Dessert

France

Omelette vall&eacute;e d'Auge is a traditional dish originating from Normandy. Unlike most omelets, this version is sweet, creamy, and garnished with apples. The dish consists of eggs, sugar, cream, butter, apples, and Calvados. The apples are peeled, cut into cubes, then browned in butter and sugar until they caramelize. The pan is then taken off the heat, and cream is mixed in. The eggs are whisked and mixed with powdered sugar, then cooked in butter over medium heat. Once done, the omelet is garnished with the apples, the edges are folded over, and it's then sprinkled with icing sugar. Before serving, the omelet is flamb&eacute;ed with Calvados and served hot.

Omelette vallée d'Auge

A favorite homemade treat during the holiday season, ora&scaron;nice are traditional Bosnian walnut cookies. Everyone has their own version, however, the standard recipe for ora&scaron;nice only uses three ingredients - egg whites, sugar, and walnuts. Once all the ingredients have been mixed together, another helping of coarsely ground walnuts is sprinkled on top in order to provide a crunchy outer layer. The cookies are always shaped to look like a horse hoof, and they are then baked in the oven. Some common variations use lemon juice or orange juice for a softer interior, while others use crushed shortbread biscuits for a better texture. It is recommended to serve the cookies with a cup of coffee or tea.

Orašnica

Italy

Orecchie di Amman are traditional Italian-Jewish sweet pastries that are typically served during Purim. The name means Amman's ears, referring to the evil Amman who persecuted Jews in Persia. The pastry dough is made with eggs, sugar, white wine, olive oil, flour, and grated lemon or orange zest. It is shaped into twists or knots, then fried until golden and dusted with vanilla sugar. Orecchie di Amman are ideally served accompanied by a glass of sparkling white wine.

Orecchie di Amman

Hailing from Provence, oreillettes are the thin, rectangular sheets of deep-fried dough. They are prepared with flour, eggs, and butter, and are usually enriched with citrus zest and orange flower water. Traditionally enjoyed during the Carnival season, they are best served freshly prepared and generously coated in powdered sugar. These crispy fritters are also enjoyed in the neighboring Occitanie region.

Oreillettes orovençales

Spain

Orelletes are Spanish and Andorran pastries that are especially popular in Catalonia and Valencia. The dough is made with flour, sugar, eggs, anisette, and olive oil, but it might also include orange and lemon juice or zest. The dough is traditionally fried by women, and in the past, the pastries had often been consumed after mass, when they were accompanied by a glass of sweet local wine. The name orelletes means ears, referring to the ear-like shape of these festive pastries that are present at most weddings, birthdays, and similar celebrations. For the best experience, orelletes should be dusted with powdered sugar.

Orelletes

Hungary

This classic Hungarian dessert &ndash; translated as Russian cream cake &ndash; is believed to have been invented by a renowned pastry chef at the famed Oroszi K&aacute;v&eacute;h&aacute;z&mdash;Russian Coffee House&mdash;in Budapest. The cake is assembled out of multiple sponge layers and vanilla-infused cream that is dotted with rum-soaked raisins. Although rich and lavishly decorated with whipped cream, the cake is characterized by its light texture and refreshing flavor. It is usually enjoyed at traditional Hungarian coffee houses and is best served accompanied by a cup of strong coffee.

Oroszkrém torta

Traditionally prepared for Christmas Eve in Bulgaria, oshav is a simple dish of stewed dried fruit such as prunes, apples, and pears. The dried fruits should be washed, placed in a pot with water, then boiled until they soften. When they are soft, sugar or honey and spices such as cloves and cinnamon are added to the pot in order to enhance the flavors. It is recommended to serve oshav cold.

Oshav

The name of these crunchy Italian biscuits literally translates to bones of the dead, in reference to their visual appearance. They are traditionally prepared across the country to honor and commemorate the loved ones who had passed away - the biscuits are made on November 1st, All Saints' Day, and served on November 2nd, All Souls' Day. The key ingredient in this seasonal recipe is almond meal from the almonds that are harvested in autumn, though in some regions hazelnuts are used instead. When they're not paired with coffee or tea, ossi dei morti are best enjoyed with a glass of Vin Santo or Marsala dessert wine.

Ossi dei morti

Germany

Ostfriesentorte is a traditional cake originating from Ostfriesen. It's made with a combination of sugar, flour, baking powder, eggs, bourbon, vanilla sugar, salt, and a thickening agent. The yolks and whites are separated, and the yolks are then beaten with vanilla sugar, sugar, hot water, flour, thickening agent, baking powder, and salt. The egg whites are then beaten until stiff and folded in with the stock of spirit raisins. The cake is baked, and it's then smeared with a mix of cream, cream stuff, stock of spirit raisins, and spirit raisins in alternating layers. The top is decorated with cream before the cake is served, while the sides can be garnished with chopped almonds.

Ostfriesentorte

Ostkaka is a very old Swedish specialty that literally translates to cheesecake, although it should not be mistaken with the well-known American cheesecake. Traditionally, it is prepared with rennet that converts milk into cheese, which is then combined with flour, eggs, sugar, cream, and almonds, and baked until lightly browned. The whole process can be simplified by using cottage cheese instead. Unlike American cheesecakes, ostkaka is less sweet, much lighter, less fattening, and somewhat custardy. It is best served lukewarm or at room temperature, drizzled with fresh berry syrup, tart jam, or topped with whipped cream and strawberries. Ostkaka even has its very own day, called the Ostkaka dag (the 14th of November) when this delicious culinary delight is celebrated in Sweden. It can be bought ready-made in any supermarket throughout Sweden and is a staple dessert enjoyed during Swedish celebrations year-round.

