Dessert Diplomacy: 4 Sweet Treats from Around the World

1. Spanish Churros

You don’t need a passport—or a pastry degree—for this one.

This classic Spanish dessert might look café-fancy, but it comes together with pantry staples you likely already have: flour, sugar, oil, and a dash of cinnamon magic. Crisp on the outside, soft inside, and irresistibly good with every bite, it’s the kind of treat that turns an ordinary day into something worth celebrating.

Prep time: 10 min | Cook time: 10 min | Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 cup water
• 1/2 tbsp white sugar
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 2 tbsp Vegetable oil
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 8 cups of Oil

For Cinnamon Sugar

• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground Cinnamon
• Paper towel
• Spider spoon
• Piping bag

Method:

1. Combine water, 2/2 tablespoons sugar, salt and 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a small saucepan and place over medium heat. Bring it to a boil and remove from the heat.
2. Stir in the flour, stirring until the mixture forms a ball and leaves the sides of the pan.
3. Heat oil for frying in a deep pan. Transfer the dough to a sturdy pastry bag fitted with a medium star tip.
4. Carefully pipe a few 5-6-inch strips of dough into the hot oil, working in batches to avoid crowding the fry pan.
5. Cook until golden. Use a spider spoon to transfer churros to a paper towel to drain.
6. Combine 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon. Roll the drained churros in the cinnamon and sugar mixture. Serve warm.

2. Australian Pavlova

If you’re into melt-in-your-mouth desserts, this one’s a showstopper.

This airy, cloud-like dessert from the Southern Hemisphere has a cult following—and for good reason. With its crisp shell, soft marshmallow-like centre, and layers of whipped cream and fresh fruit, it’s equal parts elegant and indulgent. No wonder it’s a centrepiece at celebrations across Australia and New Zealand.

Prep time: 25 mins | Cook time: 1 hr 30 mins | Servings: 12

Ingredients:

• 1 cup White sugar
• 1 tbsp Cornstarch
• 3 Egg whites
• 1 tsp Lemon juice
• 1-1/4 cup Whipping cream
• 1/ 2 cup Icing sugar
• 12 large Strawberries

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 150 degrees C. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, and draw a 9-inch circle in the centre of the paper.
2. Whisk 1/4 cup sugar and cornstarch together in a small bowl.
3. Separate egg yolks from the whites.
4. Beat egg whites in a glass bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining 3/4 cup sugar, continuing to beat until the sugar is completely dissolved and stiff peaks form. Gently fold in the cornstarch mixture and lemon juice.
5. Spread a 1/4 inch thick layer of meringue onto the prepared baking sheet to fill the circle. Pipe or spoon the remaining meringue to form a taller edge around the circle to create a shallow bowl, making decorative swirls.
6. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour. Turn the oven off. Let the meringue sit in the oven for 30 minutes. Do not open the oven door. After 30 minutes, remove the meringue from the oven; it should be hard on the outside and slightly moist on the inside.
7. Beat cream and icing sugar in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer until thick. Spread onto a meringue base and arrange strawberries over the top.

3. Portuguese Pastel De Nata

No fancy techniques needed for this Portuguese classic.

If you appreciate desserts with a creamy custard heart wrapped in flaky pastry, this Portuguese classic will win you over. These tarts are all about the contrast—the crisp, buttery crust giving way to a rich, sweet filling with just a hint of vanilla. Perfect for any time you crave something comforting yet elegant.

Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 20 mins | Servings: 12 tarts

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Milk
• 3 tbsp Cornstarch
• 1/2 Vanilla bean
• 1 cup White sugar
• 6 Egg yolks
• 1 packet Puff pastry sheets

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 190 degrees C. Lightly grease 12 muffin cups and line the bottom and sides with puff pastry.
2. In a saucepan, combine milk, cornstarch, sugar and vanilla. Cook, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens.  Place the egg yolks in a bowl. Slowly whisk 1/2 cup of hot milk mixture, whisking constantly. Cook, stirring constantly for 5 minutes until thickened and remove the vanilla bean.
3. Fill pastry-lined muffin cups with mixture and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the filling is slightly browned on top.

4. South-East Asian Cendol

For those who crave something refreshingly sweet and uniquely textured, this Southeast Asian treat hits all the right notes. Cool, chewy green jelly meets creamy coconut milk and fragrant palm sugar syrup, creating a perfect balance of flavours and temperatures—a tropical delight that’s as satisfying as it is vibrant.

Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 30 mins | Servings: 4

Ingredients:

For Cendol Jelly

• 100 gm Rice flour
• 25 gm moong bean flour
• 4-5 Pandan leaves
• 500 ml water
• 1 pinch Salt
• Ice cubes

Coconut Milk

• 400 ml Coconut milk
• 100 ml water
• 1 Pandan leaf

Palm Sugar Syrup

• 200 gm palm sugar
• 100 ml water
• 1 Pandan leaf

Method:

1. In 100 ml of water, add pandan leaf pieces and boil and make an extract by crushing the leaves in water and straining it.
2. In a saucepan, mix rice flour, moong bean flour, water, pandan paste and salt.
3. Cook over medium heat, stirring continuously until the mixture thickens into a sticky translucent green dough.
4. Prepare a large bowl of iced water by adding ice cubes to chill.
5. Spoon the hot cendol dough into a potato shredder or a dough press and press it into the ice water to form short jelly strands.
6. Let the cendol cool and set in the ice water for 10-15 minutes.
7. In a pot, combine coconut milk, salt and pandan leaf.
8. Heat gently (do not boil) until warm and fragrant. Let cool.
9. In a small pot, combine palm sugar, water and pandan leaf.
10. Simmer until the sugar dissolves and the mixture thickens slightly.
11. Strain and cool.

Assembly

In a serving glass, layer some cendol jelly. Add 2-3 tablespoons of palm sugar syrup, and pour in the coconut milk. Top with shaved ice, sweet red beans and ripe jackfruit pieces.