Dessert is a course that concludes an evening meal. The course usually consists of sweet foods, such as confections dishes or fruit, and possibly a beverage such as dessert wine or liqueur, however in the United States it may include coffee, cheeses, nuts, or other savory items regarded as a separate course elsewhere. In some parts of the world, such as much of central and western Africa, and most parts of China, there is no tradition of a dessert course to conclude a meal.
Nata de coco is a chewy, translucent, jelly-like food produced by the fermentation of coconut water, which gels through the production of microbial cellulose by Komagataeibacter xylinus. Originating in the Philippines, nata de coco is most commonly sweetened as a candy or dessert, and can accompany a variety of foods, including pickles, drinks, ice cream, puddings, and fruit cocktails.
Ladyfingers, sometimes known by their original Italian name savoiardi, or as sponge fingers in British English, are low density, dry, egg-based, sweet sponge biscuits roughly shaped like a large finger. They are a principal ingredient in many dessert recipes, such as trifles and charlottes, and are also used as fruit or chocolate gateau linings, and sometimes for the sponge element of tiramisu. They are typically soaked in a sugar syrup or liqueur, or in coffee or espresso for the dessert tiramisu. Plain ladyfingers are commonly given to infants, being soft enough for teething mouths, but easy to grasp and firm enough not to fall apart.
A tres leches cake, is a sponge cake—in some recipes, a butter cake—soaked in three kinds of milk: evaporated milk, condensed milk, and heavy cream.
Black Forest gâteau or Black Forest cake is a chocolate sponge cake with a rich cherry filling based on the German dessert Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte, literally "Black Forest Cherry-torte".
The egg tart is a kind of custard tart found in Macau, Hong Kong, Mainland China, Taiwan, Argentina, Portugal, Brazil, Britain, and various Asian countries. The dish consists of an outer pastry crust and is filled with egg custard and baked.
A Swiss roll, jelly roll, roll cake, or cream roll is a type of sponge cake roll filled with whipped cream, jam, or icing.
Haupia is a traditional coconut milk-based Hawaiian dessert often found at luaus and other local gatherings in Hawaiʻi. Since the 1940s, it has become popular as a topping for white cake, especially at weddings. Although technically considered a pudding, the consistency of haupia closely approximates gelatin dessert and is usually served in blocks like gelatin.
Spettekaka or spettkaka is a local dessert of the southern parts of Sweden, chiefly in the province of Scania (Skåne) but also in Halland. It is an important part of the Scanian culinary heritage. The name means "cake on a spit", and this describes the method of preparation: it is the Swedish variation on the spit cake.
A charlotte is a type of dessert or trifle that can be served hot or cold. It is also referred to as an "icebox cake". Bread, sponge cake or biscuits/cookies are used to line a mold, which is then filled with a fruit puree or custard. It can also be made using layers of breadcrumbs.
Pastel de nata, also known as Portuguese custard tart is a Portuguese egg tart pastry dusted with cinnamon. They are also popular in former Portuguese colonies and in other countries with Portuguese populations.
Milhojas are a dessert made with stacked layers of puff pastry filled with dulce de leche; a creamy mix of condensed milk, sugar, and vanilla; or white chocolate. They are part of the cuisines of Gibraltar, Mexico, Spain, Venezuela, Guatemala, El Salvador, Colombia, Portugal, Argentina, Peru, Chile and Uruguay.
Torta Maria Luisa is a dessert in Colombian and Salvadoran cuisine. It is a type of layer cake, similar to the English Victoria sponge cake.
Olimpo López Cáceres was a Colombian pastry chef. He was nicknamed "Don Olimpo" by Colombians. López was the creator of the Chocoramo, a packaged square-shaped cake coated in chocolate, as well as the Ponqué Gala. Both desserts are popular treats manufactured by Productos Ramo, a Colombian snack food company which was founded by Rafael Molano, who died in 2014. Lopez's original, secret recipe for the Chocoramo is currently stored in a bank in the United States.
