Dessert

Greece

A local delicacy of the island of Zakynthos, frigania is a creamy dessert that typically consists of three layers. The base is prepared with traditional Greek rusks that are neatly arranged and generously doused in a sugary syrup, which is spiced with lemon zest and cinnamon. The base is topped with vanilla-infused cream, and the dessert is finished off with a layer of whipped cream. Always served well-chilled, frigania is usually garnished with almond slivers, ground walnuts, or cinnamon.

Frigania

Hailing from Zakynthos, this traditional Greek dessert is prepared with fine semolina flour that is cooked in water until thick and creamy. The mixture is then poured into a deep tray, and when set, it is cut into large rectangular or diamond-shaped pieces that are deep-fried until golden and crispy. Right before it is served, each piece is generously coated with cinnamon sugar. Fritoura is a staple dessert served at various festivities on Zakynthos, when it is usually prepared in large amounts and fried in traditional cauldrons.

Fritoura

Italy

Frittelle di riso are traditional Tuscan fritters prepared and served on the feast day of San Giuseppe (St. Joseph). The dough is made with short-grain rice, sugar, milk, flour, lemon peel, a bit of liqueur (amaretto, brandy, or sherry), and eggs. The rice, sugar, lemon peel, and milk are made into a rice pudding which is then mixed with the liqueur, egg yolks, flour, and baking powder. After the batter has cooled a bit, the whisked egg whites are folded into the mixture that is then fried in hot oil until golden. These fritters are traditionally served hot, sprinkled with powdered sugar.

Frittelle di riso di San Giuseppe

Croatia

Fritule are traditional Croatian version of sweet, round fritters. They are prepared with a basic yeasted dough which incorporates eggs, flour, milk, butter, and sugar. Different varieties often employ raisins, grated apples, yogurt, and baking powder. The thick, buttery base is usually enriched with strong vanilla and citrus flavors, which give these small fritters a pleasant aroma and a distinctive flavor. The secret ingredient in the preparation of these miniature doughnuts is brandy. Rum, local fruit liquors, or strong spirits can all be incorporated into the velvety dough. They allow the fritters to stay crispy and light without absorbing too much oil from the deep-frying process. Traditionally, fritule are served dusted with powdered sugar, but modern versions often incorporate an array of different sugary toppings such as melted chocolate, whipped cream, or caramel. Fritule were invented as a festive treat, and they are usually consumed during the Christmas holidays and the carnival season. Although they originated in Dalmatia, today they are commonly found in many Croatian regions and enjoyed as a satisfying sweet snack or a nutritious dessert.

Fritule

United States

Frozen custard comes from the "Custard Capital of the World", Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where it's sold more than anywhere else around the globe. It is a gourmet ice cream treat made with eggs, cream, and sugar, and it originated from Coney Island, New York, when it was a popular carnival treat. As the popularity of frozen custard grew, it quickly spread to the Midwest. As there is far less air added than in other similar treats, the result is a thick and dense custard with tons of flavor. A lot of frozen custard fans believe it is better than ice cream since it is served before being refrozen and mantains a soft, yet heavy consistency, so it is a unique regional treat in which you can really feel the difference when talking about flavor.

Frozen custard

Frozen yogurt is a frozen dessert treat made with yogurt and (sometimes) other dairy products and flavorings. It is lower in fat than ice cream due to the use of milk instead of cream. Frozen yogurt is usually served with numerous toppings such as strawberries, bananas, or chunks of cookies and candy. The first frozen yogurt was produced in the 1970s in New England, but the name of its inventor is still a mystery. Originally, it was made as a low-fat option for people who consumed ice cream, but it wasn't a big success due to the fact that most Americans preferred the sweet ice cream over the tart frozen yogurt. In the 1980s, its popularity was on the rise, but still couldn't match the popularity of ice cream. Today, improvements in the recipes and the production process have resulted in a smoother, creamier frozen yogurt, making it a more popular choice than ice cream for numerous dessert consumers. Nowadays, the interest in low-fat foods seems unabated, and it can best be seen by the annual sales of frozen yogurt in the United States, reaching 195 million dollars.

Frozen Yogurt

Frugtsalat is a slightly sweet and highly versatile Danish fruit salad. It consists of various fruits, nuts, chocolate, and marzipan, but it is easily adjusted to any taste and preference. The ingredients are commonly topped with whipped cream or vanilla custard, garnished with chocolate, and served in decorative serving bowls. Danes prefer to enjoy frugtsalat as a refreshing summer dessert.

