Dessert

United States

Joe froggers are American egg-free cookies made with a combination of molasses, dark rum, flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cloves, allspice, nutmeg, sugar, and butter. The dough is refrigerated (ideally overnight), and it is then rolled and cut into circular shapes. Before baking, the cookies are sprinkled with sugar. Once baked, the cookies become chewy in texture and keep for a long time, which is the reason why sailors prized them during long sea voyages. Joe froggers were served by freeman Joe Brown at his tavern in Marblehead, Massachusetts. They were created by his wife, who made the cookies as big as the lily pads in a pond outside the tavern.

Joe Froggers

Romania

Joffre cake is a rich, layered chocolate and buttermilk cake that was invented in 1920 in Bucharest. Built in 1852, a restaurant, hotel, and cafe called Casa Capsa was thought to be a symbol of Romanian high society, a place where the most special dinner parties in Bucharest took place. When Marshal Joffre, leader of the French army, visited the country in 1920, the Capsa brothers organized a special event in his honor and made a special cake that was named after the Marshall. The size and shape of the cake are thought to be modeled after the French casquettes worn in World War I by the Marshall's troops. The cake was a great success, and it still is today, supported by the saying "one piece of Joffre is always followed by another one."

Joffre Cake

Jordgubbst&aring;rta is a traditional strawberry cake originating from Sweden. It usually consists of five parts: sponge cake (flour, sugar, eggs, cornstarch, vanilla); lemon syrup (lemon juice, water, sugar); pastry cream (eggs, sugar, vanilla, flour, butter, milk); mascarpone whipped cream (mascarpone cheese, cr&egrave;me fraiche, sugar, vanilla), and a garnish of fresh strawberries. In order to assemble the cake, the sponge cake is brushed with lemon syrup, topped with pastry cream and quartered strawberries, and then with whipped cream. The process is repeated two more times, and the cake is then covered with mascarpone whipped cream and the remaining strawberries. This strawberry and cream cake is often prepared for the Midsommar feast.

Jordgubbstårta

These crescent-shaped cookies are usually associated with Morocco, but they can be found throughout Algeria and Tunisia in slightly different forms and under various names. Their name translates as gazelle ankles, but they are better known as gazelle horns. They consist of a thin pastry shell that is wrapped around a sweet cinnamon-flavored almond filling. Both filling and the pastry dough are typically enriched with orange blossom water. The cookies can be coated in crushed nuts or optionally dipped in orange blossom water and then dusted with sugar, in which case they are typically referred as kaab el ghazal m'fenned.

Kaab el ghazal

Kaak malih are savory Libyan cookies consisting of flour, baking powder, oil, butter, milk, and salt. The dough, which is either braided or shaped into rings, is often decorated with sesame seeds before baking. Once baked and golden-brown, these light cookies are typically served as an accompaniment to Arabic coffee or tea.

Kaak malih

Kaasstengel is a savory cookie that is popular throughout the Netherlands and Indonesia. It consists of flour, margarine, baking powder, egg yolks, and Dutch cheeses such as Edam or Gouda. Cream, powdered milk, or cornstarch are sometimes added to the combination in order to develop a richer and crispier texture. In the past, kaasstengels were often used as an accompaniment to soups or salads, but today they are mostly consumed as a snack, especially during Ramadan in Indonesia and during Christmas in the Netherlands.

Kaasstengels

Wedges of pumpkin left overnight under a blanket of sugar, then cooked slowly in the syrup they release until they turn translucent and amber, and served cold with crushed walnuts, tahini or a spoon of kaymak: kabak tatlısı is the Turkish winter dessert that needs only two ingredients and a day of patience. It appears when the big grey-green bal kabağı, the honey pumpkin, comes into the markets in late autumn, and it runs through to spring. The dish is home cooking first, a lokanta staple second, and the same idea exists across the Balkans and the Levant. Its cousins in the Turkish repertoire are ayva tatlısı, quince cooked the same way to a deep red, and the candied fruits of Antep; what sets pumpkin apart is that it gives up its own water, so a good one is cooked in almost nothing else.

The pumpkin is peeled, seeded and cut into thick wedges or large cubes, laid in a pot and covered with granulated sugar, roughly a third of the pumpkin's weight, with a few cloves or a cinnamon stick if the cook likes them. It sits overnight; by morning the sugar has drawn out enough liquid to cover the base of the pot. The pot goes on a low heat, lid on at first, and the pumpkin cooks for an hour or more without stirring, only shaken, so the pieces stay whole, until a knife meets no resistance and the syrup has thickened. Some cooks add a spoonful of slaked lime water beforehand, which firms the outside so the wedges hold a glassy skin while the inside turns soft; others finish the pot in the oven to darken the syrup. It is cooled completely before serving and keeps for days in the refrigerator.

