is made with cherries, but flaugnarde incorporates peaches, pears, plums, apples, raspberries, or any other fruit except cherries. The name of the dish is derived from the Occitan words fleunhe and flaunhard, meaning soft or downy. Baked until golden brown, flaugnarde resembles a large pancake that is commonly dusted with confectioners' sugar. This flavorful dessert can be served warm or cold.

Flaugnarde

Fliederbeersuppe is a traditional soup mainly associated with the northern regions of the country. The main ingredient for the soup are elderberries (or elderberry juice), which give the soup its rich color. The elderberries are cooked to let out the juice, which is then mixed with apple juice, lemon juice, lemon zest, cut apples, cornstarch, and sugar. The mix is occasionally spiced with cinnamon or garlic. This sweet soup is served warm with homemade grits dumplings.