Dessert

India

Boondi are small deep-fried round balls made from besan (gram flour). They come in a sweet or savor version. The process of making boondi starts with a thick besan batter that is poured through a sieve and dropped directly into sizzling oil, creating small deep-fried droplets. If enjoyed as a dessert, these tiny, crispy balls are usually coated in sugary syrups or incorporated into popular boondi laddu balls. Savory versions are typically enjoyed as a snack and are often combined with yogurt-based raitas, curries, or sprinkled over salads. Besan, which is prepared with a variety of ground chickpeas, is an essential ingredient in traditional Indian cuisine.

Boondi

Booza is an ice cream variety that has its origins in the Levant and the Middle East. Apart from the standard ingredients such as milk, cream, and various flavoring additions, booza is thickened with salep&mdash;a thickener made from the orchid root&mdash;and mastic gum, a resin obtained from mastic trees. The ingredients are then pounded with wooden mallets until the mixture achieves its unique, stretchy consistency. Because no eggs or air are added, booza results in flavor-packed ice cream, with an amazingly dense and creamy texture. The most traditional flavor of booza is known as kashta or qashta&mdash;which is a variety of clotted cream often flavored with orange blossom and rose water&mdash;but standard flavorings also include fruit, chocolate, and nuts. Often dubbed as one of the oldest ice cream varieties, booza has recently caught up outside its place of origin, primarily in the United States. Similar ice cream varieties are found in Turkey (dondurma) and Greece (kaimaki).

Booza

Spain

Borrachuelo is a traditional dessert originating from M&aacute;laga. The word borracho in the name means drunk, referring to the fact that the biscuits are soaked in wine and anisette. Although the cookies have a few versions, depending on their filling, they&rsquo;re usually made with a combination of flour, olive oil, orange peel strips, moscatel wine, anisette, orange juice, lemon juice, sesame seeds, and fennel. Once prepared, the smooth dough is rolled out and cut into disks, fried until golden, filled with pumpkin or sweet potato mixture, closed, dipped in honey, and dusted with icing sugar. Borrachuelos are especially popular during the carnival season and Christmas.

Borrachuelos

Borstplaat is a traditional candy characterized by its extremely sweet flavor. The candies consist of only sugar and water, while heavy cream is sometimes added in order to improve the taste. It is typically made for special occasions, notably Sinterklaas and Christmas. Borstplaat candies can also be prepared with a variety of flavorings such as chocolate, coconut, caramel, or banana, and they are usually shaped into figurines, hearts, or Sinterklaas himself.

Borstplaat

Netherlands

Bossche bol is a Dutch specialty from s'Hertogenbosch: a traditional, chocolate-coated, whipped cream-filled pastry. These pastry balls are characterized by their large size, which is why they are often served with forks, knives, and a number of napkins to clean the inevitable mess made while consuming them. It is believed that the sweet treat was invented by Henri van der Zijde in 1920. Today, bossche bollen are traditionally paired with a cup of coffee on the side. There is also a version of Bossche bol that is twice its size, called a reuzenbol, while moorkop is a similar pastry, but much smaller.

Bossche bol

United States

Although the name suggests otherwise, Boston cream pie is not a pie, but a cake consisting of two layers of sponge cake which are filled with a rich vanilla custard, while the whole thing is finished with a chocolate glaze, or in some cases, with sprinkled confectioners' sugar. It was named a pie because the first versions were baked in pie tins, which were more common than cake pans in the mid-19th century. The inventor of the Boston cream pie is a French chef named Sanzian, who worked in the Parker House, a hotel that claims to have served the dessert since its opening in 1856. Originally, the cake was served under the name Parker House Chocolate Cream Pie. Today, this classic cake is a favorite throughout the country, not just in Massachusetts where it became the official state dessert in 1996.

Boston Cream Pie

Italy

Bostrengo is a traditional cake hailing from the region of Marche. There are 22 different versions of the cake with slight modifications, and it's also known as frustenga or fristingo in some parts of Marche. The cake is usually made with a combination of rice, eggs, lemon zest, pine nuts, chocolate, coffee, dried figs, rum, and confectioners' sugar. The rice is cooked in water or milk with sugar, grated zest, raisins, pine nuts, eggs, coffee, grated chocolate, and rum. The mixture is placed into a baking dish, and it's then baked until a golden crust forms. Once done, bostrengo is cut into wedges and served dusted with powdered sugar. It's recommended to pair it with a glass of red wine on the side.

Bostrengo

Botamochi or ohagi is a sweet Japanese confection consisting of glutinous rice stuffed inside a ball of azuki bean paste. The name of this treat consists of two words: bota, which is derived from botan, meaning tree peony, and mochi, meaning sticky, pounded rice. The shape of botamochi is supposed to resemble a tree peony flower. Although botamochi and ohagi are the same, botamochi is served in spring, while ohagi is served in autumn, and is supposed to resemble hagi, also known as bush clover flower. These sweets are especially popular around spring and autumn equinox, when numerous Japanese people visit ancestral graves and make offerings such as flowers, incense, botamochi, and ohagi. There are some variations on the sweets, so they can also be coated with black sesame or toasted soy bean powder, depending on personal preferences.

Botamochi

Boterkoek is a traditional cake made with a combination of butter, flour, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. If desired, almond extract, almond shavings, and lemon zest can be added to the ingredients for extra flavor. The sticky dough is simply brushed with beaten eggs and decorated with a criss-cross pattern on top before being baked in the oven until golden brown. Once done, the cake is cut into narrow slices or squares. This dense butter cake is usually served with a cup of coffee on the side in the Netherlands.