A good kabak tatlısı holds its shape on the plate, the pieces whole and glossy, and gives way to a spoon without being mushy. The colour should be a deep orange going to amber, the flesh soft all the way through and sweet without tasting of plain sugar; the pumpkin's own flavour should come through, slightly earthy. Mark down pieces that have collapsed into a purée, a hard or stringy centre, a watery syrup that runs across the plate, and sweetness so heavy that the pumpkin is lost. Walnuts should be fresh and coarsely crushed, tahini unsweetened, kaymak thick and cold. A version with cinnamon or clove is legitimate but should not taste of spice first. Served warm it is acceptable at home and a shortcut in a restaurant, which usually means it was made that afternoon.

Kabak tatlısı

Kadaif is the Bosnian syrup pastry made from shredded kadayıf threads: two layers of butter-soaked strands pressed into a tray with a filling of chopped walnuts between them, baked until the top is crisp and golden, and drenched in a lemon syrup while hot. It belongs to the family of Ottoman sweets that Bosnia kept after four centuries of Turkish rule, alongside baklava, tulumba and hurmašice, and in Sarajevo and Mostar it is sold by the square in the slastičarne, the pastry shops, and made at home for Eid, weddings and slava feasts. The Turkish tel kadayıf is the same raw material, but Bosnian kadaif is its own dish: walnuts rather than pistachios, a heavier soak of syrup, often a spoon of cinnamon or clove in it, and a cut into squares or diamonds like baklava rather than the small round nests of Greek kataifi.

The threads are made from a thin wheat batter dribbled onto a hot rotating plate, and most kitchens now buy them fresh or frozen from a bakery. The strands are pulled apart, loosened and mixed with a generous amount of melted butter, close to a third of their weight, until every thread is coated; half goes into a buttered tray in an even layer, pressed down firmly, then a layer of coarsely chopped walnuts, sometimes mixed with a little sugar, then the rest of the threads, pressed again and often brushed with more butter. It bakes at around 180°C for forty to fifty minutes until the top is deep gold and crisp through. The syrup, sugar and water boiled with lemon juice and sometimes a cinnamon stick or a few cloves, is cooled and poured over the pastry the moment it leaves the oven, so that it hisses and is absorbed; the tray rests for several hours, ideally overnight, before cutting.

A good square shows three clear layers when cut: crisp threads, a dense band of walnut, crisp threads again, all of it amber from the butter and syrup. The top should still have some crunch after the soak, the bottom should be soft and syrupy without a pool of liquid in the tray, and the sweetness, which is considerable, should be cut by the lemon and carried by the walnut. Mark down a kadaif that is uniformly soggy, which means too much syrup or syrup poured onto a cold pastry, one that is dry and chaff-like from too little butter, a mean walnut layer, scorched threads on top, syrup that tastes only of sugar, and a tray that has been cut the same day so the layers slide apart. Served at room temperature with strong Bosnian coffee it is at its best; chilled it is leaden.

Kadaif

Hailing from Erzurum, kadayıf dolması is a Turkish dessert made with thin shreds of kadayıf dough that are wrapped around a nut filling. The dough is flattened and stuffed with roughly chopped or ground nuts before it is rolled into small elongated rolls that are coated in lightly beaten eggs before they are fried. The fillings usually include pistachios or walnuts, while kaymak&mdash;a type of thick clotted cream&mdash;is occasionally used as a garnish. Kadayıf dolması is doused in a thick lemon-flavored sugar syrup, and it is usually served topped with ground nuts. It is best enjoyed with a cup of tea on the side.

Kadayıf dolması

Kagami is a festive mochi variety that consists of two mochi cakes, one slightly larger than the other. A small mandarin (dai-dai) is placed on top of the cake, and the entire combination is decorated with colorful papers, dried kelp, and ferns. This mochi variety is mostly kept in Japanese households until kagami biraki, a festivity often translated as opening the mirror, which is usually celebrated on January 11. Japanese believe that a ghost bringing good luck for the following year is hidden in kagami, while the stacking the mochi is believed to double one&rsquo;s fortune. This is the reason why it is usually enjoyed on New Year&rsquo;s Day. Tradition suggests that the cakes need to broken, usually by hand or with wooden hammers, and never cut. The pieces are then traditionally used in Japanese dishes such as zenzai or zōni. Pre-packed versions of kagami mochi are available in Japanese supermarkets.

Kagami mochi

Kagemand is a unique Danish sweet treat shaped to resemble a man or a woman. It is usually quite large in size, decorated with various sweets and tiny Danish flags. Traditional toppings include chocolate, marzipan, fruits, nuts, and candy. This colorful and fun dessert is usually served at children's birthday parties. Traditionally, the person who is celebrating should cut off the head while the other guests scream and cheer.

Kagemand

Kaimati are sweet Kenyan dumplings consisting of flour, water, yogurt, yeast, and ghee. The dough is fried in oil until golden brown, then coated in sugar syrup made with sugar, water, lemon rinds, and a pinch of vanilla sugar or cardamom powder. These sweet treats are especially popular during the month of Ramadan as a dessert or a snack.

