Postre

B&aacute;nh b&ograve; are traditional, coconut-flavored Vietnamese sponge cakes that are prepared with a light yeast-based batter. There are several varieties depending on the shape, ingredients, and the method of preparation, but all of them have a distinct, airy texture which is why they are occasionally known as honeycomb or beehive cakes. B&aacute;nh b&ograve; cakes can be baked or steamed and tinted with various natural colorings, while their base is usually made with rice or tapioca flour. The name b&ograve; roughly translates to a cow or to crawl, but it is not clear how and why the cakes were given their current name.

Bánh bò

Vietnam

B&aacute;nh cam and b&aacute;nh v&ograve;ng are traditional donut-like fritters originating from Vietnam. B&aacute;nh cam is traditionally sold together with b&aacute;nh v&ograve;ng, and the difference lies in the fact that b&aacute;nh cam is round, while b&aacute;nh v&ograve;ng is ring-shaped, similar to a thin donut with a hole in the middle (v&ograve;ng means ring). Both types of donuts have a caramel glaze on top, but b&aacute;nh v&ograve;ng doesn&rsquo;t contain the mung bean filling as b&aacute;nh cam does. If properly prepared, the donuts should be crispy on the outside, and soft, chewy, and dense on the inside. The dough is typically made with a combination of rice flour, glutinous rice flour, baking powder, oil, sugar, and sometimes mashed potatoes. Both of these donuts are often sprinkled with sesame seeds on top.

Bánh cam

Bananas are the star ingredient in this classic Vietnamese dessert which can be steamed (hấp) or baked (nướng). It usually consists of sliced bananas and a creamy combination of condensed milk, sugar, coconut milk, and optionally bread, eggs, or shredded coconut. Depending on the ingredients and the cooking procedure, the cakes can vary in shape and texture, while other varieties come in a form of banana fritters or incorporate additional ingredients and flavorings. Steamed versions are often served sprinkled with sesame seeds and doused in coconut milk.

Bánh chuối

B&aacute;nh chuối hấp is a traditional dessert. This steamed banana cake is made with ripe bananas, rice flour, coconut milk, tapioca starch, and sugar. The bananas are peeled, mashed, then mixed with sugar, rice flour, water, and sometimes vanilla. The batter is steamed until done, and the cake is then drizzled with a sauce consisting of coconut milk, sugar, water, tapioca starch, and salt. Before serving, b&aacute;nh chuối hấp is often cut into diamond shapes and sprinkled with crushed peanuts or sesame seeds.

Bánh chuối hấp

This traditional Vietnamese dessert consists of chewy layers that are typically made with pur&eacute;ed mung beans, tapioca starch, rice flour, and coconut milk or water. Traditionally, each cake has a pale yellow layer made with mung beans and a green layer that is flavored and colored with pandan leaves, while optional ingredients include durian or taro. Once steamed and chilled, the cake is usually cut into diamond shapes.

Bánh da lợn

This traditional Vietnamese dessert originated in Hải Dương. It combines mung beans, vegetable oil or pork fat, sugar, and flavorings to create a cake with a fudge-like consistency and a smooth texture. It is believed that the cake first appeared in the 1920s, and since then, this simple combination has earned a status of a favorite local sweet and has become well-known in the entire country. Traditionally, pieces of b&aacute;nh đậu xanh are accompanied by a cup of green or lotus tea.

Bánh đậu xanh

B&aacute;nh flan is the Vietnamese version of cr&egrave;me caramel. Tender and soft, covered with a layer of sugary caramel, the French cr&egrave;me caramel is a timeless and classic dessert. The Vietnamese variety was directly influenced by the French, who left a significant impact on the culture and gastronomy in Vietnam during the colonization period. Although simple in ingredients and preparation, b&aacute;nh flan is a beautiful and delicate dessert. It usually employs a rich vanilla or coffee-flavored mixture of milk and eggs, which is poured in caramel-covered ramekins. When cooked, the flan is turned upside down, leaving a layer of dark, thick caramel sauce on top, which generously descends on the sides, covering the entire cake in an appetizing amber color. Vietnamese versions often employ condensed milk as the base, which gives the cake a somewhat denser and heavier texture. The unusual characteristic of b&aacute;nh flan is connected to Vietnamese culture, where ovens and refrigerators are not a common tradition. Because of this, the Vietnamese variety of this famous classic is usually steamed and served immediately, while it is still hot. In order to cool down the flan and reduce the sweetness, a generous amount of shaved ice is a common accompaniment served on top of b&aacute;nh flan. In Vietnam, this stunning dessert represents a unique delicacy that is typically served in traditional open-air eateries or bought at specialized street stalls.

