Dessert

Mohnpalatschinken from Austria are thin, crepe-like pancakes filled with a sweet poppy seed mixture. They are typically prepared by spreading a filling made from ground poppy seeds, sugar, and sometimes milk over the cooked pancake, which is then rolled up. Walnuts, raisins, and rum can also be added to the filling. The poppy seed filling adds a unique, slightly nutty flavor and a satisfying texture to the dish. Mohnpalatschinken are often dusted with powdered sugar and served warm, making them a popular dessert or special treat in Austrian cuisine.

Mohnpalatschinken

France

G&acirc;teau moka is a classic French cake. It consists of two layers genoise sponges that are soaked with coffee syrup. The layers and the whole cake are then coated in a coffee-flavored buttercream. The sides of the cake are usually garnished with chopped almonds or almond flakes, while the top is decorated with piped buttercream and chocolate-covered coffee beans. Moka cake was invented in 1857 by a Parisian pastry chef Guignard, and it was probably named after Mocha, a port city on the Red Sea coast of Yemen that was once a center of the coffee trade.

Moka

United States

When chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten mistakenly pulled out his chocolate sponge cake out of the oven ahead of time, little did he know it was a blessing in disguise. Once he cracked the spongy outside, he was met with an explosion of liquid chocolate oozing out of its confinements, as if finally set free. And even though Jacques Torres, a French chef and chocolatier, claimed such a cake already existed in France, it was Vongerichten that made the molten chocolate cake, popularly nicknamed lava cake, a global sensation, first starting in the United States, and later a must-have on the menus of numerous respectable, high-end restaurants. The dessert merges together elements of a souffl&eacute; and a flourless cake, and with a list of ingredients that includes only butter, eggs, sugar, and chocolate, it&rsquo;s the timing that&rsquo;s of crucial importance - you just have to catch the right moment when to invert it from its single-portion ramekin onto a plate. Once you dig into it, if baked to perfection, your molten chocolate cake will spill its gooey chocolate goodness before you, revealing its innermost delicious secrets.

Molten Chocolate Cake

Japan

Invented in Miyajima (Itsukushima) in the early 20th century, momiji manjū are Japanese sweet cakes filled with red bean paste. The dough is typically made with wheat, eggs, sugar, and honey. This manjū variety is characterized by its maple leaf shape, which represents Momijidani &ndash; a famous spot in Hiroshima for looking at maple leaves. Nowadays, this treat has many variations, so it can also be flavored and filled with custard cream, green tea, chocolate, or cream cheese, while some makers even batter the completed momiji, then deep-fry it.

Momiji manjū

Spain

The colorful mona de Pasqua is a traditional Catalan Easter cake symbolizing spring and the end of Lent. Although there are numerous versions of the cake, it most usually consists of a sweet brioche dough that is stuffed with candied fruit and topped with hard-boiled eggs. Many versions of the cake are filled with cream, chocolate, or fruit jam, and covered with almonds or cr&egrave;me br&ucirc;l&eacute;e. The cakes are typically decorated with inedible baby chicks, chocolate eggs, or figurines of popular cartoon characters. The word mona in its name is derived from the Arabic munna, meaning gift or offering, because godparents traditionally give the cake to their godchildren on Easter.

Mona de Pasqua

Monaka is a type of wagashi (traditional Japanese sweets) consisting of an azuki bean jam filling that is sandwiched between two thin mochi wafers. The wafers are crispy, dry, and neutral in flavor, coming in various shapes, colors, and sizes. Traditionally, monaka are filled with azuki bean jam, but they can also be filled with ice cream, whipped cream, cream cheese, or chestnut paste. These sweet treats are often served with tea and have some unusual variations such as suicide monaka, filled with glossy, jelly anko, and prosperity monaka, which is shaped like golden coins and seasoned with brown sugar for prosperity.

