Ranked: the world's best puddings

Desserts worth travelling for

Every culinary culture has its own speciality foods and recipes, and that includes desserts. Something that ties us all together is a love of something sweet for a celebration, after a good meal or simply as a treat.

Here, we pull together some of the most delicious desserts from around the globe. From towering trifles and outrageous cakes to honey-soaked filo and jellies swimming in sweet milk, we count down to the best dessert in the world.

Read on to discover the most delicious sweet dishes the world has to offer. Which are your favourites?

We've based our ranking on the enduring popularity of each dessert in its place of origin and beyond, and on the opinions of our well-travelled (and well-fed) team. The list is unavoidably subjective.

55. Rigó Jancsi, Hungary

Hungary has a rich heritage when it comes to desserts, and the best of all is perhaps the Rigó Jancsi. Named after a famous Hungarian Romani violinist, this dish features two layers of chocolate sponge cake sandwiching a thick, decadently rich chocolate cream filling. Sometimes the cream is laced with rum or vanilla, while the whole Rigó Jancsi is finished with a dark chocolate fondant glaze.

54. Sorbet, various locations

The history (and origins) of sorbet is a little hard to pin down. It's believed the first frozen desserts date back to at least 4,000 BC, served in ice houses in Mesopotamia. They're also linked to Persia, ancient Rome and China. Now, of course, they're found around the world, whether served as a palate cleanser between dinner party courses, or enjoyed as a standalone treat. Typically, sorbets are dairy-free, made purely with ice flavoured with fruit juices and sometimes with alcohol added to change the melting point and texture.

53. Sticky rice with mango, Thailand

While this dessert is most closely associated with Thailand, it's enjoyed all across South and Southeast Asia. The sticky rice is created by mixing cooked white rice with warm, sweetened and salted coconut milk. Once the rice has absorbed the sweet milk, it's then sometimes wrapped in a banana leaf or encased in bamboo, then steamed. The dish is finished with a freshly sliced mango, while fried mung beans are sprinkled over the top for extra crunch.

52. Ma’amoul, Egypt

These cookies, made with butter and semolina, can be traced back to ancient Egypt, though today they're hugely popular across the Middle East and North Africa. After being shaped by hand, they're baked either plain or stuffed with figs, dates or nuts. Ma'amoul are traditionally, made for religious festivals such as Easter, Purim or Eid, and are especially popular during Ramadan when the fast is broken.

51. M’Hanncha, Morocco

This traditional Moroccan speciality is also known as a snake cake, thanks to the way the long tube of filo pastry, stuffed with fragrant almond paste, is coiled around the circular baking tin. It's then given a seasoned egg wash before being baked to crispy perfection. While still hot from the oven, this irresistible dessert is doused in warm honey and coated in cinnamon and almond slices.

50. Thapthim krop, Thailand

This iconic Thai creation is also known as red rubies dessert, and it’s easy to see why. The water chestnuts at the heart of this dish are soaked in grenadine before being boiled in tapioca flour, giving them a gelatinous texture and beautiful red colour. These 'rubies' are then served in perfect white coconut cream for maximum impact.

49. S’mores, USA

A staple around campfires and fire pits across the US (and gaining popularity elsewhere), s’mores are pretty simple, with each featuring a marshmallow and some chocolate sandwiched between two graham crackers, then heated over an open flame until gooey and melted. Achieving that perfect melt without burning is something of a skill, though the odd treat lost to the flames is all part of the fun.

48. Dadar gulung, Indonesia

These Indonesian pancakes are among the country’s most popular snacks, instantly recognisable thanks to their vibrant green hue – the striking result of adding aromatic pandan leaves to the batter. This green batter is fried in a touch of margarine before being sprinkled with grated coconut and palm sugar and rolled up. They're often sold from street stalls, to be eaten on the go, or are plated up and cut into slices.

