Dessert

This internationally known, decadent, and sugar-packed dessert is usually made with a mixture of flour, sugar, yeast, and salt, which is deep-fried and then bathed in syrup or honey. The origin of lokma fritters is ancient but often debated. It is presumed that they first appeared in Greece or Turkey, though some suggest Arabic origin. The dish is considered to be one of the oldest recorded desserts in Greek history. It is said that the pastries were even given to winning Olympians as a treat and were called honey tokens. Loukoumades, or loukmades in Cyprus, can be found throughout the streets of Greece, in shops selling nothing else but this caloric dessert. Alternatively, loukoumades can be topped with Greek cheese, chocolate, sesame seeds, or walnuts. In Turkey, lokma fritters are best enjoyed while still warm. They are drizzled with honey or syrup and can occasionally be sprinkled with either ground cinnamon, walnuts, or pistachios. The name probably stems from from Arabic luqma, meaning bite or mouthful, and it is said that lokmas were first prepared in Turkey by the sultans' cooks in palaces of the Ottoman Empire, though the oldest documentation of a similar dish was even found in the tomb of Ramses IV. In some Middle Eastern and Levant countries, this dessert is known as luqaimat or luqmat al-qadi, which roughly translates as judge's mouthful. The deep-fried balls are usually covered with date syrup, honey, or flavored syrups, while some prefer them sprinkled with various seeds. They are also often flavored with saffron or cardamom. The dessert is traditionally made in the month of Ramadan, and consumed after iftar, or breaking the fast. The dish is also found in some African countries, where it appears under various names.

Lokma

Lokum are succulent, sugary cubes from T&uuml;rkiye based on a gel of starch and sugar. Traditionally, lokum is flavored with rose water, lemon, bergamot orange, mastic, or mint, but the Turkish favorite remains a lokum of plain jelly combined with pistachios. There are also other varieties, using ingredients such as cinnamon, dates, hazelnuts, or walnuts. These cubes are typically offered with tea and coffee after breakfast, lunch, and dinner in most Turkish homes. The sweet treats were invented by Bekir Affendi, who came to Istanbul in 1777 from Anatolia. His first shop, Haci Bekir, is still in business, run by his descendants. The name of these sweets comes from the Arabic term rahat-ul hulkum, meaning heal or soothe the throat. Its other popular name, Turkish delight, was coined in the 18th century when an English traveler took some of the sweets back home, and since he couldn't pronounce the Arabic name, he coined his own term. The original recipe called for corn flour, refined beet sugar, honey, and water. The treat soon gained popularity, and today it is one of the most famous symbols of T&uuml;rkiye.

Lokum

Australia

Lolly cake is a favorite dessert of many New Zealanders, consisting of crushed malt biscuits, colorful marshmallows, butter, and condensed milk. The cake is often topped with grated coconut and is served sliced. Malt biscuits are used because their unique flavor cuts the sweetness of the marshmallows. Lolly cake is a staple at various festive events such as birthdays and similar celebrations.

Lolly Cake

Finland

This large, half-moon shaped Finnish pastry is a specialty of the Savonia region, where it is commonly sold at the local markets. L&ouml;rtsy is usually deep-fried and comes in a variety of sweet and savory fillings such as minced meat or various jams. It is best enjoyed freshly prepared as a savory snack or a sugar-coated dessert.

Lörtsy

Lot chong nam kathi is a traditional dessert originating from Thailand. It consists of pandan-flavored rice flour noodles that are served in sweetened coconut milk. In order to make the dish, rice flour is pushed through small holes to make noodle-like droplets that are infused with pandan. These noodle like-droplets are served in an aromatic mixture of palm sugar and coconut milk. In the past, this dessert was served in wedding ceremonies in Thailand because the noodles that pass through small holes symbolize longevity of true love for newlyweds.

Lot chong nam kathi

United States

Russian cake or Creole trifle is a traditional cake originating from Louisiana. Dating back to the 19th century, the cake is made by placing leftover bakery confection scraps into a cake tin and pressing them with weights such as bags of flour or sugar. The cake is enriched with a few splashes of rum, while infused syrups or raspberry jelly are used as binding agents. It is believed that Louisiana Russian cake was modeled on raspberry trifle, punschtorte, or Charlotte Russe cake. Nowadays, the cake is usually covered with an icing topped with sprinkles, and anise extract is often used to enrich the flavors.

