Dessert

For the area of dry land see desert.

A dessert is a type of food that is eaten after lunch or dinner, and sometimes after a light meal or snack. It is usually a sweet food, like ice cream, cookies, and cakes. In some countries, cheeses such as Brie cheese and fruit are served as dessert. Some desserts are made from natural resources like fruit juice used in sherbet. Others are simple, like pudding and birthday cake. Many desserts are baked (cooked in an oven). Some desserts are served with whipped cream as a topping.

Creamy fruit cake

A Donut

Chocolate truffle balls

The term dessert can apply to many confections, such as biscuits, cakes, cookies, custards, gelatin's, ice creams, pastries, pies, puddings, sweet soups, and tarts. Fruit is also commonly found in dessert courses because of its naturally occurring sweetness. Some cultures sweeten foods that are more commonly savoury to create desserts.

Types of desserts

Baked desserts

Baked desserts are made by putting the ingredients in a hot oven. Baked desserts include cakes and muffins (a mixture of flour, eggs, sugar, oil, baking powder, and flavorings); sweet breads such as banana bread and raisin bread (a mixture of flour, sugar, oil, baking powder, and flavorings); cookies such as chocolate chip cookies (a mixture of flour, eggs, sugar, oil, and flavorings). Puddings and custards (a mixture of milk, eggs, sugar, and flavorings) can be made in the oven.

Fried desserts

Fried desserts are made using a cooking process called deep frying. To deep-fry food, a large pot filled with oil is heated, and then the food is placed into the pot. Deep-fried desserts include doughnuts.

Frozen desserts

Frozen desserts are made by blending the ingredients in a freezer. Frozen desserts include ice cream (a mixture of cream, milk, sugar, and flavorings), milk shakes (a mixture of ice cream, milk, and flavorings), and sherbet (also spelled "sorbet") (a mixture of water, sugar, and flavorings).

Chilled desserts

Some desserts are made without using the oven or the freezer. Trifle is an English dessert made by soaking ladyfinger biscuits in sherry, covering them with whipped cream, and then letting it chill in the refrigerator. Some types of instant pudding and instant mousse desserts can be made without cooking; a person simply mixes the instant pudding powder with milk and chills it in the refrigerator.

Popular desserts from around the world

• France: Crème Brûlée
• America: Apple Pie
• United Kingdom: Sticky toffee pudding
• Middle East: Baklava
• Greece: Galaktoboureko
• Italy: Tiramisu
• Peru: Picarones
• Russia/Australia: Pavlova
• Spain: Tarta de Santiago
• Turkey: Turkish delight/Lokum
• Japan: Mochi
• Belgium: Belgian waffle
• India: Gulab Jamun
• Bangladesh: Kheer