Frugtsalat

Fruit fool is a classic English dessert made by combining mashed or pur&eacute;ed fruit with sugar and whipped cream. The dish can be additionally flavored with lavender water or rose water. It was especially popular during the 16th century, and it is believed that its name is derived from the French foule, meaning crushed. Any type of fruit can be used in the dish, such as strawberries, peaches, or plums. It is recommended to garnish it with finely chopped cherries before serving.

Fruit fool

Fruit meringue is a dessert that consists of a crisp meringue base or shell that is topped or filled with fruit. Meringue is typically made by whisking egg whites with sugar until a firm and glossy mixture is developed. The meringue batter is then usually formed into round shapes, or optionally into meringue nests, which are baked until crisp and slightly golden. Once baked, the meringues are topped or filled with a fruit mixture that can be made with fresh or candied fruit and berries, usually raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, mandarin oranges, and pineapple cubes. Crispy, fluffy, and with a sweet fruity filling, the dessert is also often enriched with whipping cream, like in the case of the famous pavlova.

Fruit meringue

A fruit scone is essentially a scone with added bits of juicy sultanas and currants. Although those are the traditional additions for a fruit scone, these sweet treats can also be made with any other dried fruits. It is recommended to serve them split open, spread with fruit jam or cream. For the best results, fruit scones should always be served warm and fresh out of the oven.

Fruit scone

Frutta martorana are traditional marzipan sweets shaped to resemble fruits or vegetables. These treats can be found throughout Palermo and Messina in Sicily. It is said that frutta martorana originated in Palermo, in the Martorana monastery, where the nuns made them with a combination of almonds and sugar, shaped them like fruits, and decorated the empty, barren trees in their courtyard in order to impress a visiting archbishop. Eventually, the treats were sold to parishioners and became a great source of income for the church. The tradition is still alive in Palermo, especially on All Saints' Day, when frutta martorana can be found at most pastry shops in the city, with new varieties of the sweets, some of them even shaped like pane ca' meusa sandwich, a traditional street food item from Palermo.

Frutta martorana

This traditional dessert hails from Apulia, and it is usually associated with Salento and the city of Lecce. It consists of a shortcrust pastry shell that is filled with pear or quince jam and almond paste. After it is filled, the oval-shaped treat is then typically topped with a thin layer of dark chocolate glaze. A less popular variety of fruttone is prepared in the shape of a large cake, and it typically goes under the name barchiglia. Fruttone is closely associated with pasticciotto, a similar treat that consists of a pastry cream filling.

Fruttone

Netherlands

Fryske d&uacute;mkes are a popular wintertime treat in the Netherlands. These cookies are a specialty of the province of Friesland, hence the name that can be translated as Frisian thumbs. They consist of flour, milk, salt, sugar, butter, chopped hazelnuts, and warming spices such as aniseed, ginger, and cinnamon. It is believed that the cookies got their name because their size and shape is that of a children's thumb. Another theory suggests that it is because bakers push their thumbs into the cookies when taken out of the oven to check if they are still soft. Regardless of the correct theory, Fryske d&uacute;mkes remain a comforting staple of numerous Dutch wintertime activities.

Fryske dúmkes

Fudge is a creamy American confectionery made with milk, sugar, butter, and various toppings and flavorings. It is created by boiling milk, butter, and sugar to a degree of 240 &deg;F/116 &deg;C, and then beating it while it cools down, creating creamy but firm blocks which are later cut into delicate individual pieces. In the United States, modern producers replaced the milk with cream, creating an even smoother and sweeter product. Although fudge is probably an original American invention, it is thought that predecessors to fudge were French classics such as fondant and caramel. Numerous theories claim that fudge was an accidental product, invented when an unintentional mistake occurred while creating the famous French caramel candy. The first written mention of fudge goes back to 1921, when Evelyn B. Hartridge, a student at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, wrote to her professor claiming that the first reference to fudge goes back to 1886. She writes that it was invented in Baltimore by her acquaintance, and was sold for 40 cents per pound. Hartridge later started producing and selling it, making it an extremely popular product, first at numerous universities, and then everywhere in the country. The popularity of fudge led to the opening of numerous shops specialized in the production of many fudge varieties. The first shops appeared on the Mackinac Island in Michigan, which is still considered to be the American fudge capital. Despite modern techniques, this creamy American product is still predominately bought from specialized stores, and freshly prepared it represents a luscious treat, enjoyed by people of all ages. The most popular fudge flavor is undoubtedly chocolate, followed by traditional plain vanilla. Other popular versions include varieties created with pecan nuts, peanut butter, marshmallows, cookies, or mint. Americans prefer to consume them during the Christmas holidays and the summer season, when they are usually bought and carried home as souvenirs and gifts. This authentic American product is also popular in the United Kingdom, where the fudge-specialized shops also exist and produce their traditional varieties. Hot fudge, the heated and more liquid type, is often used as a topping for ice creams and sundaes across the United States and Canada.

