It is impossible to define the best food in the world without offending another person. Using a brush to describe every single person’s personal preference itself is offensive. However, there are just some sweets that the most people crave. Lucky for us, these exotic sweets are easy to make at home. Take a look at the top 5 best sweets, their origins and how to make them.
Crème Brûlée from France
Don’t let the accent marks fool you; this dish is so easy to make that you’ll wonder why you haven’t made it for dessert every week.
Ingredients:
- 6 egg yolks
- 6 tablespoons of white sugar, separated
- ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups of heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons of brown sugar
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C).
- Beat egg yolks along with 4 tablespoons of sugar and vanilla extract until thick and frothy.
- Pour cream into a saucepan and heat until almost boiling. Remove from heat, stir in egg yolk mixture, beat until fully combined.
- Pour the mixture into the top pan of a double-boiler and stir until it coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and pour into a shallow heat-resistance dish.
- Bakes in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool, between 1 hour and overnight.
- Preheat oven to broil.
- In a small bowl, combine remaining white sugar and brown sugar, stir until combined. Sift onto the chilled dish containing the crème brûlée.
- Place the dish under the direct heat of the broiler for 2 minutes. Watch closely to prevent scorching.
- Remove from heat and let cool. Serve after the custard has set.
Apple Pie from the United States of America
Nothing beats the classics, and apple pie is definitely a dessert with deep American roots. Whether you like them extremely crusty or with a greater ratio of sweet and tart apples to crust, you’ll definitely want to try your hand at making this classic pie. Don’t forget to top it off with ice cream.
Ingredients:
- 6 tablespoons of unsalted butter
- ¼ cup of white sugar
- ½ cup of brown sugar
- 1 pinch of sale
- ¼ teaspoon of ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup of water
- 1 serving or prepared pie dough (or use your favorite homemade pie dough recipe)
- 4 large Granny Smith apples
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Melt butter in saucepan over medium. Stir in both types of sugar, salt, cinnamon, and water. Boil the syrup, moving constantly, then remove from heat.
- Peel, core and slice the apples.
- Unroll pie crust into a 9-inch dish. Place sliced apples into the crust. Place top layer of crust on top and crimp the sides (optional). Cut slits on the top dough layer to let steam vent.
- Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, then reduce to 350°F (175°C) and continue baking until crust turns golden brown.
- Remove from oven and let cool for 30 minutes. Serve warm with ice cream or at room temperature.
Mochi from Japan
Any fan of Japanese anime or culture will know what mochi is. In fact, the dessert is so popular that restaurants have dedicated their menus to making a wide variety of fillings and flavorings. The ingredients to make this squishy sweet are easily obtained at a local oriental store, and making them is effortless.
Ingredients:
- ½ cup of white sugar
- ¾ cup of glutinous rice flour
- ¾ cup of water
- ½ cup of tapioca powder
- Whatever filling you want
- Food-grade coloring (optional)
Instructions:
- Preheat a bamboo steamer.
- Pour the sugar, flour and water into a bowl. If you want color, add the food coloring into the bowl. Mix until it becomes a smooth paste.
- Microwave the mixture for 1-2 minutes or until the mochi is semi-transparent. Blast in the microwave for 1-2 minutes each time to control the mochi’s texture.
- Let cool for 5-10 minutes.
- Dump tapioca powder on a surface, followed by the mochi mixture on top of the tapioca.
- Use a knife to cut the mochi into pieces. Shape with your hands then cover in more tapioca powder.
- Insert any filling you want (e.g. red bean paste). Seal the mochi with a pinch to prevent filling from leaking.
- Insert mochi balls into the preheated bamboo steamer, steaming for 5 minutes.
- Remove from steamer, set aside for 10 minutes to cool.
Belgian Waffles from Belgium
It’s completely safe to assume that Belgian waffles originated from Belgium. They are a common street food in Belgium and have become popular throughout the whole world. These buttery pads are best enjoyed warm with powdered sugar and fruits, but you may also want to try topping it off with Nutella.
Ingredients:
- 2 ½ cups of all-purpose flour
- ¾ packet of dry yeast
- ¼ cup of white sugar
- ¼ teaspoon of salt
- ¾ cup of milk
- ½ cup of water or beer
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla
- 1 tablespoon of oil
- ¾ stick of butter, melted
Instructions:
- Combine yeast, sugar, milk, water/beer, eggs, vanilla and butter into a box and mix until fully combined.
- Add flour to the mixture and stir until thick.
- Let rest for 1 hour or overnight in the fridge.
- Preheat waffle iron and lightly grease with oil.
- Put as much or as little waffle dough as you want in the waffle iron.
- After 3-4 minutes, flip to the other side and continue cooking for 2-3 more minutes.
- Remove from waffle iron and serve warm with ice cream, fruits, and Nutella.
Tres Leches Cake from Mexico
Tres Leches Cake translates into Three Milks Cake. That is basically what the recipe is: a yellow or white cake with three types of milk absorbed into the fluffy cake. Usually topped with whipped cream (technically, a fourth type of milk) and fruits, this moist cake will take your senses for a spin.
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon of vegetable shortening
- 1 package of yellow or white cake mix (or use your favorite light-colored cake recipe) and other necessary ingredients (eggs, milk, oil)
- 1 can of evaporated milk
- 1 can of sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup of half-and-half
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 375°F (175°C). Grease a 10 x 15 inch pan with shortening.
- Prepare the cake batter and dump into the greased pan. Follow baking instructions on the cake-mix box (or use your own recipe).
- Remove from oven and let cool for 1-2 hours.
- Using a bamboo skewer or chopstick, poke holes into the surface of the cake. Poke as many holes as you like; the more, the better.
- Dump evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk and half-and-half into the cake, one at a time and with 5 minute breaks in between.
- Portion and serve with whipped cream and strawberries.