Bánh flan

B&aacute;nh gai is a Vietnamese cake consisting of dark-colored dough that is stuffed with a sweet filling. The dough combines rice flour and a paste or a powder that is made from thorn leaf (gai or ramie)&mdash;a plant belonging to the nettle family. The filling is typically made with mung beans, shredded coconut, sesame and lotus seeds, sugar, pork fat, and flavorings, while some optional additions may also include ginger, pumpkin jam, or roasted peanuts. Before they are steamed, the cakes are wrapped in dry banana leaves. B&aacute;nh gai originates from the Red River Delta region, and they were once a staple dessert prepared for special occasions. The cakes are served without the banana wrapping and are best enjoyed well-chilled.

Bánh gai

B&aacute;nh hạt dẻ is a popular Vietnamese snack originating from the mountainous Sapa region. It's made by filling a pastry shell with ground local chestnuts that are lightly sweetened, then fried in oil until golden brown and flaky. This popular snack is regularly sold at most street food stalls in the region, but it can also be bought in boxes and prepared in the comfort of your own home. In recent years, b&aacute;nh hạt dẻ surfaced to the top as the main street food item in Sapa.

Bánh hạt dẻ

B&aacute;nh kẹp l&aacute; dứa are traditional waflles originating from Vietnam. These coconut pandan waffles are made with a combination of flour, sugar, eggs, tapioca starch, coconut milk, baking powder, and pandan extract. The pandan gives the waffles their typical green color and aroma. The batter is ladled onto a waffle iron, and the lid is lifted when there&rsquo;s little to no steam rising from it, which means that the waffles are ready to be enjoyed. Nowadays, there are a few variations on these waffles, and some of them are prepared with grated coconut flesh that&rsquo;s mixed into the batter.

Bánh kẹp lá dứa

B&aacute;nh phu th&ecirc; (Husband and wife cake) is a traditional dessert made with a combination of tapioca flour and mung beans. Other ingredients include sugar, grated coconut, and pandan leaves. This dessert is visually appealing due to its translucent green color in the original version. Once prepared, the cake is wrapped in pandan leaves, then steamed until the texture becomes glutinous. B&aacute;nh phu th&ecirc; is a staple at Vietnamese weddings, and in the past a suitor was known to give this cake to the bride-to-be as a gift. Nowadays, the bridegroom sends it to the bride on the couple's wedding day as a symbol of good wishes for the future.

Bánh phu thê

B&aacute;nh tr&ocirc;i is the name of a traditional Vietnamese dessert which consists of delicious tiny balls of glutinous rice wrapped around a sweet filling. The sticky and elastic dough for b&aacute;nh tr&ocirc;i is made with a mixture of plain and glutinous rice flour that's merely bound with water. The dough is wrapped around a piece of dark palm sugar, rolled into a ball, and cooked until the balls float up to the surface. This authentic Vietnamese dessert is usually associated with northern Vietnam, especially the region of Hanoi. It is served freshly prepared, and roasted sesame seeds or grated coconut are sprinkled on top of each piece. They mainly come in plain white color, but different food colorings can be added to the basic dough in order to create a more decorative treat. Similar rice sweets are found in numerous Asian countries, and it is believed that b&aacute;nh tr&ocirc;i has origins in the Chinese culture. In the past, it was associated with Chinese Cold Food Festival, a festivity celebrated in March when the whole family gathers to pay respects to their ancestors. Today, a plate of freshly prepared b&aacute;nh tr&ocirc;i is not only served on special occasions but represents a satisfying everyday sweet treat.

Bánh trôi

Banket o banketstaaf es un dulce tradicional holandés que consiste en una masa de hojaldre rellena de pasta de almendras. A veces se le añade mermelada de frutas y se adorna con cerezas o almendras por encima. El pastel se suele preparar durante las festividades navideñas y se recomienda espolvorear el banketstaaf con azúcar glas, servirlo cortado en rodajas y acompañarlo con una taza de café.

