Desserts are a staple in every culture. Growing up as a child, I was fortunate to be exposed to various desserts from Asian cultures. Today, I hope to share some history behind some of them and encourage you to go and try it yourselves!
Purin is a sweet and silky dessert that has many variations around the world, but remains a popular one in Japan. This custard dessert is loved by both kids and adults and has an eggy taste with a hint of caramel.
Dalgona is a sponge-like toffee candy that are often sold by street vendors everywhere in Korea. Not only is this a sweet treat, but it's also a fun game by trying to carve out the shape engraved on the candy.
This soft bun with a crumbly top is called a Pineapple Bun, a popular sweet bun in Hong Kong. Although it has the word 'Pineapple' in its name, it actually doesn't contain any. It's named that because of how the pattern on the top resembles the tropical fruit.
Taiyaki is a popular Japanese street food that resembles a fish. Even though it may look like one, it has a tasty red-bean filling inside that'll leave you feeling warm and satisfied. It comes in a variety of flavors, there's bound to be one for you!
This colorful and refreshing dessert is known as Halo-Halo, which rougly translates to "mixed together." While the toppings can vary, it is mainly composed of crushed ice, ube, condensed milk, and other fruits and ingredients.
Derived from the English and Portugese egg tarts, Egg Tarts are a staple in Hong Kong cuisine. With a flaky, buttery crust paired with custard filling, these are sure to disappear in seconds!
Egg waffles are a spherical dessert made up of many cells (it sounds better than I'm describing, I promise). This crispy and airy waffle remains the most popular street food in Hong Kong. With so many variations and toppings, the possibilites are endless!
This sweet shaved ice dessert is most commonly known as Bingsoo. Different from the normal shaved ice with a fruit syrup, Bingsoo is normally topped with condensed milk, red beans, and fruits. Of course there are many variations to this dessert as well, perfect for any mood!
Honey Toast is a poular dessert among teenagers and younger groups, orignated from Japan. The block of toast is hollowed out and caramerlized and then filled to the brim with toppings such as fruits, ice cream, snacks, condensed milk, and so much more. If you eat this, prepare to stay up the whole night!
These cute little cakes are called Mooncakes! Typically, the filling is a sweet lotus paste with a salted egg yolk in the middle. They’re eaten on Mid-Autumn festival and normally enjoyed alongside a cup of tea while gazing at the moon with your family.
Dango remains one of Japan's most iconic desserts. These round dumplings are made of rice flour and 3-5 of them are often skewered on a stick. They're perfect when paired with a cup of green tea, and there are different variations fit for different seasons. Do you think you can try them all?
Daifuku is a wagashi (Japanese confection) that is a mochi filled with a sweet filling, most commonly red bean. Sometimes, you might even find a sweet, juicy strawberry right in the middle! The top is dusted with rice flour to prevent sticking to your fingers, how generous!
