Dessert

Baseema is a traditional cake made with eggs, yogurt, baking powder, flour, shredded coconut, oil, and vanilla extract. The mixture is typically spread into a wide pan, then baked. The cake is then glazed with a combination of granulated sugar, lemon juice, and water. When served, baseema is usually cut into squares. The name of this fluffy golden cake means delicious, and it&rsquo;s easy to see why.

Baseema

Switzerland

Basler l&auml;ckerli is a hard, spiced Swiss biscuit consisting of hazelnuts, almonds, candied peel, honey, and Kirsch. These cookies are a specialty of Basel, where it is believed that they have been prepared ever since the Middle Ages. Once baked, the biscuits are traditionally cut into rectangular pieces, then topped with sugar glaze. Nowadays, they are typically enjoyed during Christmastime, although they can be bought or prepared throughout the year.

Basler Läckerli

This baklava variety consists of chopped or ground nuts that are placed between two layers of shredded or ground kataifi (knefe) dough. The nut filling typically includes pistachios, cashews, or pine nuts, and the whole pastry is doused in sweet syrup and results in soft and moist baklava. Basma is always served well-chilled, cut into squares, and decorated with grounds nuts. Apart from Lebanon, this baklava variety is also common in Palestine, Syria, and Jordan.

Basma

Spain

A crustless cheesecake baked at a ferocious heat in a tin lined with crumpled paper until the top is burnt almost black and the centre is still liquid: the tarta de queso of La Viña, a pintxo bar in San Sebastián's old town, has become the Basque cheesecake served from Tokyo to New York, and it inverts everything the New York version stands for. Santiago Rivera developed it at La Viña in the early 1990s, reportedly from a decade of adjusting a classic recipe, and the bar still bakes dozens a day and cuts them at the counter. The appeal is the contrast: a bitter caramelised crust, a wobbly, custardy middle, and a flavour that is mostly cream cheese and sugar with a salt edge. There is no base, no water bath and no fruit, and it is served at room temperature in thick wedges, often with a glass of sherry or Pedro Ximénez.

The batter is cream cheese beaten smooth with sugar, then eggs added one at a time, then double cream, a pinch of salt and a very small amount of flour to hold it; the mix is loose, almost pourable, and should have no lumps. It goes into a deep tin lined with two sheets of baking paper pressed in so the edges stand above the rim and form the characteristic ruffled sides. The oven runs at 200 to 240°C, far hotter than a conventional cheesecake, and the cake bakes for thirty to forty-five minutes until the top is deep brown with black patches and the sides have set while the centre, when the tin is shaken, still moves like a set custard. It is taken out before it looks done, cooled in the tin for hours so the centre firms from the residual heat, and never refrigerated before serving if it can be helped, because cold dulls the texture.

Judge the cut face first: the outside should be browned and set, the middle pale and soft, sliding slightly on the plate, with a gradient between them rather than a uniform firm cake. The top should taste bitter and caramelised, close to burnt, and the inside should be rich, lightly salty and not very sweet, with the tang of cream cheese. Mark down a cake that is set firm all the way through, which was baked too long or too cool; one that is raw and pours, which was pulled too early; a pale top, which means the oven was not hot enough; a grainy or split texture from overbeating or a cold batter; and a slice served fridge-cold or with sauces and fruit, which belong to other cheesecakes. Weight is a sign: a good slice is dense and heavy for its size. A version with a biscuit base is a different cake using the name.

Basque Cheesecake

Bastani sonnati is a unique saffron-infused Iranian ice cream that was invented at the beginning of the 20th century by Akbar Mashti, the first ice cream vendor in Tehran. This frozen treat is made with a creamy mixture of milk or cream, frozen custard, and sliced pistachios. It is flavored with rose water and saffron and traditionally incorporates salep, an ingredient extracted from wild orchids. The vibrant yellow color and exotic flavors make bastani one of the favorite Iranian sweets. Iranians prefer to enjoy it in individual bowls, sprinkled with shredded pistachio, or served within two plain wafers, when it's known as bastani nooni ice cream sandwich.

Bastani sonnati

India

Basundi is a popular Indian dessert consisting of sweetened, thickened milk with the addition of chopped nuts such as almonds, cashews, and pistachios. The dessert is usually flavored with cardamom and saffron. It is traditionally prepared during Indian festivals such as Diwali, Bhai Dooj, Raksha Bandhan, and Gudi Padwa. Sweet, flavorful, and creamy, basundi is often consumed at Indian weddings or during the fasting period. It is especially popular in Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Karnataka, and although its origin is not known, it has been consumed as a milk dessert for centuries in India. Basundi is similar to a North Indian dessert known as rabri, the only difference between the two being the texture - while rabri has flaky layers of malai cream, basundi is soft and homogenous.