Fudge

Ful sudani are traditional cookies originating from Sudan. These macaroons are usually made with a combination of egg whites, salt, sugar, vanilla, and peanuts. The peanuts are roasted, their skin is removed, and they're ground until grainy. Vanilla is mixed with the peanuts, egg whites, icing sugar, and salt. Spoonfuls of the batter are placed on a baking sheet, and the cookies are baked until slightly puffy and lightly colored (not browned). It's recommended to serve them alongside some cinnamon tea for the best experience.

Ful sudani

A quintessential part of every American street fair is a crispy funnel cake. The unique name is derived from the method of preparation in which the batter, made with eggs, sugar, milk, and baking soda, is poured through a funnel directly into the sizzling oil. It falls in circular, thin, and tangled streams, creating the distinctive shape of this American delicacy. When fried, the batter expands, and the final result is a crispy, golden brown treat. In the modern history of the United States, funnel cake is traditionally associated with Pennsylvanian Dutch, the German-speaking immigrants who inhabited the area in the 17th and 18th century. Desserts which closely resemble the American funnel cake are also found in numerous European countries such as Germany and Finland, and a similar recipe has even been discovered in the old Anglo-Norman cookbook, dating back to the 14th century. Although the actual origin of funnel cake is unknown, in America it was made famous in the 1950s at the annual Folk Festivals, which promoted the tradition and folklore of the Pennsylvanian Dutch. Since then, funnel cakes have been a staple of many sporting events, fairs, festivals, and carnivals. Funnel cakes are always freshly prepared and served hot. They are usually enjoyed dusted with powdered sugar, but other favorite condiments also include fresh fruit, jams, chocolate, whipped cream, caramel, candy, and many other innovative combinations.

Funnel Cake

The fragrant fyrstekake is a classic Norwegian tart made with a thick layer of dense, cardamom-scented almond paste sandwiched between a rich, buttery dough. Also known as Royal cake or Prince&rsquo;s cake, this is by far one of the most popular Scandinavian desserts, and although the recipe calls only for a handful of ingredients, the results are often said to be quite decadent and even regal in their simplicity. Fyrstekake is traditionally prepared during the holiday season, and it is recommended to pair it with a cup of tea.

Fyrstekake

United Kingdom

G&acirc;che mel&eacute;e is a heavy and dense Guernsey cake that is traditionally prepared with a combination of apples, flour, sugar, milk, salt, and suet (instead of butter). When baked, it is recommended to serve the cake cut into squares, and it should ideally be accompanied by a dollop of Guernsey cream or a scoop of ice cream on the side.

Gâche melée

India

Gajak is a sweet, dry snack with North Indian origins, made with sesame seeds and jaggery. Although thinly layered squares of gajak can be stored for a few months, the snack is most commonly consumed in the winter months since it is a part of typical Indian festive cuisine. It is usually prepared around the harvest time and consumed at festivals such as Pongal. Flavorful and nutritious, gajak has many variations depending on the region, so in South India it is shaped into balls, and in North India, jaggery is sometimes substituted with sugar. Peanuts, cashews, and dried fruits can also be added to gajak in some of the regional variations of this traditional festival treat.

Gajak

Gajar ka halwa is a sweet pudding made with grated carrots, milk, sugar, nuts, clarified butter known as ghee, and dried milk known as khoya. The dessert originated in Northern India and Pakistan, but today it's consumed throughout India as an everyday treat or a traditional sweet during numerous Indian festivals. This dessert can be modified by adding either seasonal or regional ingredients, and it can be consumed warm or chilled. The best-known variations of gajar ka halwa include the sugar-free version of gajar ka halwa made with papaya, red velvet gajar ka halwa made with cream milk, saffron, and rose water, a version made with ricotta and purple carrots, and beetroot gajar ka halwa.