Dessert

Spain

Leche frita is a delicious Spanish dessert consisting of a sweet, firm milk-pudding encased in a crunchy fried shell of eggs and flour. It is made with flour, cornstarch, sugar, milk, eggs, butter, and olive oil. The whole concoction is flavored with cinnamon. Leche frita, meaning fried milk, can be served cold, at room temperature, or hot, ideally with a scoop of ice cream on the side. Although this old dessert has murky origins, it is believed that the first versions were made by nuns who used to sell these treats to help maintain their convents. Nowadays, it is a popular street food item that can also be found in pastry shops and restaurants.

Leche frita

Leche poleada is a traditional dessert, a creamy vanilla custard that can often be found plated on dried corn husks throughout the markets in the country. It is made with a combination of cornstarch, milk, vanilla, sugar, egg yolks, and cinnamon. The mixture is heated until it thickens, and it is usually served hot, because the cold custard will harden. Before consumption, leche poleada is generously dusted with cinnamon powder. This dessert is especially popular during the festive Christmas season.

Leche poleada

Leite de creme is a traditional egg custard originating from Portugal. It's made with a combination of egg yolks, milk, sugar, corn starch, cinnamon, and grated lemon peel. The eggs are beaten with the milk, then mixed with sugar and corn starch. The combination is heated over low heat with cinnamon and lemon peel, and it's necessary to stir the mixture continuously. When the consistency becomes thick, leite de creme is poured into ramekins and left to cool. Before serving, a bit of sugar is sprinkled on top and it's browned with a blowtorch.

Leite de creme

Thick, creamy, and sweet bread soup called leivasupp is a traditional dish that is usually made with soaked and mashed bread, raisins, fruit juice, cinnamon, and sugar. It is typically prepared with a traditional, dense rye bread, and is often complemented by milk, cream, fresh fruit, and nuts. This bread soup can be served warm or chilled, and it is usually enjoyed as a dessert or a light afternoon snack, but it is also a popular school lunch in the country.

Leivasupp

Lemonade scones are one of the popular scone varieties. These tiny, fluffy desserts are made with a combination of self-raising flour, sugar, cream, and lemonade. Once the dough has been formed, it's cut in circular shapes, then baked in the oven until lightly browned. It's recommended to serve lemonade scones warm, with generous amounts of whipped cream, lemon curd, or strawberry jam on the side.

Lemonade scones

Lemon drizzle cake is a traditional cake and a staple of afternoon tea. Although not much is known about its origin, it is believed that the first lemon drizzle was made by a Jewish woman named Evelyn Rose in 1967. This simple sponge cake is usually made with a combination of flour, sugar, butter, eggs, milk, baking powder, lemon zest, and lemon juice. The ingredients are mixed in a bowl, then placed into a baking tray and baked in an oven. The lemon juice is mixed with icing sugar, and once the cake is done, the icing is drizzled over it in order to give the cake a refreshing, bright, lemony, and slightly sharp flavor. It's recommended to serve this cake with a cup of Early Grey tea on the side.

Lemon drizzle cake

Lemon ice box pie is an old-fashioned North American dessert. It's made with a combination of eggs, lemon juice, condensed milk, and a pie crust that usually consists of vanilla cookies or graham crackers and butter. The pie is baked for a short while, and it's then placed in the fridge or the freezer to set. The acidity of the lemon juice sets the egg yolks, which is the reason why the pie needs minimal baking. In the past, the pie used to be placed in ice boxes housing huge blocks of ice which kept the pie cold during the hot summer months. This refreshing pie is nowadays a signature dish of Clancy's in New Orleans, but it's prepared throughout the country.

Lemon Ice Box Pie

Translated as lazy pierogi, these simple dumplings do not share many similarities with the traditional pierogi. They are made with fresh cottage cheese, eggs, and flour, shaped into a soft dough that is either cut into uniform shapes or casually torn and cooked in water. With their neutral taste, leniwe pierogi can be enjoyed as a side dish, a sweet dessert, or a savory main course. They are traditionally served with buttered breadcrumbs, various meat toppings or drippings, or simply sprinkled with cinnamon-spiced sugar.

Leniwe pierogi

Lenja pita or lazy pie is a traditional dessert consisting of two layers of biscuit with either a fruit filling, cheese, or nut filling sandwiched in between. The name of the dish refers to the fact that this cake is inexpensive and easy to prepare. The dough consists of eggs, sugar, oil, flour, yogurt, and baking powder, while the fruit filling may be prepared with apples, cherries, blueberries, and similar forest fruits. The version with cheese is also very popular, as is the one with poppy seed filling. The cake is traditionally served sliced and dusted with powdered sugar.

Lenja pita

France

A sweet delicacy hailing from the region of Berry, le poirat is a traditional fruit pie with a pear filling. The pie is usually made with basic pie dough, while the filling consists of sliced or diced pears, lemon juice, sugar, and black pepper. A splash of pear brandy or cognac can optionally be added to the filling to further enhance its flavor. The pie&rsquo;s top is typically brushed with eggwash and adorned with dough pieces before baking. Warm or chilled pieces of le poirat go well with a scoop of vanilla or pistachio ice cream or a dollop of cr&egrave;me fraiche or whipped cream on the side. This traditional sweet treat is available at pastry shops and bakeries in the region, especially during autumn and winter.