47. Cannoli, Italy

The cannoli is one of Italy’s oldest desserts, with some food historians tracing it back to the turn of the first millennium, when Sicily was under Arab rule. These iconic pastries feature a deep-fried shell, piped with a sweet and creamy ricotta filling. Fruit, chopped nuts and chocolate flakes can then be added to the soft ends, and a dusting of powdered sugar traditionally finishes them off.

46. Crème caramel, France

This wonderfully wobbly French dessert begins with a dark caramel being poured into a mould before a vanilla custard is added. This is then cooked in a bain-marie until a gelatinous, creamy dessert is formed. It's still found on restaurant menus in France, and in other countries – though it's arguably most popular in Central and South America, known as flan de leche and with dozens of regional variations.

45. Rum cake, Caribbean

While recipes vary from place to place, all Caribbean rum cakes come together to celebrate one of the region’s most famous exports: rum. A rum cake starts out as a light fruit cake before having rum infused into it. Sometimes rum is mixed directly into the cake batter, or rum soaked fruits are added. In Puerto Rico, where the base cake is a sponge, the whole thing is soaked in rum to absorb. These cakes are hugely popular at celebrations and holidays, especially Christmas.

44. Malva pudding, South Africa

The recipe for this dessert is thought to come from South Africa’s Dutch history, but the name is a matter for debate. Some believe it's from the Afrikaans word malvalekker, meaning marshmallow, while others say it's named after the Malvasia wine traditionally served with it. Whatever the origin, be glad Malva pudding exists. The super soft, sponge-like pudding has apricot jam blended in, and after baking is doused in a cream sauce. Served warm with ice cream, it’s easy to see why this comfort classic is one of South Africa’s favourite dishes.

43. Koeksister, South Africa

Every culinary culture has its own fried dough dessert. In South Africa, it's the Koeksister. This sticky-sweet treat is made by plaiting together strips of dough before deep frying them until golden and crispy. While still hot, the dough is dunked in cold sugar syrup, creating a delicious treat so sweet, it tastes almost like honey. There's also a Cape Malay variant, with a ball of deep-fried dough rolled in desiccated coconut.

42. Banoffee pie, England, UK

While advertisers once claimed the banoffee pie as an American invention, it actually hails from England. The pie, which has a crushed biscuit and butter base topped with banana, a thick caramel sauce and whipped cream, was created in 1972 at the Hungry Monk Restaurant in Jevington, East Sussex. The recipe’s inventors even once put up a £10,000 (around $12,700) reward for anyone who could disprove the dish’s origins – and no one was able to.

41. Doughnuts, various locations

It’s hard to pinpoint when exactly doughnuts were invented; do we go back to the fried balls of dough made in ancient Rome, or start when the traditional ring shape appeared, in the mid-19th century? Regardless of the history, the biggest doughnut advances have come much more recently, with the handheld snack elevated to a full-blown dessert, particularly in North America. Extravagant toppings, exotic glazes and innovative doughs have taken doughnuts to dizzy new heights.

40. Medovik, Russia

This Russian delicacy, traced back to the 19th century, is characterised by the contrast between the super-sweet honey and tangy sour cream nestled between layer upon layer of thinly sliced sponge. While some modern recipes suggest using a sweeter alternative to sour cream, such as condensed milk or custard, the true beauty of this dish lays in that combination of sweet and sour. Once constructed, a medivik cake is best left to soften in a fridge overnight before being dusted with crushed nuts.

39. Crumble, UK

Nothing tastes quite like autumn in the UK than a crumble. Almost any fruit can be baked into a crumble, although some of the most popular fillings are apple, blackberry (often with apple), plum and rhubarb. The fruit is layered in a dish, either raw or as a compote, before being topped with a crumbly mix of butter, sugar and flour. This is then baked until the top is crisp the fruit sweet and sticky. Then it’s time for the hardest decision: to eat it with custard, cream or ice cream?

38. Lamington, Australia

For many Australians, few small pleasures in life can beat a good Lammo. Lamingtons are squares of sponge cake, coated in chocolate sauce before being rolled in desiccated coconut. Some versions add a layer of cream in the middle of the sponge, however most stick with the basic recipe. This dessert may be simple, but it's a staple of Australian coffee tables and bake sales – so beloved that 21 July is celebrated as National Lamington Day.