Monaka

Mont Blanc (or Montebianco, as known in Italy) is a dessert made with pur&eacute;ed, sweetened chestnuts, topped with lightly whipped cream. Due to its resemblance to a snow-capped mountain, this dessert was named after Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in the Alps, shared by France and Italy - the latter could also apply for the sweet version, whose origin is still disputed between these two countries. According to one of the legends, it was a favorite dessert of the Borgia family, and the recipe can be found in Italian cookbooks from 1475. Other sources suggest that it was invented under the Kingdom of Savoy, when the Piedmont region and France were united - the Mont Blanc is located right on the border between Italy and France, so the recipe was probably invented in the common territory from where it spread throughout Europe and further. The third, and most probable theory is that it was invented sometime in the mid-19th century in Paris, as an elaborate upgrade of some previous, similar desserts. The traditional French version is made with pur&eacute;ed boiled chestnuts flavored with milk, cocoa, vanilla, rum, sugar, and a dash of salt, decorated with whipped cream, additionally enriched with a crispy meringue base, which the Italian version does not have. It was the French version that inspired a certain Mr. Sakota to create Monburan, the Japanese take on this dessert. He tasted it during his visit to Paris and was so overwhelmed that he opened a pastry shop in Tokyo offering the Japanese variety, made with chestnuts in syrup. Nowadays, Monburan is a staple dessert in every Japanese pastry shop, offered in numerous varieties in all possible colors, due to the addition of strawberries, sweet potatoes, matcha tea, or pumpkins.

Mont Blanc

Mont lone yay paw, meaning round snack on the water, is a traditional sweet snack made by combining glutinous rice flour, rice flour, water, and salt. The combination is shaped into smooth balls, which are then typically filled with palm jaggery or palm sugar. This sweet derives its name from the tendency of the rice balls to float to the surface of the boiling water or coconut milk in which they&rsquo;re being cooked once they&rsquo;re done. Shredded or desiccated coconut is often sprinkled over the rice dumplings, and they&rsquo;re usually served on a banana leaf while still warm. Mont lone yay paw is typically prepared for festive occasions such as Myanmar New Year (known as Thingyan or Water Festival), when groups of friends, neighbors, and family members gather to roll batches of rice balls and cook them in a big pot of boiling water over an open fire.

Mont lone yay paw

MoonPie is a marshmallow and graham cracker sandwich coated in chocolate, a sweet treat invented by the employees of the Chattanooga Baking Company from Tennessee, founded in 1902. In the beginning, the company sold at least 150 various baked goods such as crackers and wafers. In 1917, Earl Mitchell, a company salesman, saw that the employees dipped graham crackers into melted marshmallow, so he added the chocolate coating to the combination and MoonPie was born. In the 1930s, these treats were a staple for hungry workers, and by the time of World War II, the company sent out hundreds of thousands of MoonPies to soldiers abroad. Today, almost a million cookies are produced daily, ready to satisfy everyone's sweet tooth.

MoonPie

Moorkop is a decadent Dutch dessert consisting of a choux pastry that is filled with whipped cream and glazed with chocolate. The dessert is finished by topping it with some more whipped cream and, optionally, pieces of fruit such as pineapple or tangerine. The name moorkop means Moor's head, referring to the fact that the chocolate topping resembles his turban.

Moorkop

Austria

Moosbeernocken is a pancake-like dish that is primarily made by using fresh bilberries, a type of wild fruit that can be found in the Alps. Because the bilberries have a very short season, this dish can only be made around the month of July, when they are beginning to ripen. The dish is prepared by making a light and puffy batter using eggs, sugar, and flour. The batter is combined with fresh bilberries, then fried in a pan until both sides are golden brown. Moosbeernocken are served with icing sugar on top and (optionally) a scoop of ice cream on the side.

Moosbeernocken

Canada

Moosehunters are Canadian cookies originating from Cape Breton Island. They are made with a combination of molasses, brown sugar, butter, milk, eggs, flour, baking soda, and (optionally) ground spices such as cinnamon and ginger. Once the dough is ready, it is cut with a round biscuit cutter or a glass, then baked until nice and crispy. If desired, once they have cooled down, moosehunters can also be iced on top with a combination of butter, milk, vanilla, and powdered sugar.

