Dessert

Spain

Sobao pasiego, a popular sponge cake from Cantabria, is made from yeasted dough that is typically flavored with lemon zest and either anise liquor or rum. Originally, the cake was made from leftover bread dough, but near the end of the 19th century, it has been modified into its present-day form. The tradition of preparing it and the simplicity of ingredients used in the preparation helped sobao pasiego gain PGI status in 2004.

Sobao pasiego

This is the only Turkish baklava with a cream-like filling, made by boiling a mixture semolina and a thick clotted cream called kaymak. To make ş&ouml;biyet, phyllo dough sheets are cut into squares, brushed with melted butter, and layered atop one another, then filled with kaymak and chopped nuts&mdash;typically walnuts&mdash;and finally folded into triangles before baking. Like most other baklavas, when baked, ş&ouml;biyet is doused in a lemon-flavored syrup and sprinkled with either crushed walnuts or pistachios.

Şöbiyet

Iran

Sohan asali is a traditional brittle prepared with a base of sugar, honey, saffron, rose water, oil or butter, and slivered almonds. They are usually round, and before they set, the top is decorated with ground pistachios. This sweet, crispy candy is a staple on Persian New Year, and it is often altered with the addition of various flavorings, other nuts, or flavored honey. It is believed that sohan asali has its origins in Isfahan, a region known for its honey production.

Sohan asali

Pakistan

Sohan halwa is a traditional dessert that is consumed throughout South Asia, mostly in Pakistan, India, Iran, and Afghanistan. Different versions of this sweet dish exist, but it is usually prepared with a mixture of milk, flour, sprouted wheat, water, lemon salt, sugar, and ghee that is boiled until it has thickened and developed a caramel-like color. Whether round or square, this halwa variety is usually filled with chopped nuts such as pistachios, almonds, and walnuts, and it is often flavored with aromatic spices such as cardamom and saffron. Once cooled down, the halwa develops a hard, candy-like texture. Sweet and nutty, sohan halwa is sold commercially in beautifully adorned tins and is traditionally presented as a gift to family members and friends on festive occasions. Typically associated with the Pakistani city of Multan, this halwa variety&rsquo;s exact roots have long been highly debated. According to some sources, it was an original creation of a certain Hindu confectioner named Sohan, while others give credit to a renowned Governor of Multan called Deewan Sawan Mal, and yet others suggest the sweet dish is of Persian or Iranian origin. Regardless of who created sohan halwa, this delectable sweet treat has been winning over the hearts of those who have a sweet tooth for many years.

Sohan halwa

Sombi is a traditional rice pudding made with rice, water, coconut milk, sugar, and salt. It is often served warm, although it can also be served chilled when the weather is exceptionally hot. This comforting dessert is quite easy to prepare, which may be the reason for its popularity. It is recommended to garnish the rice pudding with coconut chips on top.

Sombi

Hungary

Even though its name translates to soml&oacute; dumpling, this classic Hungarian dessert is actually a trifle cake made of several layers of sponge and custard cream, studded with raisins soaked either in rum or the sweet Tokaji Asz&uacute; wine, then topped with whipped cream. Soml&oacute;i galuska was invented in the 1950s&mdash;the novel dessert was first envisioned by K&aacute;roly Gollerits, then headwaiter at the famous Gundel restaurant in Budapest, and later created by Gundel's master pastry chef J&oacute;zsef B&eacute;la Szőcs, whose cake became an award-winner at the Brussels World&rsquo;s Fair of 1958. Over time, though it has been reimagined and modernized by many, and some places have even created their own signature versions, soml&oacute;i galuska has remained one of Hungary's all-time favorites.

Somlói galuska

The name of these sweet fritters translates to banana dreams. They are believed to have originated under Portuguese culinary influence at the islands of S&atilde;o Tom&eacute; and Pr&iacute;ncipe. The fritters are prepared with mashed bananas which are then combined with sugar, flour, eggs, baking powder, and cinnamon. They are best served dusted with cinnamon sugar and enjoyed as a filling dessert or a sweet snack.