37. Profiteroles, France

Profiteroles are golf ball–sized spheres of choux pastry traditionally filled with whipped cream or custard before a glaze of chocolate ganache is poured over the top. There are many variations, though, which include dusting profiteroles in sugar, using a caramel glaze or flavouring the cream inside. They're notoriously tricky to make, thanks to the precision needed for the pastry – and the croquembouche, that beautiful, vertiginous tower of profiteroles held together by caramel, is one of the ultimate show-stopping desserts.

36. Gelato, Italy

There is no denying the brilliance of all ice creams, but Italian gelato deserves a special mention. The key difference between gelato and regular ice cream is that gelato typically has a lower fat content and much more air. This leads to a lighter, fluffier dessert with more intense flavours than denser ice cream. No matter where you are in the world, it’s hard to pass by an Italian gelato shop without stopping in for a scoop of bright green pistachio or glossy dark chocolate.

35. Churros, Spain and Portugal

While the exact origins of churros are unknown, the recipe was popularised in Spain and Portugal before being spread around the world by traders and settlers. Now, churros are popular everywhere from Latin America to Southeast Asia. It’s easy to see why; to make them, long, star-shaped tubes of choux pastry are deep fried until golden on the outside and fluffy on the inside. They're then finished with sugar or cinnamon sugar and served with chocolate or condensed milk sauces, which is either drizzled over or served on the side, for dipping.

34. Gulab jamun, India

This dish is not only popular in India, but also all over the subcontinent and wherever a large South Asian heritage community is found. Traditionally, the dish starts with milk, which is cooked over a low heat until all the liquid has evaporated, although a quicker version can be made with milk powder. This doughy solid is mixed with flour before being deep fried to a rich brown colour. The balls are soaked in a flavoured sugar syrup before being topped with ice cream and chopped nuts.

33. Trifle, England, UK

There's no fixed recipe for this quintessentially English dessert, which has many moveable parts. These usually include jelly, sponge fingers or cake soaked in sherry or Madeira, jam, cream, fresh fruit and cold custard. When the layers have been assembled, the trifle is chilled until set, making it perfect as a make-ahead dessert for dinner parties or special occasions.

32. Snow Ice, Taiwan

Shaved ice cream is all too often made as a street food gimmick; however, in Taiwan, it's done properly. Thin shavings of extra creamy ice cream are used as a base for a host of delicious toppings such as condensed milk, beans and tapioca balls. Fresh fruit is also frequently added, with mango the most popular in summer and strawberry in winter.

31. Red velvet cake, USA

The history of the red velvet cake, and its place in American history, is a hotly contested topic – with claims that it was invented at New York City's Waldorf-Astoria hotel in the 1930s countered by stories of similar, earlier recipes in the Southern states and Canada. The red colour originally came from the special cocoa used, without the natural colourings processed out. These days, however, beet juice or food dye is used in the cake batter to bring out the vivid red that contrasts so beautifully with the crisp white cream.

30. Crêpes Suzette, France

There are few desserts as theatrical as crêpes Suzette. On the surface, this is quite a simple dish, with freshly made crêpes doused in a sauce of caramelised sugar, butter and orange. However, the true majesty comes in the presentation. Prepared tableside, crêpes Suzette is finished with a flambé in Grand Marnier or other liqueur, before being served with a scoop of ice cream to contrast with the warm, sharp flavours.

29. Bienenstich, Germany

Although legend dates this German cake back to the late 15th century, the refrigeration needed for its cream filling suggests it might be a more modern invention. Regardless of when it was created, just be glad that it was. A bienenstich, also known as a bee sting cake, features a sweet yeast dough filled with a layer of vanilla custard or cream. The cake’s signature is the layer of caramelised almonds baked on top, giving a glorious crunch and nutty flavour to contrast the sweet pastry and filling below.