Banco

La tarta banoffee es un postre inglés elaborado con nata, plátanos y toffee sobre una base de masa o galletas desmenuzadas. El nombre del plato es una combinación de las palabras banana y toffee. Esta tarta dulce fue inventada en la década de 1970 por Nigel Mackenzie e Ian Dowding en el restaurante The Hungry Monk de East Sussex. Se hizo muy popular cuando los clientes empezaron a comprobar periódicamente si el postre seguía en el menú. Hoy en día, la tarta banoffee es tan popular en todo el mundo que incluso tiene su propio lugar en el diccionario, donde se refiere a "una tarta o pastel hecho con nata, plátanos y toffee", mientras que la receta de la tarta se puede encontrar a menudo en las latas de leche condensada de Nestlé.

Pastel de banoffee

China

El baobing es un postre sencillo que se prepara con hielo picado fino y fruta fresca, como mangos, lichis y rambutanes. Suele ir acompañado de leche condensada, jarabe de azúcar aromatizado, frijoles mungo y cacahuetes. El baobing es especialmente popular durante los calurosos días de verano en China, Taiwán y Vietnam, cuando se puede encontrar en numerosos mercados nocturnos, entre puestos de tofu y panqueques. La historia del baobing se remonta a más de 1000 años. Se consumía en China ya en el siglo VII. Hoy en día, el postre ha evolucionado e incluso se puede encontrar en algunos restaurantes asiáticos de Estados Unidos.

Babobismo

Syria

El barazek es una deliciosa galleta de origen sirio, hecha con masa de harina, ghee y azúcar, recubierta de sésamo tostado y un poco de pistacho. Se sirve en días festivos como postre de lujo y es uno de los dulces sirios más famosos, sobre todo durante el Eid.

Barazek

Italy

La barchiglia es una deliciosa tarta glaseada con chocolate elaborada con masa quebrada, almendras, frutos secos y mermelada de pera. Aunque tradicionalmente se prepara para Pascua, esta delicia repleta de sabor es un favorito de los habitantes de Apulia, adecuada para cualquier estación y ocasión.

Barchiglia

Aunque su nombre proviene de Persia, el barfi es un postre indio original que se parece a un dulce de azúcar. Pertenece a un grupo más amplio de dulces indios agrupados bajo el nombre de mithai. En persa y urdu, el nombre burfi denota nieve y hielo, haciendo referencia a las características visuales de este postre en su forma simple y original. Se elabora con una base de sólidos de leche condensada (khoa o khoya), azúcar granulado y ghee, y los ingredientes más comunes que se añaden a la base incluyen nueces, generalmente pistachos, anacardos y cacahuetes. Sin embargo, también se encuentran frutas, azafrán, agua de rosas, harina de garbanzos o almendras en algunas variedades regionales. Los ingredientes adicionales afectan al aspecto final, la consistencia y el color de cada tipo. Cuando se enfría, el postre se corta en diamantes, círculos o cuadrados. El barfi se come en todo el país, pero es especialmente popular en el norte de la India, y es un postre básico común que se sirve en ocasiones especiales. También se prepara y se regala durante el festival anual de Diwali. Cuando se sirve en bodas y festividades similares, el barfi generalmente se decora con hojas de plata batidas y comestibles llamadas vark.

Barfi

La barriga de freira es un postre tradicional portugués que se traduce como "barriga de monja" y que se parece a una crema de yema de huevo. Se elabora con una mezcla de yemas de huevo, azúcar, almendras y pan rallado. Los ingredientes se cocinan juntos para crear una consistencia suave y espesa similar a la de una crema, que luego se condimenta con canela y, a veces, con ralladura de limón. Este postre rico y dulce tiene su origen en los conventos del norte de Portugal, donde las monjas usaban las yemas de huevo sobrantes y otros ingredientes para crear dulces únicos, como es común en la cocina conventual portuguesa.

Barriga de freira

La basbousa es un pastel tradicional árabe a base de sémola que se empapa en almíbar y luego se adorna con almendras. Esta variedad libia incluye coco rallado en la mezcla del pastel y pasta de dátiles que se intercala entre las dos capas de pastel de sémola. El pastel se elabora con sémola, harina común, coco rallado, azúcar, mantequilla, leche, pasta de dátiles y levadura en polvo. Por lo general, se le agrega canela. Los libios disfrutan de su basbousa bil tamr con crema qashta y lo acompañan con café árabe con cardamomo.