Boterkoek

France

Boudoirs, savoiardi, or ladyfingers are traditional sweet sponge biscuits shaped into a large finger. They were created in the 15th century at the Duchy of Savoy for a visit by the King of France. These official court biscuits were often offered to visitors as a token of local cuisine. The texture of ladyfingers is low in density, light, airy, and dry, and they're usually made with a combination of flour, egg whites and yolks, sugar, and powdered sugar. These sponge biscuits are typically used in desserts such as charlottes and trifles, tiramisu, and chocolate cakes. They're often soaked in liqueur, sugar syrup, or espresso. Nowadays, ladyfingers can be found in most countries across the world.

Boudoirs

Belgium

Originally made in Li&egrave;ge since the 18th century, bo&ucirc;k&egrave;te is a buckwheat flour pancake that is traditionally fried in lard and decorated with raisins and brown sugar. The pancake can be served either hot or cold, and is often drizzled over with sirop de Li&egrave;ge. The name bo&ucirc;k&egrave;te is derived from the Dutch boekweit, denoting a type of buckwheat. This sweet treat is especially popular during the festive winter season, when it is recommended to pair the pancakes with a glass of mulled wine.

Boûkète

Bourbon ball is a sweet candy originating from Kentucky. It consists of bourbon, pecans, wafer crumbs, butter, and chocolate. This treat was originally invented by Ruth Booe from the Rebecca Ruth Candy Company in 1938. Today, it is a favorite amongst the Southern families, and it is traditionally prepared and consumed during the festive holiday seasons.

Bourbon Ball

Slovenia

Bov&scaron;ki krafi is a traditional dish originating from the town of Bovec. This dessert is made by filling pockets of dough with a combination of dried pears, corn meal, fried onions, ground walnuts, raisins, and a splash of rum. The dough is first scalded, formed into pockets, then filled with the bulja (filling). Before serving, the krafi are dressed with melted butter, cinnamon, and fried breadcrumbs. This dessert is traditionally eaten on Christmas Eve.

Bovški Krafi

Bradj, also known as mbardja, mteqba, or mbarja, is a traditional diamond-shaped pastry from the northeast, traditional consumed in Constantinois, Jijel, Bibans, and Kabylie region. This diamond-shaped delicacy consists of two layers of semolina dough (kesra) filled with a date paste (ghers). The preparation starts with a dough of semolina mixed with oil, water, and salt, which is then shaped, filled, and cooked on a griddle or heavy pan. It is often flavored with cinnamon and sometimes cloves. Bradj is typically prepared in spring and served with leben, rayeb, or mint tea.

Bradj

This flavorful Czech dish consists of potato dumplings that are traditionally dusted with sweetened, vanilla-flavored poppy seeds. Characterized by their cylindrical shape and delicate texture, the dumplings are shortly boiled, then served while still warm. The whole dish is occasionally doused in melted butter, complemented with jams, and enjoyed as the main course or a nutritious dessert.

Bramborové šišky s mákem

Brandy snaps is a British sweet treat consisting of sweet tubular casings that are traditionally served filled with whipped cream. These little tubular rolls are usually made with a combination of golden syrup, butter, flour, ginger, sugar, lemon juice, and cream. The snaps are shortly baked as flat disks which are then rolled while still tender and soft until they harden and can be filled. Although the whipped cream can be enriched with vanilla or brandy, it is believed that the name of the dessert has nothing to do with the famous spirit as the name probably stems from brand-schnap, brand meaning burnt. It is recommended to serve brandy snaps within a couple of hours after being prepared.

Brandy snaps

Brazo de Mercedes is a traditional rolled cake originating from the Philippines and dating back to Spanish colonial times. The dessert consists of a sheet of fluffy meringue that's filled with custard. The custard ingredients usually include egg yolks, vanilla, condensed milk, and lime or lemon zest, while the meringue is made with egg whites, cream of tartar, and sugar. The meringue is baked, the custard is spread over the meringue, and the cake is then rolled with the filling rolled inward. Brazo de Mercedes is often served on large serving platters and then sliced into smaller pieces.

Brazo de Mercedes

Bread and butter pudding is an inexpensive, traditional British dish consisting of slices of stale, buttered bread combined with raisins, custard, and spices such as vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg. The whole concoction is baked in an oven until it develops crispy edges and a soft, creamy interior. The dish is usually served with cream, while modern variations add jams or fruits to the bread along with butter, in order to enhance the flavors even further.

Bread and butter pudding

Bread pudding is an old dish that has been prepared since Medieval times in Europe and the Middle East. However, it is extremely beloved and defining in the cuisine of New Orleans. The dish consists of stale bread that is bathed in a combination of milk, sugar, eggs, nuts, and fruits, and is then baked into a delicious dessert. It can be consumed either hot as a pudding or cold as a cake. In the past, there was a practice of hollowing out a loaf which then acted as a container for a sweet dish. There are numerous variations of bread pudding, from Egypt and Turkey to India and Malaysia. The earliest bread and butter puddings in Britain were called white-pot, and were made with butter or marrow. Today, in New Orleans, local bread with a crispy crust and a light interior is combined with a sweet custard, resulting in a light, airy, and decadent dessert. The cooks are always making new variations of the dish in Louisiana, adding white chocolate, strawberry compotes, Creole cream cheese, and caramel sauce with brown sugar and rum. Comforting and hearty, bread pudding has even been called the gumbo of New Orleans desserts.

Bread Pudding

Bredele are small biscuits that are traditionally prepared during the festive Christmas season in the French region of Alsace. The biscuits come in many shapes and flavors such as lemon, honey, and almond. Although the first known recipes for bredele date back to the 14th century, they rose in popularity around the 18th and the early 19th century, when cookie-cutters were introduced to French kitchens. Today, the biscuits are often made at home and stored in tin boxes to keep them fresh until Christmas Eve, when they are usually served with tea, coffee, or Alsatian wines such as Muscat and Gewurztraminer.