28. Chocolate soufflé, France

There are few dishes that test the skills of chefs quite like a chocolate soufflé. Each step has to be completed perfectly, with soft beaten egg whites gently folded into a sweetened, chocolatey cream. If done correctly, the soufflé will rise beautifully above the top of the ramekin, ready to serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

27. Baked Alaska, USA

While early versions of baked Alaska were made in France, the dish was perfected at New York City’s famed Delmonico’s restaurant. Added to the menu in 1876 to celebrate Alaska becoming a state, the dessert is a scientific marvel. An ice cream core is protected by sponge cake and a meringue outer shell, with the dish prepared before being frozen. When it's time, the baked Alaska is put into a blazingly hot oven for just enough time to warm, firm up and brown the meringue without melting the ice cream.

26. Mooncakes, China

These traditional Chinese sweet treats are the backbone of the Mid-Autumn Festival, celebrated each September (and sometimes called Moon or Mooncake Festival). Each region has its own way of making mooncakes, though the basics remain the same. The decorated pastry crust holds a delicate, sweet filling, which can be anything from red bean or lotus seed paste to mixed nuts. Traditional mooncakes also have a salted duck egg yolk centre, to represent the full moon for good luck.

25. Panna cotta, Italy

Hailing from the Piedmont region of Italy, the panna cotta is an exercise in beautiful simplicity. This dessert is formed by creating a sweetened cream, which is thickened with gelatine and chilled in a mould until set. This base can be flavoured with a number of different ingredients such as vanilla, cinnamon, rum or Marsala, and it's best served alongside a sharp fruit compote to contrast with the panna cotta’s smooth, creamy taste.

24. Qatayef, Middle East

A qatayef (or katayef) is a traditional Middle Eastern dessert that dates back over a thousand years, and is especially popular during the month of Ramadan. The name refers more to the batter than the dessert, as there are two main ways to prepare it. Both involve cooking the pancake-like batter well on one side. Then, for the first way, that's made into a dumpling, stuffed with nuts and sugar, before deep frying to a golden brown. The other way is to fold the qatayef, pipe it full of sweet cream cheese and dust it with nuts.

23. Eton mess, England, UK

This dessert is named after the world-famous British boarding school, Eton College, in Berkshire, England. Legend has it that the first Eton mess was created at a cricket match against rival school Harrow, after a berry, cream and meringue pudding was accidentally dropped. Rather than scrap the dessert, it was served smashed up. Today, deliberately broken-up chunks of meringue are served with rich, thick cream and beautifully tart summer fruits.

22. Pecan pie, USA

There are few desserts so closely tied to the Southern US as pecan pie. People living in the region have been eating pecans for thousands of years, though the first known recipe for modern pecan pie was published by a corn syrup manufacturer. People can’t get enough of the contrast of flavours between the deep nutty taste and super sweet syrup, balanced with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

21. Pavlova, Australia or New Zealand

The Pavlova was named after the famed ballerina Anna Pavlova when she toured Australia and New Zealand, though neither country can agree about which side of the Tasman Sea it was invented on. The dessert is all texture, with a base of meringue, made with egg whites beaten with caster sugar, lemon juice, cornflour and vanilla. This is baked low and slow to create a dessert with a crisp, crunchy outside and marshmallow-like centre. To finish, it's topped with fruit such as kiwi, mango or berries.

20. Brownies, USA

As with many famous dishes, the exact origin of the brownie is hotly disputed; one of the most widely held stories is that it was invented at The Palmer House Hotel in Chicago, Illinois, for the Columbian Exposition World’s Fair in 1893. Since then, it's become staple of dessert menus and cake shops worldwide. Whether served cool on its own, warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or broken up as a part of a sundae, brownies are a treat we can't get enough of.

19. Rote grütze, Germany

This classic German summer dish is made by creating a gelatinous pudding from berries such as redcurrants, raspberries and blackcurrants. Translating roughly as red fruit jelly, the dessert starts with a compote, then starches and sugar are stirred in to create a thick, sweet and slightly tart pudding. This can be served hot or cold, usually alongside milk, cream, ice cream or custard. Denmark has a similar dessert, rødgrød, while variations of rote grütze can be found across Baltic and Scandinavian states.

