Beyond language, geography and culture, there’s food, bringing people together. So this is your sign to pick a dish that’s not from your culture and try making it.
Food, and desserts more so, are a love language. They’re a way for people to connect, overcoming barriers of geography, language and anything else that might try to distance us. They also represent our culture; how we make and eat food is a reflection of the culture and how community is built within that tradition. In that spirit of connection, we bring you globally popular desserts that start with the letter ‘K’.
Kheer originates from the Indian subcontinent. Often explained as a rice pudding but of a more fluid consistency, it can also be made with other ingredients like sevai, makhana and more. A favorite for festivals, it’s often lovingly garnished with chopped nuts, and sometimes even rose petals. its rich and creamy texture, the aroma emanating from the warm liquid and the lovely looking garnishes, all make this a dish fit for royals.
The ice cream’s Indian cousin, kulfi, is a frozen, milk-based dessert. It can be infused with flavors like pistachio, almond, cardamom and saffron. Held with the wooden stick, much like an ice cream is frozen on a stick, the kulfi offers a fun eating experience too. The frozen dish is refreshing and velvety, and as creamy as an ice cream can be. It’s made by simply simmering milk until it thickens, adding sugar, and the flavor of your choice. It’s then put in molds and frozen until ready to serve. While crushed nuts are a popular topping option, the kulfi can stand proud all on its own as well.
Popular in the United States, the key lime pie is an iconic, citrusy dessert. The smooth filling and the buttery crust of the pie complement each other and create a fun fusion in the mouth. The filling’s sweetness and the lime’s tartness also make for an interesting contradiction, that work brilliantly well as far as complex flavors go. It’s often topped with whipped cream and lime zest shavings, with each bite leaving one feeling refreshed and content.
The kaiserschmarrn is a mildly sweetened, shredded pancake, named after the Austrian emperor Franz Joseph I, who was very fond of this fluffy dish. It can be treated as a dessert or a snack, and is a comfort food as much as a sophisticated dessert. Like a pancake, it's fried on a pan, but then torn into bite sized pieces and served with toppings like applesauce or fruit compote, raisins or dried cranberries, and powdered sugar. It's also known as a scrambled pancake, and there are many variations in terms of cooking and toppings when it comes to the Austrian dish.
The knafeh is a dessert popular in the Middle East. In it, a pastry called the kataifi is soaked in a sweet sugar syrup called attar and then layered with cream, nuts or other toppings depending on the exact region it's being served in. The noodle-like pastry is soaked in the syrup but still makes for a thin, delicate dessert that breaks apart easily in the mouth. It’s then baked until it's golden, adding a crisp texture to the dessert. The toppings aren't just a visual aspect. They also seep into the noodles and create another dimension of flavor, also adding to the dish’s aroma
The koulourakia is a traditional Greek dessert, close to butter cookies, normally made around Easter and other festivals. The pastry is made from a buttery dough that's infused with vanilla and citrus zest. Once ready, it's shaped by hand, into delicate twists or braids, making the final product look charming. And it also fits your cottage core aesthetic perfectly. They’re then baked until golden and an egg or honey glaze is brushed on top of it, deepening its sweetness in a subtle way. They’re a reflection of the artistry and gentleness of Greek culture.
The Kirschenmichel is a German dessert, similar to a bread pudding. Bread which is a few days old is kneaded into a fresh dough with butter, milk, eggs and sugar. Berries are folded into the dough, which is then baked. It's then topped with vanilla, cinnamon, almonds, or cloves and often served with a vanilla sauce. While traditionally a dessert, it’s also eaten as a snack and a main dish. Another German dessert, the Ofenschlupfer, consists of bread and apple slice layers.