Basundi

Battenberg cake is a light dessert consisting of alternating, colored squares of genoise sponge coated with an exterior of apricot jam and almond paste. It is believed that the cake was invented in order to celebrate the 1884 wedding of Prince Louis of Battenburg to Princess Victoria. The four sections of genoise sponge are supposed to represent the four Battenburg princes &ndash; Louis and his brothers. The cake is often enjoyed as a part of afternoon tea.

Battenberg cake

Austria

Bauernkrapfen is a traditional pastry that is especially popular in the regions of Styria and Carinthia. They are similar to doughnuts and are often enjoyed as a treat during carnivals, festivals, and other celebratory events. These pastries are made by first forming a yeasted dough into a ring shape, then frying it in oil until golden brown. After frying, the bauernkrapfen are usually dusted with powdered sugar, though some versions may be filled with jam, similar to a jelly doughnut. Like many traditional dishes, there can be variations in the recipe for bauernkrapfen depending on the region or the personal preferences of the cook. Some versions might include additional ingredients like vanilla, rum, or lemon zest for extra flavor.

Bauernkrapfen

The German version of spit cake, known as baumkuchen, is just one of many similar cakes found throughout Europe. There are various conflicting theories about its origin&mdash;one points in the direction of a German town called Salzwedel in the 19th century, while others say it&rsquo;s a descendant of the Hungarian wedding cake. The batter&ndash;typically made from flour, eggs, sugar, vanilla, salt, and butter&ndash;is thinly coated on a spit that&rsquo;s rotating over a heat source. Before each new layer is applied, the previous one must be fully dry. Once sliced, the cake has a lovely texture and appearance which resembles growth rings, hence its name&ndash;baumkuchen or tree cake. The basic dough can be enriched by various ingredients such as nuts, honey, and brandy. The cake is often additionally coated with sugar or chocolate glaze. Miniature, cut up slices of this cake - called baumkuchenspitzen or tree cake tips - are usually glazed in chocolate and sold individually.

Baumkuchen

Italy

Baxin is a simple cookie typical of Albenga in Liguria, Italy. Although it is not as famous as some other Ligurian sweets, it has a long history &ndash; supposedly the Benedictine monks were producing and selling them since the 18th century. These golden yellow sweets consist of flour and sugar, and they are flavored with anise seeds, cloves, cinnamon, and lemon zest. The classic version is definitely a treat, but today you can also enjoy them in different colors and flavors such as baxin with coffee, orange, chocolate, banana, raisins, strawberries, or pistachio.

Baxin

Philippines

Baye baye is a traditional dessert originating from the region of Iloilo. It's made with a combination of grated young coconut and either corn patties or young rice that's pounded into flakes (pinipig). In order to prepare baye baye, the pinipig is toasted until golden brown, then ground or pounded into flakes and combined with coconut water, sugar, and grated young coconut. The mixture is wrapped in banana leaves and shaped into logs. Before serving, the dessert is chilled so that it hardens and becomes easier to eat.

Baye baye

As the name suggests, this halva hails from the Bayrami&ccedil; district. It is a dessert made with tahini (a paste consisting of toasted and ground sesame seeds), sugar, citric acid, and water. When cooked, it is chilled and placed into molds. The result is a dessert with a distinctive texture and nutty flavor. This halva has been made since the 1870s, and it is exclusively associated with the Bayrami&ccedil; district, where the specific production method has been passed down through generations. Since 2021, it has been a protected regional product.

Bayramiç tahin helvası

Germany

This rich, silky egg custard is thickened with gelatin and combined with whipped cream. It is traditionally served cold, and is usually garnished with pieces of fresh fruit or drizzled over with sweet sauces. Although its origins are quite unclear, it is known that Bavarian cream hails from either Germany or France. Many French chefs worked in Bavaria during the 17th and 18th century, so it is believed that they learned the recipe there. Some believe that the dish was invented by a famous French chef Marie-Antoine Car&ecirc;me, who wrote a recipe for it in the early 18th century. Today, Bavarian cream is consumed on its own as a decadent dessert or used as a filling for various cakes and pastries.