18. Tarte Tatin, France

The world has various takes on apple pie, but France’s tarte Tatin may be the most innovative of all. It's named after the Tatin sisters, said to have developed the recipe in the late 19th century at the hotel and restaurant the pair ran in the Central Loire Valley. It starts with a buttery caramel, made in a heavy-bottomed frying pan before sliced apples are added. Pastry is then placed on top before baking and, when done, the whole tart is turned out onto a plate. Served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, this is apple perfection.

17. Kulfi, India

Kulfi is a traditional Indian ice cream characterised by having a much higher fat content than typical ice cream or gelato. It also isn’t whipped, and this added density makes kulfi more suitable to the local climate, as it melts far slower. Instead, milk flavoured with ingredients such as pistachio, mango and saffron is slowly boiled down until a solid mass is formed. This is then put into sealed moulds, which are in turn plunged into salted ice to quickly freeze. This process ensures a thick and creamy iced dessert.

16. Tiramisù, Italy

Tiramisù is a relatively recent creation for such a beloved dessert, having first been made in the 1960s. However, it's since become one of the most popular Italian desserts in the world. The dish is characterised by its coffee and liqueur flavours, used to infuse sponge fingers or panettone. These are layered between a cream filling made with egg, sugar and mascarpone, before the final dish is dusted in cocoa. Served cold, this dessert offers an irresistible balance of bitter, cream, sharp and sweet.

15. Crème brûlée, France

The crème brûlée first appeared in French cookbooks in the mid-17th century and has remained popular ever since. The bulk of the dish is a vanilla-flavoured custard, but its main USP is the caramelised top. A layer of sugar is dusted over the custard and this is then fired until crisp and dark brown. From the satisfying crack of breaking through the top layer to the contrast between warm, hard caramel and cool, creamy custard, this dessert delights all the senses.

14. Frozen yogurt, USA

Frozen yogurt is ice cream’s sharper, and much younger, sibling, invented in New England in the 1970s. Whether or not that makes it better is a matter of opinion, though there's no doubting its popularity across the US and beyond. Fro-yo shops typically sell dozens of flavours and even more toppings, from simple honey and berries to sweets, chocolate and sauces galore.

13. Sticky toffee pudding, UK

Britain's beloved sticky toffee pudding is claimed by various places throughout the UK; there's the story that it was born in the Lake District, appearing on menus in the 1970s, another that it was conceived in Aberdeenshire, Scotland a few years earlier, and claims that it was invented in Yorkshire in 1907. It can be found on restaurant menus across the British Isles, with a rich, moist sponge – typically spiced with cloves and dates – and sweet, sticky, toffee sauce at its heart.

12. Black Forest gâteau, Germany

This dark, rich cake is perhaps Germany’s most famous culinary creation. Paying homage to the Black Forest region, it features layers of chocolate sponge sandwiched with whipped cream and cherries. A traditional Black Forest cherry spirit, Kirschwasser, is also usually added to the cake sponge or blended into the cream. A final decoration of cherries, chocolate shavings and whipped cream finish off this decadent delight.

11. Nanaimo bar, Canada

This no-bake dessert bar is one the most popular desserts in Canada, served everywhere from home tables to state dinners. Named after the city of Nanaimo in British Columbia, these bars are made up of three distinct layers; a base made of wafer, nuts and coconut crumbs, a middle of custard icing and a top layer of chocolate ganache. This unbeatable combination of flavours has seen the Nanaimo bar even put on a postage stamp, which was duly criticised by Canadians who questions the ratios of the three layers in the design.

10. Cendol, Southeast Asia

Cendol is a hugely popular dessert across all of Southeast Asia, with each country preparing the dish slightly differently – and many opposing claims on its invention, including Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. The basic version of the dish sees gelatinous rice flour noodles, made green from pandan leaves, mixed in with coconut milk, palm sugar and shaved ice. Jellies and fruits are typically piled on top for a delicious, cool and creamy dessert.

