Egypt Delightful Desserts:
Desserts form an essential part of any meal in Egypt. It's often said, "When you are stressed, you eat chocolates, ice cream, and sweets, and you know why because stressed spelled backward spells desserts."
Every country has distinct desserts cooked in its traditional style, and Egypt loves them. Although people worldwide now cook and serve desserts that are specialties of other countries, the taste and methods used in Egypt are unique.
Egyptian desserts share some similarities with the Levant but are still different in taste. Egyptian desserts are made using natural ingredients and a lot of sugar. The desserts cooked in Egypt are unique and always taste best when you eat them here. Egyptian desserts are loaded with calories, but the taste is worth it, savoring every bite, even though it's calorie-laden. Drench yourself in a taste like never before with these Egyptian desserts.
- Basbousa, often called Harissa, is a dish made from semolina soaked in sugar syrup. It is slightly spicy and is served in a diamond shape garnished with almonds.
- Baklava is made from pastry layers and nuts soaked in sugar syrup.
- Fatir is a type of sweet pancake similar to Kahk. It looks like shortbread and is garnished with almonds.
- Kahk is another specialty among Egyptian desserts. It is a traditional Eid dessert made of shortbread stuffed with walnuts and dates and covered with icing sugar.
- Konafa is another dessert served in Egypt made from pastry strands and is loaded with syrup and nuts.
Desserts form a crucial part of Egyptian cuisine:
Many Egyptian desserts are puddings and pastries. Almost. Almost every dessert is soaked in sugar or honey syrup for that fantastic, super-sweet taste.
Baklava is another trendy Egyptian dessert popular in many other Arab countries. Its essential ingredients include nuts, filo, dough, and honey. This is one Egyptian dessert with a lower sugar content. Fatir is another popular dessert served in Egypt. It resembles the pancakes made in America, and apricots are most commonly used as the fruit filling. Also, egg-filled Fairs are popularly eaten and loved by people.
Basbousa is an Egyptian dessert. It is a semolina pastry served in different shapes, most commonly a diamond shape. This dessert is a favorite among the people of Egypt. Ice cream is another fondly eaten dessert of Egypt, but the local version available here is much different in taste compared to those sold commercially in the West. In Egypt, it’s named Bbouzat Haleeb, has a gummy flavor, and is lighter than most Western ice creams. The ice cream of Egypt stretches like nougat when spooned.
Umm Ali is Egypt's national sweet dish. It is a simple raisin cake that tastes best when hot and is served soaked in milk.
Kanafa is a distinct dish among Egyptian desserts made of batter strings fried on hot grills. Many stuffing variations are used, like sweets, nuts, and even meat; it’s available in both sweet and salty versions. Rice pudding in Egypt is another popular dish that is eaten by not just locals but tourists as well. Referred as Mahallabiyya here, it’s served garnished with chopped pistachios. Gatoux also enjoys a top place on the list and is a sweet French-style pastry.
Two of the most common ingredients in Egyptian desserts are Shalab and Misika. Misika is an Arabic gum that has become a common ingredient in desserts worldwide. Shalab, on the other hand, is an ingredient extracted from the tubers of many orchids. Egyptians also commonly consume many fresh fruits to satiate their sweet tooth. Desserts form an essential part of meals served daily.
Egyptian desserts have been served at festivals since ancient times. The festival dessert menu generally consisted of raisin bread, sweet bread, fried pastries, honey cakes, and sweetmeats. Ancient Egyptians did not use sugar; desserts were sweetened with dates and honey. Most ancient Egyptian desserts had a gravelly texture, and cheese was frequently served with them during festivals.
Apple cakes seasoned with spices like cinnamon and nutmeg are often served in Egypt. Crushed nuts, such as almonds and walnuts, add extra flavor. Sponge cakes are also famous here, made from flour, eggs, and sugar and raised with baking powder. Pastries made from several layers and stuffed with jam or whipped cream are served in bite-sized versions. These cakes are usually glazed with icing in alternating stripes of color to give them an appealing appearance.
So, you can see the role desserts play in Egyptian festive menus and daily meals. Tourists coming to Egypt should indulge in these sinful desserts. The variety of desserts served in Egypt is overwhelming; there is something for everyone and enough to satiate any sweet tooth completely!