Desserts are a course that contains sweet foods & beverages. Many people would agree that their favorite part of a meal would be dessert. Even though the process that will soon lead to a mouth-watering dish may take several hours, it’s worth the patience.
Desserts usually contain relatively high amounts of fats & sugar, which may result in a higher calorie count per gram compared to the other foods. Fruit that is fresh or cooked, with a less amount of sugar or fat is an exception.
In ancient India, Mesopotamia & other ancient civilizations, Gods were known to be fed sweets. Before sugarcane was essential for the production of sweet treats, honey & dried fruit were used as sweeteners. In India, before 500 BCE, sugarcane was grown & refined. By 500 CE, sugarcane was then crystallized so that it could be easily transported. Sugar then became available to many other countries across the world. It had become a staple ingredient for cooking meals & baking desserts for a long period of time.
Sugar was highly priced & on special occasions the wealthy were the only ones that could indulge in sweetness. In 1381, the first recipe of an apple pie had been published.
Nowadays there are sugar substitutions referred to as artificial sweeteners. Due to the high percentage of diabetes, most people opt to the use of artificial sweeteners, as it does not drastically affect their blood sugar levels. Artificial sweeteners are also non-caloric & are found in many products today.
Desserts differ from country & region. Recipes for desserts have been past down to generations & with time, desserts have been modified. Some of the best known sweet treats are namely cupcakes, cakes, donuts, puddings, ice-creams, tarts, sweet meats & more.
MOIST CHOCOLATE CAKE This Recipe Serves 5-6 Who doesn’t love a Moist Chocolate Cake? This Moist Chocolate Cake recipe will have you baking it ever so often. One bite & you’ll see why this velvety beauty is worth making. This cake is so moist & by far the best chocolate cake I’ve ever tasted thanks to…
SHORTBREAD BISCUITS This Recipes Makes ± 12 Pieces Shortbread Biscuits / Cookies are simple yet rich, melt-in-your-mouth baked treats that are perfect for tea-time. These biscuits are best when they are fresh & of course made with good quality butter. If butter isn’t available, margarine may be used but keep in mind, you will…
RIVIERA CHOCOLATE LUVBITES BISCUITS This Recipes Makes ± 36 Biscuits Riviera Chocolate Luvbites Biscuits were created by Kraft Foods & were a hit in South Africa. Growing up in the 90’s, these packs of biscuits (cookies) were always in our home. There are different varieties but the chocolate ones were my favourite. Unfortunately, these…
NO BAKE MARIE BISCUIT BROWNIES This Recipe Makes 9 Squares These No Bake Marie Biscuit Brownies are such a fun & easy treat for those sweet tooth cravings. Marie Biscuits are basically tea biscuits or cookies that originated in London. Due to the British colonization in South Africa many years ago, this biscuit…
MARSHMALLOW NOUGAT This Recipe Makes ± 20 Pieces Marshmallow Nougat – you’re probably wondering what this is & well this is just a quicker version of making the delicious Nougat bars. This confectionery is made with creamy marshmallows & any add in’s of your choice. The original Nougat is made from whipped egg whites…
SEVENS CHOCOLATE BARS This Recipe Makes 9 Bars Sevens Chocolate Bars – It was definitely a must have chocolate throughout my childhood. It is a pity that Cadbury discontinued this irresistible chocolate in South Africa. This chocolate bar consisted of rice krispies or rice puffs, corn flakes, coconut & oats, all smothered in…
CHRISTMAS FRUIT CAKE This Recipe Makes 1 Cake When it comes to all things Christmas, it isn’t the same without the famous Christmas Fruit Cake also known as a Festive Cake. Some absolutely devour this sweet & rich dessert, whilst others don’t really have a palate for it. If you’re a lover of…
MADEIRA LOAF This Recipe Makes 1 Loaf If you love anything that’s baked, especially cakes & loaves then this Madeira Loaf is a must try. A madeira cake is basically a sponge cake which is airy, moist & traditionally includes lemon in the recipe. This cake gets it’s name from the Portuguese wine “Madeira”…
SOJI BALLS This Recipe Makes ±30 Soji Balls Soji Balls also known as Rava Ladoo is a South Indian sweetmeat. These sweetmeats are also popular in South Africa & is made on festive occasions. This sweet treat needs some time to set in the refrigerator turning them into a fudge like texture which…
COCONUT ICE This Recipe Makes ±30 Medium Sized Portions Coconut Ice – the sweetmeat of all sweetmeats. These sweetmeats are so easy to make & they brighten up your day with their beautiful assortment of colours. For some, this treat doesn’t quite hit the spot but it’s always a must in most Indian…