Bayrisch Creme

Beaver tails are sweet, flat, and thin Canadian pastries made from whole wheat flour. The dough is hand-stretched and shaped to look like a beaver's tail - unsurprisingly, one of Canada's national symbols. The shaped dough is fried (a technique referred to as float-cooking) on canola oil and smothered with butter and a variety of different toppings. Beaver Tails originated from a recipe created by Grant Hooker's family and have been served commercially since 1978. It is believed that the pastry evolved from a yeasty, wheaty dessert made from excess dough that was first made on early Canadian and American farms. Beaver Tails are always served hot and topped with cinnamon, sugar, and some lemon juice, which is the most popular option. Other toppings may include chocolate and hazelnut, maple syrup and butter, apple and cinnamon, whipped cream, chocolate sauce, jelly beans, bananas... The list goes on, as the possibilities are virtually infinite for this Canadian icon.

Beaver tails

Bebinca is a traditional layered cake from Goa, where it's originally been made under Portuguese culinary influence. The cake is made with a combination of flour, ghee, sugar, coconut milk, and egg yolks. The preparation process is a long and laborious one &ndash; each layer of the batter is spread on a grill or baked in the oven, and the following layers are then stacked on top of one another. Half of the batter is sometimes enriched with caramel, which changes the color to a slightly darker one, resulting in visibly different alternate layers. The layers often range from 7 to 16, which is the only acceptable number of layers for bebinca purists. Once done, the cake is typically garnished with slivered almonds or nutmeg powder. Bebinca is especially popular during the festive Christmas season, cut into slices and served warm.

Bebinca

Bedfordshire's answer to the popular Cornish pasty is called Bedfordshire clanger, an old dish dating back to the 19th century. This delicacy originally started as a boiled suet pudding with a savory meat filling on one end and a sweet fruit filling on the other end. It was a favorite food and a staple of field workers in the 19th century. The word clanger in the name of the dish is believed to refer to the erroneous action of combining sweet and savory fillings in one dish. However, others believe that clanger is derived from the word clang, which means to eat voraciously in Northamptonshire dialect. The savory part usually consists of gammon and potatoes, while the sweet part should be made with fruit jam or stewed apples. This flavorful pastry is traditionally split in the middle, separating the two fillings in the process. Filling and nutritious, Bedfordshire clanger is both a wholesome, nutritious meal and a sweet dessert in only one dish.

Bedfordshire clanger

France

Beerawecka is a French dish that is traditionally served at Christmas in Bas-Rhin and Haut-Rhin. The dish is a cake made with dried fruits (pears, plums, raisins, figs, apricots), candied peel, and nuts such as walnuts, almonds, and hazelnuts. The ingredients are typically macerated in liqueur, then covered with a spiced cake mixture. The spices used in the cake are usually cinnamon, anise, cardamom, and mace. It is believed that the cake was invented by Alsace's Jewish community. Apart from France, beerawecka is also popular in Austria, Switzerland, Italy, and Germany.

Beerawecka

These squares of deep-fried pastry dough are sprinkled with powdered sugar and are traditionally served hot. The dish hails from France, and French settlers brought it to the Acadia region of Canada in the 17th century. Many of the Acadians later moved to Louisiana, and they brought their culinary traditions with them. Today, beignets are most commonly associated with the French Quarter of New Orleans, where they were declared the official state donut in 1986. These treats are typically served alongside chocolate milk or caf&eacute; au lait, a combination often served at the Cafe Du Monde - a New Orleans restaurant that is most often associated with beignets.

Beignets

Beijinhos, literally translated to little kisses, are popular Brazilian treats made from sweetened condensed milk, butter, and coconut. Rolled into tiny balls, topped with some more shredded coconut and a clove on top, beijinhos are traditionally served at children's birthday parties, but loved by young and old alike. Beijinho is the coconut version of the popular Brazilian dessert brigadeiro, made with cocoa powder instead of coconut. The sweet treats can also be used as a filling for dried plums, in which case the dessert is called olho-de-sogra, literally translated to mother-in-law's eyes. Although the treats are simple to prepare at home, they can also be found throughout Brazil, at small stores called doceiras.

Beijinho

Portugal

Beijinhos de am&ecirc;ndo is a traditional dessert originating from Algarve. These little ''almond kisses'' are made with a simple combination of sugar, almonds, and egg yolks. The sugar is boiled in water, then mixed with the almonds and cooked over low heat. Once warmed, beaten egg yolks are added to the combination. The mixture is stirred constantly until the mass becomes slightly dry. It is rolled into little balls with one's fingers that have been greased with butter. The dessert is then baked until lightly browned, and a piece of almond is stuck on top of each small cake. The beijinhos are then cooled and served in paper molds. If desired, lemon peel can be added for extra flavor.