Ostkaka

Philippines

Otap is a sweet, thin, oval-shaped Filipino treat made with puff pastry. These treats are usually small in size, generously sprinkled with sugar, and have an incredibly crispy and crumbly texture. It is believed that otap originated in Cebu, and today it represents a signature product of the entire region. The sugary biscuits are available at numerous local markets and stores and are usually enjoyed as a light dessert or a sweet afternoon snack.

Otap

Ottijiet are traditional cookies originating from Malta. The cookies are usually made with a combination of flour, sugar, butter, eggs, orange juice and zest, vanilla, cloves, aniseed, baking powder, sesame seeds, and salt. Butter is mixed with flour, sugar, salt, aniseed, cloves, orange zest, and baking powder in a big bowl. The eggs, orange juice, and a bit of water are mixed in another bowl. Both are incorporated into a dough that's wrapped in cling film and placed in the fridge to chill. Pieces of dough are then rolled between hands, first into a rope, then into a ring, and the ring is then twisted to get the typical "8" shape of these tasty cookies. The cookies are dipped into sesame seeds and baked until golden. They're traditionally eaten at teatime.

Ottijiet

These sweet, fruit-filled Czech dumplings appear in numerous varieties throughout the country. They are made with either leavened or potato dough, or the combination of wheat flour and fresh quark cheese. The fillings, which are completely enclosed in the dumplings, might include various fruits, but the most common options are lightly sweetened apricots, strawberries, blueberries, or plums. Knedl&iacute;ky are shortly cooked in boiling water and usually served hot, doused in melted butter, and sprinkled with sugar and crumbled quark cheese. Although they are traditionally enjoyed as a dessert, ovocn&eacute; knedl&iacute;ky also make an excellent sweet snack.

Ovocné knedlíky

Portugal

Hailing from Aveiro, these delectable sweets consist of a paper-thin wafer that is filled with a creamy mixture of egg yolks and sugar. Ovos moles, which translates to soft eggs, belong to a wide group of Portuguese desserts that were originally prepared by nuns. This dessert is usually associated with Mosteiro de Jesus in Aveiro. It is believed that when the convents were closed, the recipe stayed with the nuns, and by the mid-19th century, there were already many reputable establishments which sold ovos moles. The wafers are typically shaped into maritime symbols such as shells, fish, or barrels, which are all associated with the picturesque city of Aveiro. Along with being one of the most popular Portuguese edible souvenirs, ovos moles were the first Portuguese convent treat that was granted a protected status by the European Commission.

Ovos moles de Aveiro

Pączki are traditional Polish doughnuts are made from yeast-leavened dough that's rich in eggs, sugar, milk, and fats. A touch of spirit, such as rum, is often added to the dough for pączki to prevent the absorption of oil during frying. They are darker and larger than their Austrian cousin krapfen and often ball-like in shape rather than round. Traditional fillings are plum preserve and rose jam. They are placed at the center of the dough and then wrapped around it to make a ball-like shape. Pączki are much more than just a tasty treat; they hold cultural significance in Poland and among Polish communities worldwide. Consuming pączki on the last Thursday before Lent begins is a centuries-old tradition, marking a time to indulge in rich foods before the fasting period of Lent. The popularity of pączki has spread beyond Poland, with many bakeries in the United States, especially those in areas with large Polish populations, offering them in the lead-up to Lent.

Pączki

Australia

Paifala are Samoan pies shaped into half-moons, visually similar to a calzone. The most traditional recipe calls for a filling of crushed pineapple and leftover syrup, milk, sugar, and cornstarch. The crust is typically made with flour, butter, coconut milk, and baking powder, resulting in a fragrant, buttery, and smooth shortcrust pastry. Baked in an oven until golden-brown in color, these filling pastries are then left to cool off and are usually consumed in thick strips.

Paifala

Pain au chocolat is a French viennoiserie roll made with a combination of rectangular, yeast-leavened dough and a few chocolate sticks or chocolate ganache. The filled dough is rolled, baked, then served, ideally while still hot or warm. This flaky pastry can be bought at numerous French bakeries and supermarkets. Interestingly, another name for pain au chocolat is chocolatine, and it is mostly used in the southwest of the country. In Bordeaux, there is even a case where customers had to pay more if they ordered a pain au chocolat rather than a chocolatine. It is believed that the southwest stuck with chocolatine because it is similar to the Occitan word chicolatina. Regardless of these "name wars", in France, one should never refer to pain au chocolat as a chocolate croissant.

Pain au chocolat

Pain patate is one of the most beloved Haitian desserts. The main ingredient used in pain patate are sweet potatoes, preferably the variety with violet skin and white interior. Apart from those, the dessert is made with freshly grated coconut, coconut milk, butter, sugar, crushed ripe bananas, and whole milk. Pain patate is flavored with lemon or lime zest, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, ginger, and raisins. When the sweet pudding is baked, it is often served with whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side.

Pain patate

The crisp, buttery palets de dames (lit. ladies' pucks) are a specialty of the North of France and Belgium, and they are found in virtually any p&acirc;tisserie. These delectable cookies are typically covered with apricot jam and lemon-flavored sugar icing, while some varieties are flavored with rum, vanilla, or aniseed. Palets are sometimes even studded with currants, raisins, or nuts. These delicate cookies are traditionally enjoyed as a snack with afternoon tea.

Palets de dames

Palitaw is a popular Filipino boiled rice cake. These rice cakes were traditionally prepared with pounded rice, but today there are mainly made with a combination of glutinous rice flour and water. Characterized by their round and flat shape, they are boiled in water, then rolled in grated coconut and sweetened sesame seeds. The name is derived from the Filipino word litaw, which means to float, referring to the preparation method in which the cakes are boiled until they start floating on the surface. Just like other rice cakes in the Philippines, palitaw is enjoyed as a dessert, but it also makes for a satisfying afternoon treat.