Dessert

This traditional Greek dessert consists of numerous phyllo sheets that are sprinkled with melted butter and coupled with a light semolina custard. When baked and well-chilled, the pastry is traditionally doused in the orange spiced, sugary syrup, allowing the layers to absorb the flavors and transform galaktoboureko into a soft, velvety treat. This Greek classic is commonly found in pastry shops and traditional taverns across the country.

Galaktoboureko

A close relative of galaktoboureko&mdash;that is distinguished by the use of phyllo sheets&mdash;classic Greek galatopita combines semolina, milk, eggs, butter, and sugar into a creamy, custard-like treat. Often enriched with citrus zest (and wrapped in pastry in some regions), galatopita is baked until golden-brown and is typically garnished with a sprinkle of powdered sugar or cinnamon. With its light texture and delicate flavor, it can be served on any occasion and is best enjoyed well-chilled.

Galatopita

This classic French dessert is usually associated with northern and central France regions and belongs to the wide group of king cakes that are prepared and enjoyed on Epiphany&mdash;a Christian holiday celebrated on January 6, commemorating the arrival of Three Wise Men to Bethlehem. The cake is assembled with a thick layer of frangipane&mdash;almond-based pastry cream&mdash;that is sandwiched between two layers of buttery puff pastry. Tradition suggests to hide f&egrave;ve (a porcelain or plastic lucky charm) inside the frangipane, and whoever is lucky enough to find it will become a queen or a king for the day. Interestingly, during the Revolution, the name of this classic was g&acirc;teau de l&rsquo;&eacute;galit&eacute;, since royalty was not popular at the time. Nowadays, French bakeries usually sell the galettes with a symbolic paper crown on top. A similar dessert is found in Belgium and the Netherlands, where it goes under the name koningentaart.

Galette des rois

Also known as Kempense galetten, these flavorful waffles are mostly popular in Belgium. They are characterized by a hard and crunchy texture. Upon consumption, the waffles become crumbly and buttery in the mouth. Despite their name, galettes campinoises should not be confused with the French galettes, which are essentially savory buckwheat pancakes.

Galettes Campinoises

Gamula is a traditional dessert that's usually made in autumn. The dessert is made with a combination of flour, honey, and soft and beaten apples that can't be stored in cellars. The apples are baked in the oven, cooled, and pur&eacute;ed. The pur&eacute;e is mixed with flour (or flour and oatmeal) and honey. The mixture is then placed in an ovenproof dish and baked in the oven on low heat until a crust forms at the top and the dessert becomes golden brown. Once done, apple gamula is typically served with a cup of tea on the side.

Gamula

China

Airplane olive is a traditional snack originating from Hong Kong. Also known as licorice olive, the snack is made from olives coated with licorice and various herbs that have been marinated in salt. The name refers to the fact that street vendors used to throw them to people on their balconies, who would in return throw their money down to the vendors. The snack was created by a man called Uncle Kei, who was affectionately named Mr Airplane Olive.

Gan cao lan

Garrapi&ntilde;ada is an Uruguayan and Argentinian street food item consisting of peanuts roasted in a combination of sugar, water, and vanilla essence. When the peanuts are completely coated and the syrup hardens, they are ready to eat. This treat can be found on the streets of Uruguay and Argentina, where it is sold by vendors called garrapi&ntilde;eros. They put the peanuts in a small, long bag and hand it over to customers who then eat the peanuts on the go. Apart from peanuts, garrapi&ntilde;ada can also be made with almonds and walnuts.

Garrapiñada

G&acirc;teau au yaourt or yogurt cake is a popular French cake that is often served to guests alongside a cup of tea or coffee in many French households. It consists of flour, sugar, eggs, oil, and plain yogurt. Because it is fast and easy to prepare, it is commonly consumed as a snack. Its subtle flavor, firm texture, and slight sweetness make it a favorite of many French people. Since it is a very popular cake throughout France, there are numerous variations in the recipes, which first started appearing in France in the 1950s. G&acirc;teau au yaourt is best accompanied by a scoop of ice cream on the side.