Louisiana Russian Cake

Cyprus

Loukoumi Geroskipou is a type of flavored rahat lokum which is made from sugar within the boundaries of Geroskipou municipality. It is coated in powdered sugar or shredded coconut, and it may be flavored or enriched with rose, strawberry, mandarin, orange, mint, pineapple, bergamot, banana, pistachio, lemon, vanilla, chocolate, and coconut. Nuts, honey, and bitter chocolate may be added to the product as well. The process of making Loukoumi Geroskipou requires time and patience, and thus it is very hard to imitate the original taste. It was first produced in 1895 by Sophocles Athanasiou and since then, it has been made according to the same recipe. His daughter took over the production of Loukoumi Geroskipou under the trade name 'Aphrodite Delights' in the 1920s. There are also many small local producers selling this treat which is adored both by locals and tourists. In 2009, Loukoumi Geroskipou was awarded the best Cypriot product of the year at the Time Out Eating Awards in Cyprus.

Loukoumi geroskipou

Germany

L&uuml;becker marzipantorte is a traditional cake made with a rich combination of marzipan, sponge cake, and often fruit preserves or chocolate. Originating from the city of L&uuml;beck, which is renowned for its high-quality marzipan, this cake is a luxurious dessert that showcases the region's confectionery expertise. The sponge cake layers are typically sandwiched with a generous spread of marzipan and sometimes a layer of jam or mousse to enhance the flavor. The entire cake is usually covered in a smooth layer of marzipan, often decorated with intricate designs or toasted almonds. L&uuml;becker marzipantorte is a popular treat during festive occasions, particularly around Christmas and Easter. Its delicate almond flavor and decadent texture make it a favorite among marzipan lovers.

Lübecker Marzipantorte

France

Lunette de Romans is a traditional pastry from Romans-sur-Is&egrave;re in France, characterized by its oval shape with scalloped edges and two holes on the top, resembling glasses. It consists of two layers of shortcrust pastry, typically filled with fruit jelly, such as raspberry or apricot. The top layer is dusted with powdered sugar. This pastry has its roots in a similar Italian biscuit, brought to the Dauphin&eacute; region by immigrants. Lunette de Romans is enjoyed as a dessert or snack, often accompanied by tea or coffee.

Lunette de Romans

Ma'amoul is an ancient cookie filled with fruits and nuts such as dates, walnuts, and pistachios. The cookies are traditionally prepared for Easter, festivals, and celebrations, and they are typically shaped into balls or domes. In order to differentiate the cookies, the walnut version is usually shaped into a dome with a round top, the date ma'amoul is shaped into a dome with a flat top, while the pistachio ma'amoul has an elongated, oval shape. It is not uncommon for the cookies to be topped with powdered sugar for extra sweetness, and they are often served with coffee or tea during the day in many Middle Eastern households.

Ma'amoul

These small, round, sweet meringue-based cookie sandwiches with filling in the middle are light and crunchy on the outside and chewy in the middle. Macarons, which first appeared in Italy in 1533 (albeit without the filling), got their name from the Italian word maccherone, which means fine dough. They were originally made for the marriage of the Duke of Orl&eacute;ans, who later became King Henry II of France. Food historians credit Pierre Desfontaines as the inventor of the macaron. He was the first to fill the cookies with a creamy ganache and stick them together, turning the humble almond cookie into the versatile treat we know today. Macarons are the most popular type of cookie in Paris, but they are popular throughout the rest of the world as well, and they appear with different fillings and in various sizes, colors, and flavors.

Macarons

A macaron is a sweet treat that is prepared throughout France, its name derived from the italian maccarone, referring to the crushing of the almond paste, which is the main ingredient of these delectable treats. Originally, the daughter of Charles III, Duke of Lorraine founded a monastery called Les Dames du Saint-Sacrement, right in the center of the French city called Nancy. As meat was forbidden in the monastery, the nuns started to bake numerous pastries, amongst them the popular macarons. Upon their abolishment from the monastery, nuns Marguerite and Marie-Elisabeth sought refuge in the house of a local doctor, and started to make and sell macarons in order to survive. The sweets gained huge popularity, and in 1952, the city of Nancy honored the macaron sisters by naming a part of the street where they lived after them. The recipe for these famous treats is still kept a secret, guarded by Nicolas G&eacute;not of the Maison des Soeurs Macarons in Nancy.

Macarons de Nancy

Macaroons are traditional small cookies originating from Italy. They're usually made from granulated sugar, egg whites, chopped almonds or almond paste, and shredded coconut, while flavorings such as vanilla, spices, and honey are sometimes also added to the mix. The mixture is lightly baked in the oven, and it's sometimes placed on edible rice paper before baking. Unlike the French macarons, macaroons have a craggy surface and chewy interior and they're sometimes dipped in chocolate. The first almond-meringue cookies are thought to have originated in southern Italy (where almonds were introduced by the Arabs) and probably made their way to France in the 16th century. In the 19th century, bakers found out that they could swap the almonds for coconut in order to make a cookie with a longer shelf life. In France, coconut macaroons are known as rochers coco.

