Dessert

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

Le banket ou banketstaaf est une pâtisserie traditionnelle hollandaise composée de pâte feuilletée fourrée de pâte d'amandes. On la badigeonne parfois de confiture de fruits et on la décore de cerises ou d'amandes. La pâtisserie est généralement préparée pendant les fêtes de Noël. Il est recommandé de saupoudrer le banketstaaf de sucre glace, de le servir en tranches et de l'accompagner d'une tasse de café.

Banque

La Banoffee Pie est un dessert anglais composé de crème, de bananes et de caramel sur une pâte brisée ou sur une base faite de biscuits émiettés. Le nom du plat est une combinaison des mots banana et toffee. La tarte sucrée a été inventée dans les années 1970 par Nigel Mackenzie et Ian Dowding au restaurant The Hungry Monk dans l'East Sussex. Elle est devenue extrêmement populaire lorsque les clients ont commencé à vérifier régulièrement si le dessert était toujours au menu. Aujourd'hui, la Banoffee Pie est si populaire dans le monde entier qu'elle a même sa propre place dans le dictionnaire, désignant « une tarte ou une tarte faite avec de la crème, des bananes et du caramel », tandis que la recette de la tarte se trouve souvent sur les boîtes de lait concentré de Nestlé.

Tarte Banoffee

China

Le baobing est un dessert simple composé de glace finement râpée et de fruits frais tels que des mangues, des litchis et des ramboutans. Il est généralement garni de lait concentré, de sirop de sucre aromatisé, de haricots mungo et de cacahuètes. Le baobing est particulièrement populaire pendant les chaudes journées d'été en Chine, à Taiwan et au Vietnam, où on le trouve sur de nombreux marchés nocturnes, parmi les stands de tofu et de crêpes. L'histoire du baobing remonte à plus de 1000 ans. Il était consommé en Chine dès le 7e siècle. Aujourd'hui, le dessert a évolué et on le trouve même dans certains restaurants asiatiques aux États-Unis.

Baobing

Syria

Le barazek est un délicieux biscuit syrien, composé de pâte à base de farine, de ghee et de sucre, recouvert de sésame grillé et d'un peu de pistache. Il est servi pendant les fêtes comme un dessert de luxe et est l'une des friandises syriennes les plus célèbres, en particulier pendant l'Aïd.

Barazek

Italy

La Barchiglia est une délicieuse tarte glacée au chocolat, composée de pâte brisée, d'amandes, de fruits secs et de confiture de poires. Traditionnellement préparée pour Pâques, cette gourmandise pleine de saveurs est un favori des Pouilles, adapté à toutes les saisons et à toutes les occasions.

Barchiglia

Bien que son nom soit originaire de Perse, le barfi est un dessert indien original qui ressemble à un fudge. Il appartient à un groupe plus large de friandises indiennes réunies sous le nom de mithai. En persan et en ourdou, le nom burfi désigne la neige et la glace, faisant référence aux caractéristiques visuelles de ce dessert dans sa forme simple et originale. Il est fabriqué à partir d'une base de solides de lait concentré (khoa ou khoya), de sucre granulé et de ghee, et les ingrédients les plus courants ajoutés à la base comprennent des noix, généralement des pistaches, des noix de cajou et des cacahuètes. Cependant, des fruits, du safran, de l'eau de rose, de la farine de pois chiche ou des amandes se trouvent également dans certaines variétés régionales. Les ingrédients supplémentaires affectent l'apparence finale, la consistance et la couleur de chaque type. Une fois refroidi, le dessert est coupé en losanges, en cercles ou en carrés. Le barfi est consommé dans tout le pays, mais il est particulièrement populaire dans le nord de l'Inde, et c'est un dessert de base courant servi lors d'occasions spéciales. Il est également préparé et offert lors du festival annuel de Diwali. Lorsqu'il est servi lors de mariages et de festivités similaires, le barfi est généralement décoré de feuilles d'argent battues et comestibles appelées vark.

Barfi

La barriga de freira est un dessert traditionnel portugais, qui signifie « ventre de nonne », et qui ressemble à une crème anglaise au jaune d'œuf. Elle est composée d'un mélange de jaunes d'œufs, de sucre, d'amandes et de chapelure. Les ingrédients sont cuits ensemble pour créer une consistance lisse et épaisse semblable à celle d'une crème anglaise, qui est ensuite parfumée à la cannelle et parfois au zeste de citron. Ce dessert riche et sucré est originaire des couvents du nord du Portugal, où les religieuses utilisaient les restes de jaunes d'œufs et d'autres ingrédients pour créer des friandises uniques, comme c'est souvent le cas dans la cuisine conventuelle portugaise.

Barriga de freira

La basbousa est un gâteau traditionnel arabe à base de semoule, trempé dans du sirop, puis parsemé d'amandes. Cette variété libyenne comprend de la noix de coco râpée dans le mélange à gâteau et de la pâte de dattes qui est intercalée entre les deux couches de gâteau à la semoule. Le gâteau est fait de semoule, de farine ordinaire, de noix de coco râpée, de sucre, de beurre, de lait, de pâte de dattes et de levure chimique. Il est généralement parfumé à la cannelle. Les Libyens apprécient leur basbousa bil tamr avec de la crème qashta et l'accompagnent d'un café à la cardamome arabe.