Moosehunters

Moravian spice cookies are traditional cookies usually associated with Winston-Salem, North Carolina. This descendent of the German lebkuchen is made with a combination of powerful spices and molasses. The end result is a very thin and crisp cookie that has a reputation of "the World's thinnest cookie". The cookies are usually round, but they can be cut into different shapes such as stars or flowers. They're named after Moravia, which was once part of Czechoslovakia, and the immigrants settled in Germany, and then in Pennsylvania and North Carolina. The spices used for these cookies usually include ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. Over the years, versions made with sugar, lemon, chocolate, and black walnuts have appeared in many households in the region.

Moravian Spice Cookies

Portugal

Morgado de figo is a traditional dessert from the Algarve region of Portugal, made with a dough of roasted figs, toasted almonds, sugar, and chocolate powder, often flavored with fennel, lemon zest, and cinnamon. It is typically shaped like a small cheese wheel or molded into various forms such as boats, fish, or books. This dark, dense treat has a rich, sweet flavor and is enjoyed as a delicacy throughout the day. Its origins are linked to the abundant fig production in the region.

Morgado de figo

Morgado de Silves is a traditional cake from Silves in the Faro district in the Algarve region, known for its intricate preparation and rich flavors. It is made with a dough of finely ground almonds, sugar, eggs, and water, filled with layers of gila jam (made from gila pumpkin), egg jam, and egg strands. The cake is shaped like a round, usually 22 cm in diameter and 6 to 7 cm in height. Once baked, it is covered in royal icing, decorated with almond flowers or fruits, and sometimes adorned with silver pearls and tissue paper. It is a symbol of regional craftsmanship and culinary heritage.

Morgado de Silves

Mor Monsen or Mother Monson is a traditional cake originating from Norway. It's usually made with a combination of flour, baking powder, eggs, sugar, butter, and lemon peel. The batter is spread in a baking pan, then sprinkled with currants or raisins, almonds, and pearl sugar. The toppings should be lightly pressed into the batter in order not to fall off once the cake is done. The cake is baked until golden brown, cooled, then cut in diamond shapes with a knife and served. This traditional cake is often prepared during the festive Christmas season and it's recommended to serve it with a cup of coffee on the side.

Mor Monsen

Norway

M&oslash;sbr&oslash;mlefse is a traditional sweet snack originating from Salten. It consists of a lefse flatbread that's stuffed with melted goat cheese, buttermilk, syrup, and flour. The combination is slathered on the flatbread, and it can be eaten as it is, or topped with additional ingredients such as butter, sugar, or sour cream. In the past, m&oslash;sbr&oslash;mlefse was prepared for workers who needed a substantial meal to power them through in the cold. Nowadays, it's a tasty afternoon snack or an after-school treat.

Møsbrømlefse

Mustachos de Utrera are traditional Spanish cookies hailing from a small town near Sevilla called Utrera. These light sponge biscuits are usually made with a combination of egg whites, egg yolks, flour, sugar, and cinnamon. In order to prepare them, the egg whites are whisked with sugar, followed by the addition of egg yolks. The flour and cinnamon mixture is then folded into the egg-and-sugar mixture, and the dollops are then dropped on greased paper and shaped into moustaches. They&rsquo;re baked until crisp, golden, and ready to eat.

Mostachos de Utrera

Lebanon

Moufataka is a traditional dessert originating from Beirut. It's usually made with a combination of short-grain rice (such as Arborio), tahini, turmeric, pine nuts, sugar, and water. The rice is soaked in water overnight, and it's rinsed and strained the next day. It's then added to a pot of boiling turmeric and water mixture, and the rice is cooked until the water evaporates. A mix of pine nuts, sugar, and tahini is added to the rice, and the dessert is continuously stirred for more than an hour until the consistency becomes thick. Moufataka is poured into serving dishes or bowls while still hot, and it's then left to cool down to room temperature before consumption. The dessert is often garnished with pine nuts on top.

Moufataka

Mascarpone mousse or crema al Mascarpone is a traditional dessert that's usually prepared without cooking. The sweet and creamy Mascarpone cheese should be softened and brought to room temperature. It is mixed with beaten egg yolks and sugar, while beaten egg whites are folded in the mixture to finish the dessert. If desired, a bit of rum can be added to the mixture to enrich the flavors. Once prepared, mousse al Mascarpone cna be enjoyed as it is or refrigerated for a while before serving. A dusting of cocoa adds a nice visual appeal, as well as fresh berries.