Gâteau au yaourt

France

This classic Basque cake consists of two layers of shortcrust pastry and either a filling made with black cherry preserve or, more often, vanilla-flavored pastry cream. If made with black cherries, the top of the cake is usually decorated with the Basque cross (lauburu), while the version with pastry cream typically comes with a crosshatch pattern. Apart from vanilla, common flavorings may also include lemon zest, rum, or almond extract. Although it is traditionally associated with the entire French Basque Country, it is believed that the cake originated in the former French province of Labourd.

Gâteau Basque

G&acirc;teau Creusois is a traditional French cake originating from Creuse. It's made with a combination of egg whites, flour, sugar, ground hazelnuts, and butter. The egg whites shouldn't be beaten too much as the cake will rise too much and it will most probably be dry. This cake is often served with custard made from egg yolks, sugar, flour, vanilla, and milk. In the 1960s, a recipe from the 15th century has been found in an old monastery, and it says that the cake used to be cooked in a tile-lined oven. Nowadays, it makes for a great Christmas dessert, ideally served with whipped cream or raspberry coulis.

Gâteau creusois

G&acirc;teau de m&eacute;nage or household cake is a traditional, simple cake originating from the French region of Franche-Comt&eacute;. It is a type of flat, round brioche that is topped with chocolate chips or egg cream known as goumeau. This tasty dessert is sometimes also referred to as birthday cake. It was invented by the Der &aacute; Montier-en-Der monks in the Middle Ages and it is still popular today, especially during the festival season and Christmas fairs.

Gâteau de ménage

A thousand cr&ecirc;pes cake&mdash;as translated in English&mdash;is a classic French dessert consisting of cr&ecirc;pes stacked on top of each other and layered with, most typically, a thin coating of either icing sugar or pastry cream, while the top of the cake is covered in a thin layer of caramelized sugar. This dense and creamy cake can be prepared with all kinds of different fillings and enjoyed with various fruits, whipped cream, or even ice cream.

Gâteau mille crêpes

G&acirc;teau Nantais is a traditional Nantes cake consisting of butter, sugar, flour, eggs, ground almonds, and rum. When baked, the sponge is doused in a rum-infused syrup, and it is then topped with a white sugar glaze that is often also spiked with rum. Occasionally, the center is sometimes coated in a layer of apricot jam. It is believed that the cake was created in 1820 by a French baker Rouleau. At the time, Nantes was an important port, and many ingredients such as rum, sugar, or vanilla were imported to the city and used in the creation of local desserts. Because it has a long shelf life, g&acirc;teau Nantais is also known as g&acirc;teau du voyageur (traveler&rsquo;s cake).

Gâteau Nantais

In its original form, g&acirc;teau opera combines coffee-flavored buttercream, chocolate ganache, and layers of biscuit Joconde&mdash;a light almond sponge that is infused with coffee syrup or Grand Marnier liqueur. Each cake is topped with a thin layer of chocolate ganache and is usually decorated with a symbol of a note, musical instruments, or merely the word opera written in chocolate. Although there are many conflicting stories of its origin, it is believed that the cake was invented at the Parisian patisserie Dalloyau by a pastry chef named Cyrique Gavillon. At the time, this sophisticated dessert was considered a novelty, compared to the lavishly decorated classics that were popular at the time.

Gâteau opera

Named after Saint Honor&eacute;, the French patron saint of bakers, this intricate dessert is a true representation of French confectionery art. Saint Honor&eacute; cake unites all of the fundamental components of French pastry making: puff pastry, vanilla custard, choux pastry, and caramelized sugar. A puff pastry base is given a generous piping of custard and topped with delicate cream puffs dipped in caramelized sugar. Although this delicacy was invented in the 19th century, it is still considered one of France&rsquo;s favorite desserts. This show-stopping treat requires great effort and skill to prepare properly, for which reason it is usually reserved for special occasions, celebrations, and festivities. Modern-day variations on this classic sometimes include unusual flavors or tropical fruits, but the basic vanilla flavored Saint Honor&eacute; cake is still by far the most popular.