Macaroons

Italy

Maccheroni con le noci is an Italian dessert made with pasta and walnuts. The dish has ancient origins that date back to Tuscia&mdash;a historical Italian region that was formed during the Etruscan and which included a large part of Umbria, as well as some parts of Tuscany and Lazio. It is made with various types of pasta, such as maltagliati, reginette, and strangozzi. After it is cooked, the pasta is combined with ground and chopped walnuts, breadcrumbs, cinnamon, sugar, and usually anise-flavored liqueur and cocoa powder, though varieties abound and other ingredients such as chocolate, sweet honey bread, or crumbled cookies can also be added. The mixtures are usually left to set, and they can be served warm or chilled. Maccheroni con le noci is traditionally made during Christmastime.

Maccheroni con le noci

This unusual Turkish dessert is usually prepared by street vendors on small stoves with individual compartments. Each compartment is filled with a thick, colorful toffee paste that the vendor then wraps around a wooden stick, creating a sort of multicolored lollipop. The candy has a long history, presumably originating during the Ottoman Empire period, when it was mainly used as a health remedy. The modern versions of macun are quite different than the original herbal pastes, but they are characterized by their distinctive sweet and spicy flavor which is achieved by the addition of numerous spices such as aniseed, cloves, turmeric, black pepper, cinnamon, or cumin. The dish is strongly associated with the city of Manisa, where wrapped macun candies are thrown from the top of the mosque during the Mesir Macun Celebration.

Macun

Mađarica, meaning Hungarian girl, is a traditional layered cake that is usually associated with festive occasions. The layers are coated in a velvety, chocolate-infused cream, and the whole cake is finished with a dark chocolate glaze. Although not much is known about its origin or etymology, mađarica is believed to be an original Croatian dessert that was modeled on traditional Hungarian layered cakes.

Mađarica

Even though it remains unclear exactly how long this traditional English sponge cake has been around for, one of the earliest known recipes for Madeira cake was found in Elizabeth Acton's Modern Cookery for Private Families, published in 1845. Back then, it was a custom to serve the cake with the famous Portuguese Madeira wine, hence the name. Today, the crumbly, lemon-flavored Madeira cake is a popular teatime dessert that is most often served dusted with icing sugar and topped with candied orange peel.

Madeira cake

Madeleines are the perfect accompaniment to afternoon tea - these buttery sponge cakes (often mistaken for cookies because of their small size) are slightly browned and crispy on the outside while remaining soft and tender on the inside. A typical dessert of the Lorraine region, madeleines are said to have originated in Commercy. They are supposedly named after Madeleine Paulmier, the 18th-century pastry chef who first made them for Stanisław Leszczyński, the Duke of Lorraine. Later on, his daughter Marie Leszczyńska introduced madeleines to the court in Versailles, and they attained countrywide popularity soon afterward. However, what brought them worldwide fame is a passage from Swann&rsquo;s Way, the first volume of Marcel Proust&rsquo;s 20th-century literary masterpiece In Search of Lost Time. In painstaking detail, Proust describes biting into a soft little madeleine dipped in linden blossom tea, the taste of which then takes him on a bittersweet journey of nostalgia, evoking long-forgotten memories of his childhood and youth. Also known as petite madeleines, these delicate little tea cakes are traditionally baked in shallow, scallop-shaped molds that give them their distinctive shell-like appearance. Even though they come in many flavors, such as chocolate, vanilla, rose, honey, lavender, and orange, classic madeleines are typically flavored with almonds or lemon and are served with a dusting of powdered sugar.

Madeleines

Maejakgwa are traditional cookies originating from South Korea. The cookies are usually made with a combination of wheat flour, ginger juice, salt, sugar, and water. The dough is rolled out and cut into small rectangles. Three slits are made in the middle of each piece of dough, and one end is pushed through the center slit in order to make the distinctive shape of a ribbon. After being deep-fried in oil, the cookies are often coated with honey or cinnamon-sugar syrup and sprinkled with chopped pine nuts.

Maejakgwa

Mafroukeh is a traditional dessert that combines semolina dough and ashta&mdash;clotted cream that is often flavored with orange blossom and rose water. The dough is usually made by blending semolina flour, orange blossom and rose water, butter, (optionally nuts), and sugar syrup until the desired consistency is achieved. Traditionally, semolina mixture is flattened and is then topped with ashta and garnishes such as slivered almonds or ground pistachios, but modern variations may come in different forms and sizes. This sweet treat is a staple dessert served during various special occasions and Ramadan.