Le poirat

Belgium

Li&egrave;ge waffles are one of the two most popular waffle varieties in Belgium. These unevenly shaped, chewy treats are made with a thick, brioche-like dough which is sweetened with pearl sugar and baked in a specially-designed waffle pan. During the baking process, the pearl sugar melts and gives the waffles a unique caramel flavor. Although the origin of Li&egrave;ge waffles is somewhat vague, it is believed they were influenced by French culinary traditions and made famous by the skillful Li&egrave;ge bakers. In Li&egrave;ge, these waffles are usually enjoyed plain, but they can also be topped with powdered sugar, whipped cream, chocolate, or various fruits.

Liège Waffle

One of the most famous Belgian desserts, this sweet and spicy, tart-shaped filled pastry is prepared exclusively in the Flemish town of Lier. The delectable Liers vlaaike consists of thin, p&acirc;t&eacute; bris&eacute;e crust filled with a thick, creamy pur&eacute;e&mdash;the base is a typical, unsweetened shortbread pie crust, while the aromatic filling consists of coarse breadcrumbs, candy syrup, milk, and flour. However, the spicy flavor of vlaaike tarts comes from a secret combination of spices including cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and coriander. The original recipe is believed to be more than 300 years old, which makes Liers vlaaike one of the oldest baked goods from the province of Antwerp.

Liers vlaaike

Limber is a Puerto Rican frozen treat consisting of coconut milk, pineapple juice, and sweeteners such as sugar. There are numerous variations, so it can also be prepared with mangos or raspberries. This dessert is named after Charles A. Lindbergh, who was the first pilot to fly across the Atlantic Ocean. When he flew to Puerto Rico, the locals offered him a frozen fruit juice, which he enjoyed, so the people named it Limber in his honor. Nowadays, Limber can be found at numerous roadside fruit stands and gas stations in Puerto Rico.

Limber

Limones rellenos is a lemon-based dessert that's popular throughout Latin America, and especially in Peru. It's made with a combination of lemons, evaporated milk, condensed milk, spices, and sugar. Evaporated milk is mixed wit lemon juice and anise, and set aside, while condensed milk is mixed with sugar. Finally, both mixtures are combined. The lemons are cut in half, the pulp and seeds are removed, and they're blanched three times before they're simmered in sugar and water until the syrup becomes reduced. The milk-based filling is cooled and poured into the candied lemon halves before serving.

Limones rellenos

Limonnik is a refreshing Russian pie that is perfect for the summer heat. It is quite aromatic, and its taste is slightly sour due to the usage of crushed lemons with their peel intact. The pie is made with a shortcrust pastry shell that is filled with a combination of crushed lemons and sugar. When it cools, limonnik is typically cut into squares and sprinkled with icing sugar. It is recommended to pair this flavorful pie with a cup of coffee on the side.

Limonnik

Austria

Linzer Augen, also known as a mini version of the Linzer torte, are made by gluing together two pieces of already baked shortbread cookies with redcurrant jam sandwiched in between. The shape of the cookies can vary, but they are typically circular with signature cutout holes on the front, resembling eyes or faces. These traditional cookies are often baked during the festive Christmas season, and it is recommended to sprinkle them with powdered sugar before consumption. They are also quite similar to the Italian occhio di bue cookies.

Linzer Augen

Named after the Austrian city of Linz, Linzertorte is a short cake with a crumbly, buttery pastry shell that is accentuated by lemon juice, cinnamon, and either almonds, walnuts, or hazelnuts. It's also the oldest cake named after a city. This sweet delicacy is ideally filled with redcurrant jam, but it can be replaced by raspberry or apricot jam. On the top of the cake is a lattice crust, carefully arranged in a criss-cross design, giving it a unique visual appearance. The cake can be traced back to 1696, according to Jindrak, an Austrian confectioner famous for their Linzertorte, but whoever named the recipe or invented the cake will remain a mystery. Today, the famous cake is a true Austrian holiday classic, often consumed at Christmas, when it's ideally served warm, accompanied by a big dollop of whipped cream, and dusted with some confectioners' sugar on top.

Linzer Torte

This traditional Czech dessert consists of a thick, pancake-like batter that is topped with various fruits and baked until golden. The choice of fruits is heavily dependent on the season, but typically includes various berries, plums, and apricots. Whether it is enjoyed warm or chilled, it is usually served dusted with powdered sugar.

Litá bublanina

Round, thick, and soft, l&iacute;vance are traditional Czech pancakes. The addition of yeast in the egg batter gives them an incredibly soft and buttery texture and differentiates them from other common pancake varieties. L&iacute;vance are usually small in size, with a light golden-brown color and crispy edges. The Czechs prefer to consume them dusted with powdered sugar and cinnamon or topped with various fruit jams, but their slightly sweet taste can withstand numerous other toppings and complements.

Lívance

Lokhemat is a traditional sweet originating from Oman. It's made with a mixture of flour and yeast that's flavored with cardamom. The dough is shaped into balls that are deep-fried in hot oil until golden. Once done, lokhemat is served with a syrup based on sweet limes and cardamom. The balls are typically served as an accompaniment to black coffee, and the sweetness of lokhemat counteracts the bitterness of the beverage. Lokhemat can also be drizzled with honey and it's often served for Ramadhan and festive occasions.