Sonhos de banana

Despite its name, sopa borracha (lit. drunk soup) is not a soup at all, but a festive Panamanian dessert that is especially popular at weddings and birthdays. It consists of a sponge cake that is cut into smaller pieces, then drenched in a sweet syrup made with sugar, cinnamon, lemon zest and juice, dark rum, and sherry, boiled with prunes and raisins which are later used as a topping once the dessert has been assembled. If desired, sopa borracha can be additionally topped with silver drag&eacute;es, as the Panamanians do.

Sopa borracha

Soplillos are traditional Spanish almond meringues originating from Granada. They&rsquo;re made with a combination of egg whites, blanched and toasted almonds, sugar, and lemon zest. The almonds are pulverized, then mixed with grated lemon zest and added to whisked egg whites and sugar. The mixture is dropped onto a baking sheet, and the meringue is baked until done, then left to cool. This sticky meringue is traditionally served in a tiny square of paper and it can be found in many confiser&iacute;as throughout the region.

Soplillos

Soproni mandul&aacute;s r&eacute;tes is a variety of a traditional Hungarian strudel that is considered a specialty of Sopron cuisine. It typically consists of a thin pastry dough that's been filled with a fruit preserve or jam and almond cream (similar to frangipane) before it's baked until nicely colored and crispy. According to the traditional recipe from Cuisine of Hungary, a cookbook written by the famous restaurateur and cookbook writer George Lang, this sweet delicacy is made with strudel dough, melted lard or butter, raspberry or strawberry jam, ground almonds, sugar, and eggs. Once baked, the strudel is usually enjoyed while it's still warm, and it's traditionally dusted with powdered sugar. There's a similar strudel variety mentioned in another traditional Hungarian cookbook called A magyarok asztal&aacute;n&aacute;l, but this version calls for accompanying the dessert with a rum cr&egrave;me anglaise.

Soproni mandulás rétes

Sorbetes is a popular Filipino ice cream flavored with ingredients such as mango, chocolate, cheese, coconut, and purple yam (ube). Traditionally, it is produced from carabao milk and served in tiny scoops on sugar cones. Some Filipinos like to consume it sandwiched between bread buns, like a hamburger. Although it sounds similar to a sorbet, coming from the Spanish sorbete, it is not a sorbet, but a dirty ice cream, as the locals jokingly call it due to the fact that it is sold along polluted streets. Sorbetes can usually be found at numerous street carts throughout the Philippines.

Sorbetes

Italy

Sospiri di Ozieri are traditional sweets from the Sardinian city of Ozieri. Made with both sweet and bitter almonds, powdered sugar, milefiori honey, grated lemon zest, and water, these baked cookies are topped with white sugary glaze. The recipe for sospiri di Ozieri dates back to the 19th century - these rich cookies used to be prepared for weddings, mostly in noble families who could afford such a decadent and expensive treat.

Sospiri di Ozieri

Sot suppe is a traditional sweet soup hailing from Norway. It's usually made with a combination of dried fruits, spices, and pearl tapioca. Prunes, raisins, and mixed dried fruits are mixed with sugar, water or apple juice, tapioca, cinnamon, lemon zest, orange juice, and lemon juice. The combination is slowly simmered until the tapioca becomes clear and the fruit develops a tender texture. Once done, the sweet soup can be served hot or cold, and some people like to add heavy cream, cottage cheese, or yogurt for extra flavor. The soup can also be served over sponge cake or ice cream. It's typically prepared for festive occasions such as Christmas or Easter.

Sot suppe

This wildly popular French dessert is beloved all over the world &ndash; known to gourmets for its soft, airy texture, and infamous among chefs for its unforgiving nature, which leaves little to no room for error during the cooking process. This delicate cake consists of two elements: a pudding or cream base, and a meringue made of egg whites. Souffl&eacute;s can be either sweet or savory. Sweet souffl&eacute;s typically have a sauce in the middle, and are served almost exclusively as a dessert. Savory souffl&eacute;s often include ingredients such as cheese, crab, or onions, and they are usually served as an appetizer. The dish received its name from the French word souffler, meaning to puff up, and both sweet and savory versions of this delicacy were first created in 18th-century France. The first recipe for the dish is found in Vincent La Chapelle&rsquo;s 1742 book Le Cuisinier Moderne. Today, there are numerous variations of the dish, containing creative ingredients such as figs, kiwi, chicken, vegetables, broccoli, corn, pineapple, and sweet potato.