9. Mochi, Japan

Absolutely everything about mochi is spectacular. The traditional processing of the glutinous rice is a sight to behold, as a pounder and stirrer work in perfect rhythmic harmony to transform the rice into the dessert’s sticky base. This can then be coloured or filled with fruits, pastes or ice cream. Some of the best-known mochi varieties are kusa mochi – easily recognisable with its deep green colour – and anko daifuku, pink and filled with a sweet red bean paste.

8. Tres leches cake, Latin America

Some people say the tres leches cake originates from Nicaragua, where it is the national pastry, while others claim it's from Mexico. Regardless of the exact location of its birth, the tres leches cake is hugely popular across Latin America. The dish starts with a light, airy sponge, which is then soaked in the three milks its name refers to: condensed, evaporated and whole. The cake’s lightness means it takes on a pudding-like consistency rather than becoming soggy, giving it an irresistible, almost bouncy texture.

7. Baklava, Turkey

While many countries boast a version of this dessert, the original most likely came from what is now modern-day Turkey. Regardless of the exact heritage, baklava remains one of the world’s most iconic desserts. Impossibly thin layers of filo pastry and finely chopped pistachio nuts are layered up, with plenty of butter between to further enrich the dessert, before baking. Once cooked, the individual squares are covered in a fragrant syrup, which soaks right in.

6. Key lime pie, USA

Key lime pie emerged from Key West, Florida in the early 20th century and exploded in popularity to become the official pie of Florida. The dessert itself is quite simple, with a graham cracker crust filled with a condensed milk and egg filling flavoured with Key lime juice. This is then baked, with or without a heaping of meringue. What makes this dessert so spectacular, despite its simplicity, is the highly aromatic lime juice, which cuts through the rich sweetness beautifully.

5. Chocolate mousse, France

Mousses have been a part of traditional French cooking since the mid-18th century, with none more popular than a chocolate mousse. The light, airy texture is achieved by folding whisked egg whites through a mixture of cream and chocolate. It might not be such a dinner party staple as it once was, but chocolate mousse remains a timeless classic – and can be found on restaurant menus around the world.

4. Apfelstrudel, Austria

Hailing from the Austrian capital of Vienna, the apfelstrudel or apple strudel is popular all over central Europe. The key to a good strudel is the dough, which is unleavened and stretched so thin, it's said the baker should be able to read a newspaper through it. The dough is spread across a huge baking surface and the apple, sugar and cinnamon filling is piled into a corner. The pastry is then wrapped around it, giving a filo type effect. After baking, this bundle of perfection is usually served with ice cream, whipped cream or custard.

3. Apple pie, various locations

There is no more traditionally American dessert than apple pie and vanilla ice cream. Although the recipe originally came over with European settlers, the country has truly taken the dessert as its own. Many families have their own recipe, however all will share the same basics: a pastry base filled with apples, then seasoned with nutmeg, cinnamon and a dash of lemon juice. This is either fully covered or topped with a lattice before baking.

2. Cheesecake, various locations

Cheesecake is believed to have originated in ancient Greece, where it began with cheese kneaded with flour and honey. Now, of course, there are many variations of the dessert around the world, from the smooth and creamy New York style to the baked-until-burnished version from Spain's Basque region. Japanese cheesecake is soufflé-like, while German varieties include käsekuchen – which has a shortcrust pastry base.

1. Ice cream, various locations

No one is sure where ice cream was invented, with the earliest, similar dessert traced back to China between the seventh and 10th centuries. Whatever its roots, ice cream is arguably the most versatile dessert in the world – from the seemingly endless variety of flavours to the different ways it can be served and eaten. Whether scooped into a cone, sandwiched between waffles, layered up for a sundae or eaten in a bowl as a refreshing end to a meal, it's enjoyed and loved the world over.

Now discover the world's most delicious dishes everyone should taste at least once