Your country's national dessert

Cafe Society
1

A colleague at school today had a brochure from some sort of EU tourism group that promoted culinary tourism I guess. For each EU member it listed a single “national dessert” with a description and recipe. I’ve forgotten what they were, but I think the idea is interesting enough to discuss.

So, if you had to choose a** single** dessert dish to represent the culinary cultural history of your nation what would it be?

Those of you in the US could do one for your state I suppose. I’m interested to see what come out of this. If you have a great recipe please share it for those of us who like to bake/cook.

As for the **USA ** I guess the stereotypical dessert is apple pie, for a variety of cultural reasons that aren’t entirely clear to me.

For **Texas ** (my state) it would be pecan pie, perhaps because of the prevalence of pecan trees in the state, though one could make an argument for **fruit cobbler ** since it seems to be the dessert of choice for BBQ dinners.

2

For Canada, I’d have to go with the Nanaimo bar; for Quebec, tarte au sucre.

3

Pavlova* perhaps? With whipped cream and passionfruit topping?

  • Stolen from the New Zealanders.
4

For my state it would have to be the Key Lime Pie.

5

[QUOTE=matt_mcl]
For Canada, I’d have to go with the Nanaimo bar; for Quebec, tarte au sucre.
[/QUOTE]
Matt is tarte au sucre what we’d call a butter tart in English? If not, I’ll say “butter tart” as the Canadian dessert before I’d say Nanaimo bar–sure they’re good, but I think butter tarts are better. :slight_smile:

6

Ohio might be controversial, but the only place I’ve had Hot Apple Pie with a slice of melted, sharp, cheddar cheese, and a scoop of real vanilla ice cream all home made (as in, originating locally) was in Ohio.

7

[QUOTE=Spoons]
Matt is tarte au sucre what we’d call a butter tart in English?
[/QUOTE]

Not really; it’s more, well, sugary, and less buttery. And it’s a pie, not a tart. Also it never has raisins.

8

For England, it’s probably bread and butter pudding.

9

[QUOTE=matt_mcl]
Not really; it’s more, well, sugary, and less buttery. And it’s a pie, not a tart. Also it never has raisins.
[/QUOTE]
Sounds tasty–I’ll have to try some next time I’m in Quebec. Thanks for the explanation (and the tip)!

10

Pavlova is a joint Australian-New Zealand dessert, along with Hokey Pokey icecream. The dessert traditions of both countries are so intertwined I don’t think it’s possible to separate them out with any degree of reliability.

I will say there are more tropical fruits involved in dessert platters on this side of the pond, though…

11

[QUOTE=Martini Enfield]
Pavlova is a joint Australian-New Zealand dessert, along with Hokey Pokey icecream.
[/QUOTE]

I know the former is one of those things claimed by both countries as their own invention, but I’m guessing the latter must be more a Kiwi thing. I’m pretty sure I’ve never even tried hokey pokey icecream, and I’ve only a vague notion of what it is.

12

Foreigners.

Well, that’s more of a breakfast, really.

13

Malva Pudding or Milktart.

14

Here in the southern US, it’s everyone else’s national dessert, except fried and, if possible, on a stick.

15

I’ve always found the prevalence of Black Forest Gateau here as a dessert a trifle bizarre. :smiley: .

16

RISKREM!

riskrem riskrem riskrem riskrem riskrem riskrem riskrem…

17

From what I’ve seen of my Dutch friends, Holland’s national dessert seems to be Hagelslaag on anything.

18

[QUOTE=Martini Enfield]
Pavlova is a joint Australian-New Zealand dessert, along with Hokey Pokey icecream. The dessert traditions of both countries are so intertwined I don’t think it’s possible to separate them out with any degree of reliability.

I will say there are more tropical fruits involved in dessert platters on this side of the pond, though…
[/QUOTE]

Hokey Pokey Icecream? I’d never heard of it until now. Wikipedia fought my ignorance but I’m with TLD here: it must be more of a Kiwi thing.

I’m with you on the Pavlova though.

19

Hokey Pokey ice-cream? WTF is that?

Pavlova or lamingtons.

20

[QUOTE=Revenant Threshold]
For England, it’s probably bread and butter pudding.
[/QUOTE]

Certainly that’s a good candidate, but I don’t think there can be all that clear a winner. We’d also have to consider things like:

Steamed treacle sponge (or pudding)
Rice pudding
Apple crumble

And of course traditionally:
Jam roly-poly
Spotted dick