Soufflé

Chocolate souffl&eacute; is an exquisite French dessert that combines dark chocolate with a creamy egg yolk base and fluffy egg whites. Typically prepared in small ramekins, it should always be lightly baked in order to stay soft and velvety in the middle, with a delectable, crunchy top. Just like other souffl&eacute; varieties, the chocolate version is also considered to be technically challenging, but if done properly, it results in a wonderfully delicate sweet treat. Even though it is not considered to be one of the first souffl&eacute; versions, which were originally prepared as savory dishes, today it is one of the most popular interpretations of this internationally acclaimed dessert.

Soufflé au chocolat

This classic souffl&eacute; variety is characterized by its airy texture and a subtle lemon flavor. It consists of a blend of creamy egg yolk base, flour, lemon zest, sugar, and fluffy egg whites. Traditionally baked in individual ramekins, the souffl&eacute; should rise and attain a golden, firm layer on top, while staying light and tender on the inside. Like other souffl&eacute; varieties, it should be served immediately after baking and is best garnished with powdered sugar and accompanied by fresh fruit.

Soufflé au citron

This is a cold variety of a souffl&eacute;, prepared with cr&egrave;me fra&icirc;che, sugar, wheat flour, eggs, and kiwi crush. Interestingly, this souffl&eacute; variety does not contain any flour. After all of the ingredients have been combined, kiwi souffl&eacute; is additionally garnished with kiwi slices on top and left to chill in the refrigerator. It is recommended to serve this refreshing dessert after a hearty meal.

Soufflé au kiwi

The light pink raspberry souffl&eacute; is one of the classic French desserts. The delightful combination of raspberry pur&eacute;e, egg yolks, sugar, and fluffy egg whites results in an exceptionally light, delicate treat that is characterized by a subtle raspberry flavor. Similar to other souffl&eacute; varieties, this raspberry treat is prepared in small ramekins and has to be served immediately after baking, while the top is still firm, and the center stays moist and tender. Most commonly, it is garnished with powdered sugar, but it can be elevated with fresh raspberries or raspberry coulis.

Soufflé aux framboises

Also referred to as frozen souffl&eacute; or ice cream souffl&eacute;, souffl&eacute; glac&eacute; is a cold dessert made by combining an egg yolk custard or Italian meringue with fruit pur&eacute;e and heavy cream before freezing the mixture until firm. The denser and creamier ice cream souffl&eacute; version consists of a custard-like base of egg yolks and sugar that is mixed with fruit pur&eacute;e, whipped egg whites, and heavy cream. The lighter version uses Italian meringue, which is made with beaten egg whites and sugar syrup, and combines it with fruit pur&eacute;e and heavy cream. Both types of ice cream souffl&eacute; are typically spooned into small souffl&eacute; dishes or ramekins with paper collars or foil collars attached to them that reach over the rim. When the paper or foil is removed, it gives the dessert its typical look of a puffed up souffl&eacute;, hence ice cream souffl&eacute;. This sweet and frozen dessert can be enhanced with crumbled biscuits, macarons, or liquor, and it is usually finished off with a dusting of powdered sugar, fruit, or a drizzle of hot fruit coulis (fruit sauce).

Soufflé glacé

France

Souffl&eacute; Rothschild is a sweet souffle flavored with candied fruit macerated in Danzinger Goldwasser, an herbal liqueur with real gold flakes, as one of its defining ingredients. Marie-Antoine Car&ecirc;me created it in honor of his employer, James Mayer de Rothschild, founder of the French branch of the Rothschild family and the wealthiest man at the time, hence the name. The souffle is served topped with strawberries and sprinkled with powdered sugar.