7 Least Popular Desserts Around the World: No We Don’t Hate Them, But Some Do

These desserts are unusual and low on the sweetness scale, and sound unusual too. While these might be the apple of the origin country’s eyes, for the rest of the world it may not be as popular.

No hate for these desserts; we love all kinds of sweet treats, with of course a weakness for chocolate, but certain desserts do not enjoy as much popularity as the rest. They are the “Aurangzebs” (iykyk) of the dessert world—unique in their own way but not popular in the least.

These desserts are very niche and enjoyed by a limited section of the population especially those who had it while growing up, so most of these almost have a sepia-tinted nostalgic element to them. Be nice to them the next time you come across these grandmothers on your visits, or are fed by your special friends from these countries.

1. Kutia or Kutya (Wheat Berry Pudding)

This East European dish is a sweet porridge, with a pudding-like texture and denseness that is slowly cooked and is one of the seminal dishes, especially in countries like Ukraine. Some recipes take as long as 6 hours or more to make this Christmas dish! It’s made with wheat berries, poppy seeds, nuts and honey. Why the limited popularity? Well, that is probably because of the wheat berries that are difficult to find and source. It does not exactly fall into the traditional bracket of ghee-rich or chocolate-infused desserts, so it’s understandable why it continues to maintain a low profile.

2. Fortune Cookie

They do not taste as good as the fortune they preach, but at one point social media was flooded by mini-games that got us to crack open one, digitally of course. The often vanilla-infused bland wafers that some of us might not have had the fortune to crunch into, are actually bland and not as sweet or appetizing as you’d imagine them to be. The Chinese were the ones who invented this marvelous mini-future-predicting kickshaw.

3. Dundee Cake

Your local bakery will have this close to Christmas time and you might have had your parents pick it up during that time and force you to suffer through a slice. Or, perhaps you are that parent trying to force-feed your child a better dessert than the fattening icing glazed cakes. Whatever the case, this dry fruit is identified by its almond-studded crown that has that trademark fruit cake taste. This one is said to be of Scottish origin, from the city of Dundee.

4. Yaksik

Cooked rice, honey, nuts, dried jujube, and chestnuts combine for a sweet treat that is said to be a staple in Korean festivities and ceremonies. It has a beautiful burnt orange shade and is remarkable to look at, especially if you are inseparable from your daily serving of rice. Yaksik is an old traditional confection that has its origins in royal lore; it was said to have been made for a crow that had saved the king’s life from assassins, some 1,500 years ago. Just the tale makes one want to try it, doesn't it? It is not surprising that this treat is not widely popular owing to its cultural significance and humble ingredients.

5. Fruktsoppa

This literal fruit soup from Sweden is something else and has similarities with a fruit compote. A traditional Christmas serving in Sweden, this is exactly what you would imagine a fruit soup to be–cooked dried fruits suspended in a sweet stew-like liquid and served as is. Despite how icky that might sound, it’s said to be delicious and often spiked with rum or wine.

6. Anicini

For lack of a better word and alternative, aniseed is dubbed fennel seeds in our country. This is a fuss-free biscotti from Italy, popular in some parts of the country. Flour, eggs, sugar, orange blossom water, and aniseed are combined and baked and the result is these biscuits or biscotti that have a subtle sweetness to it. Saunf or aniseed has a distinct flavor that is not smooth and stands out awkwardly (only if you dislike the taste), like waving to a stranger who was waving to their friend behind you.

7. Tapioca Pudding

The texture is the nemesis of this dish; sure, tapioca pearls in milky bubble tea are a match made in heaven, but in a sticky concoction, not so much. Imagine if your favorite kheer, payasam, or halwa replaced the mother ingredient with tapioca pearls, that is what this pudding is like. This pudding is also not too sweet and might not appeal to dessert lovers who love their sweets.