Gateau Saint-Honore

Gatnabour or katnapour is a traditional rice pudding originating from Armenia. It&rsquo;s usually made with a combination of rice, milk, salt, sugar, and water, while cinnamon powder and rose water are common additions. The rice is cooked in boiling water until almost tender, and it&rsquo;s then finished in a pot filled with warm milk. The mixture is cooked over low heat, and it&rsquo;s constantly stirred. Once the rice pudding thickens, salt and sugar are stirred in, and gatnabour is then served in individual bowls. This rice pudding can be enjoyed warm, at room temperature, or chilled. If desired, the top can be sprinkled with cinnamon powder before serving.

Gatnabour

Spain

Gat&oacute; d&rsquo;ametlla is a traditional Mallorcan cake originating from Valldemossa. It&rsquo;s usually made with a combination of eggs, sugar, almonds, lemon zest, cinnamon, butter, and flour. A round cake pan is first buttered, then dusted with flour. The egg yolks are mixed with the sugar, lemon zest, cinnamon, and ground almonds. The egg whites are beaten into soft peaks, then mixed with the egg yolk mixture and folded together gently. The batter is placed in the pan, and the cake is baked until a knife that&rsquo;s inserted in the center comes out clean. Gat&oacute; d&rsquo;ametlla is typically served warm or at room temperature. It&rsquo;s recommended to serve it with a scoop or two of almond ice cream on the side.

Gató d'ametlla

Belgium

Flemish waffle is a traditional product consisting of flour, yeast, butter, milk, eggs, salt, and vanilla sugar. Unlike Brussels and Li&egrave;ge waffle, the Flemish variety is usually consumed without any toppings after it has cooled down. It is recommended to prepare the waffles in large batches as they can be preserved for a few weeks if stored properly.

Gaufres à la flamande

Iran

Gaz is the Iranian variety of nougat. Nowadays it is mostly prepared with a blend of egg whites, sugar, and nuts, but the original gaz consists of slightly different ingredients. The raw gaz is an exudate of an insect, which is found and collected from wild tamarisk trees. After it has been collected, it is melted, sieved, mixed with nuts, then flavored with typical aromas such as rose water and saffron. Finally, gaz is shaped into logs or rectangles and cut into smaller pieces. Traditionally produced gaz is a seasonal ingredient, native to the city of Isfahan, which is abundant with tamarisk trees. Since it is a rare ingredient, raw gaz is often mixed with egg whites or entirely substituted with a blend of egg whites and sugar syrup. Gaz is a popular sweet treat across Iran and is traditionally associated with special and festive occasions. Since it transports easily, it is one of the favorite Iranian souvenirs. Iranians prefer to eat it as a snack alongside warm tea or sherbet.

The ancient Anatolian city of Antep, today known as Gaziantep, is T&uuml;rkiye's gastronomic capital famous for being home to the world&rsquo;s finest pistachios and the delicious Antep baklavası. Originally an Ottoman legacy, baklava is regarded as one of the greatest creations from the pastry chefs at Topkapı Sarayı, the major royal residence of Ottoman sultans from the 15th to the 19th century. Baklava was traditionally prepared for Eid-al-Fitr, also known in T&uuml;rkiye as Ramazan or Şeker Bayramı, a religious holiday when Muslims celebrate the ending of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting. Today, this Turkish treat is available year-round, and with more than 500 baklava bakeries in the city of Gaziantep, it is definitely not to be missed, especially during the pistachio harvest from midsummer to September, when these emerald-colored nuts are just the right size for baklava. To make this popular pastry, the finely crushed, genuine Gaziantep pistachios are generously spread between paper-thin sheets of phyllo dough which are brushed with melted butter and smeared with semolina cream. Antep baklava is then splashed with another dose of melted butter, baked, and finally, poured over with a hot sugar and lemon juice syrup. According to Turkish ustaları or master bakers, a well-baked baklava is tender, but at the same time has a perfect crunch to it. When divided with a fork, it makes a cracking sound which is not only a sign of freshness, but also a sign of the finest baklava, which isn't too sweet or heavy and leaves a heavenly taste in your mouth. Garnished with crushed pistachios, and often topped with kaymak, Turkish clotted cream, or a scoop of milk-flavored ice cream called kaymaklı dondurma, Antep baklava goes a long way: it can be enjoyed either with Turkish coffee in the morning or as a mid-afternoon treat with a cup of tea, but also as an after lunch or dinner dessert.