Sure, America has some pretty iconic desserts, like the classic apple pie and chocolate chip oatmeal cookies. But there’s a whole world of food we aren’t often exposed to in American culture. Think you’re missing out on all the international goodies? Don’t worry. We’ve narrowed down a list of must-try desserts from other countries. Hopefully, some (most? all?) of these might make it mainstream in the U.S. soon.
1. Dango
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Japan is notorious for their matcha desserts, but this one’s on another level. Dango is a sweet Japanese dumpling made from rice flour. The texture is similar to that of mochi, and it can be served in various colors. The next time you visit Japan, make sure to scope the outdoor vendors for some ultra chewy and sweet dango.
2. Potted Tiramisu Plants
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Oh sweet Mother Theresa, thank you for combing two of my favorite things: nature and tiramisu. Looks may be deceiving, but underneath those chocolatey crumbles is a soft, plush tiramisu cake just waiting to be devoured. These are becoming largely popular in Hong Kong, and a few have already popped up around Australia. Hopefully they make their way around to the U.S. before it’s too late.
3. Donut Cones
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Need I say more? What you see is what you get: a donut cone. If you’re sick of being normal, ditch the traditional waffle cone and grab yourself a delightful donut cone. These aren’t too popular in America (yet), but vendors and shops are opening up in Australia, France, and Canada to share with the world this clever, spectacular invention.
4. Croissant Cones
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Thought you couldn’t be even more surprised? Not only are there donut cones, but there are also croissant cones. That’s right, Australia is beginning to serve their creamy soft-serve in fluffy yet crunchy croissants we all are undoubtedly jealous of not thinking of this first.
5. Corn Cone Ice Cream
Photo courtesy of @ayoonvely on Instagram
South Korea is known for having good, cheap food, and this is another one of those gems. Who would’ve thought that ice cream can be served in virtually anything? This is a hollow, cylindrical corn cracker that gets filled with any ice cream of your choosing. It’s neat and funny to watch others eating it while you struggle to do the same.
6. Pandan Waffles
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Pandan originates from Indonesia and yields a super sweet and fluffy taste when made into a dessert. So when it’s put into the batter of a buttery waffle, your taste buds tingle from its crispy and sugary goodness.
7. Tofu Soft Serve
Photo courtesy of @talkandspoon on Instagram
Tofu served as a dessert? What? Yep, many small shops in Japan exclusively sell soft-serve in tofu flavor. At first it may taste odd, since it’s not your typical chocolate ice cream, but the simplicity and freshness may win you over to becoming a tofu maniac for good.
8. Fish Ice Cream
Photo courtesy of @lsa0418 on Instagram
Donut cones, croissant cones, corn cones, and now fish cones? The cone is made from a fluffy batter that is baked in a fish mold, so more ice cream can fit in (which is A-OK). This is essentially a creative twist on an already popular South Korean fish ice cream, so it’s nothing new to the average Korean (but oh so new to us).
9. Nutella Faucet
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Country I would teleport to if I had said power: Italy to try this awesome Nutella faucet. I wouldn’t mind if I had this casually sitting next to my kitchen sink at home, so I can drizzle Nutella on pretty much everything I could think of. But until America gets with the program, I’ll stick with making these Nutella milkshakes and brownies.
10. Matcha Soba Noodles
Photo courtesy of @j_thefoodie on Instagram
Matcha noodles add a scented, aromatic twist to a simple noodle dish. I realize that this isn’t necessarily a dessert, but it uses matcha (which we all know makes awesome ice cream and other sweet dishes), so it’s just as great as all of the other contenders. Japan is stepping up their game in the food industry, and so should America.
Gif courtesy of Giphy.com
Of course, there are tons of other international desserts that are more than qualified for this list. Let’s not forget that while we don’t have all these nice things, America is still a pretty damn good country to live in. Although America has room for some improvement in the dessert industry, let’s not forget our beloved milkshakes and donuts.
Gif courtesy of Giphy.com