Kaimati

Also known as the Emperor's mess, this Austrian dessert can be described as a fluffy, lightly caramelized, scrambled pancake. Legend has it that kaiserschmarrn was the favorite dessert of Kaiser Franz Joseph I, after whom it was named. The dish is traditionally served either with zwetschkenr&ouml;ster (plum compote) or with a big spoonful of apple, pear, or berry preserve. Lavishly dusted with icing sugar, kaiserschmarrn is the perfect comfort food, indeed fit for an emperor and easily one of the best desserts Austria has to offer. Apart from the beloved, old-fashioned kaiserschmarrn, depending on the filling, some of the modern takes on this Austrian classic include apfelschmarrn (apples), kirschschmarrn (cherries), mirabellenschmarrn (mirabelle plums), nu&szlig;schmarrn (walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts) and sauerrahmschmarrn (sour cream). Besides Austria, kaiserschmarrn is also a popular and common dessert in the German region of Bavaria. It can also be found in countries that were once part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Kaiserschmarrn

Kajmačnica is a traditional Bosnian dessert of semolina custard enveloped in phyllo pastry and doused in agda, a syrup made with cooking sugar and water. It is a traditional Bosnian cake similar to the Greek galaktoboureko. The preparation starts with making semolina custard by cooking milk, sugar, butter, and semolina until it turns into a thick mass, which is then mixed with eggs and kaymak. The resulting mass is poured into a pan layered with phyllo pastry, then covered with a layer of phyllo pastry and baked. Once baked, the cake is poured over with the sugar syrup agda.

Kajmačnica

Kaju katli, also known as kaju barfi, is a traditional dessert characterized by its diamond shape, made with cashew nuts, sugar, cardamom powder, and ghee butter. This sweet treat often comes wrapped in an edible silver foil, signifying luxury and appreciation for the consumer. It is traditionally consumed during the Diwali festival, but it is also an ideal gift for friends and family on special occasions. Kaju katli is often prepared during Ganesh Chaturthi, a festival celebrating the birth of Ganesha, the elephant god. Sometimes, saffron or dried fruits can be added to the dessert in order to enhance its flavors. In Indian culture, it is believed that by consuming kaju katli, one brings good luck and prosperity to his home.

Kaju katli

Kakigōri is a Japanese dessert consisting of shaved ice and flavored, typically fruit-based syrup. It can also be sweetened with condensed or evaporated milk and topped with mochi and sweet bean paste. Its origins date back to the Haeian period (794-1185), but it was not until the 19th century that it became available to the wider public &mdash; the first kakigōri store supposedly opened in 1869. The ice used for making kakigōri is traditionally pure ice made from mineral water and taken from natural springs. Shaving the ice is done with a hand-cranked machine or, today, more likely, with an electric one, which gives the shaven ice a fluffy, snowflake consistency. The most popular and traditional flavors are strawberry, matcha, melon, cherry, and lemon, but there are "modern" flavors that are also quite popular, like Blue Hawaii, bubblegum, and pumpkin. There are also several well-known kakigōri varieties such as shirokuma (shaved ice topped with fruit, mochi, condensed milk, and sweet bean paste), ujikintoki (shaved ice topped with matcha syrup, matcha ice cream, sweet bean paste, and mochi), and yakigori (shaved ice with alcohol, typically brandy, that is lit on fire). This Japanese treat is sold at street stalls, in festivals, stores, coffee shops, and specialized kakigōri stores, and places selling it will typically have a flag with the kanji sign for ice kōria outside. Kakigōri is eaten with a spoon and needs to be eaten from top to bottom, or it will collapse and end up all over the table; plus, it needs to be quickly eaten, so it doesn't melt.

Kakigōri

Kal&aacute;cs is a traditional sweet bread consisting of flour, butter, eggs, sugar, yeast, and milk. It is so popular that almost every family in Hungary has their own recipe and variation on the bread. Sometimes, it is enriched with raisins or cinnamon that is dispersed throughout the interior. It can be shaped into thick logs or braided (the regular foszl&oacute;s kal&aacute;cs is always braided). This filling dessert is especially popular during the Easter period.

Kalács

Kalakand is a traditional dessert that's also popular in Pakistan and Bangladesh. In its basic version, this rich cake is made with a reduced combination of sweetened condensed milk and fresh curd cheese such as paneer or chhena. The combination is stirred and cooked until thick and moist, and it's then often mixed with cardamom powder, saffron, rose water, sugar, and dried fruit, or topped with nuts such as cashews, almonds, or pistachios. Kalakand is left to set in the fridge and it's then cut into slices before serving. This dessert is especially popular during festivals such as Diwali, Navaratri, or Holi.

Kalakand

Australia

This traditional Guamanian pudding is made with corn (masa harina), sugar, water, and coconut milk in the original version, while cornstarch was added later as a thickening agent. It can be flavored with vanilla or cinnamon. The dessert is traditionally left to cool off, and it is then sliced into squares and served.

Kalamai

Kalb-el-louz is a popular Algerian baked dessert consisting of semolina and ground almonds as key ingredients. It's typically flavored with cardamom, cinnamon, vanilla, and orange blossom water. After it has been cooked, kalb-el-louz is combined with a fragrant syrup that makes it sweet. In the west of Algeria, it is also known as chamia, while in the east, it is known as h'rissa. This dessert is especially popular during the month of Ramadan, when it is traditionally paired with a cup of coffee.