Some of these you’ve probably heard of before, while others are quite unusual. In fact, this was my first time learning about Madeleines from France and Mochi, which is popular in Japan. How many of these desserts have you tried? Let me know down below!
Macarons
Macarons are meringue-based cookie sandwiches with a sweet filling. But while we all consider the exquisite dessert as a French invention, it originated somewhere else. In 1533, Italian Catherine de’ Medici moved to France to marry King Henry II. Along with her finest clothes and jewelry, she brought her pastry chefs with her, who were responsible for the recipe. The original macarons were only made of a single cookie, though. But the French elevated the OG recipe to make the macarons we know and love today.
Macaroons
Often mistaken for macarons, macaroons are a different dessert. Although they do have the same shape and size, and are both French, the macaroon is a cookie made with coconut, almonds, sweetened condensed milk, and other flavorings.
Madeira Cake
Madeira cake is a butter- or lemon-flavored sponge cake that is firm yet light at the same time. It is often served as a breakfast dish, paired with tea. While it is named after an island in Portugal, there is no evidence that it originated there. The cake is 100% British. But they do enjoy pairing it with Madeira wine, hence its misleading name.
Madeleines
Madeleines are scallop-shaped, bite-sized tea cakes from France. The beloved snack is often eaten hot with coffee for breakfast, or at 4 in the afternoon during gouter – the French version of the English afternoon tea.
Marshmallow Pie
This fluffy and irresistible dessert is nothing without the sweet and pillowy marshmallows. But have you ever wondered what marshmallows are made of? Well, marshmallows were made from the roots of the mallow plant, a plant that grows in marshes. Hence the name! But, nowadays, the marshmallows we know and love are made from sugar, gelatin, and cornstarch.
Marzipan
This addictive confection is made with almond meal, honey, and sugar. It is often used as an ingredient in desserts, such as cakes and chocolates. While the marzipan is famous today for being such a yummy flavoring, it was sold in the Middle Ages as a treatment for physical and mental disorders.
Meringues
Oh how I love these sweet, crisp, and chewy treats! I grew up munching on these egg white and sugar-based confections, so just the thought of meringues brings back a lot of happy memories. There are different types of meringues that have varying consistencies and uses, such as the Swiss, Italian, and French meringue.
Millefeuille
Millefeuille is yet another decadent French pastry made with layers of puff pastry and pastry cream. The term millefeuille derives from the French words, “mille”, meaning 1000, and “feuille”, meaning sheets. So following the description, a millefeuille is a pastry that has at least a thousand layers. Some even stack up to a whopping 2048 layers! Just imagine how scrumptious that is!
Milo Cookies
They’re chocolate chip cookies that make use of the malt and chocolate powdered drink, Milo. Milo may not sound familiar to you, but it’s one of the products of Nestle. It’s popular in Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and Colombia. As for the cookies, well, they’re sweet, chewy, chocolatey, and definitely a must-try!
Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
Who doesn’t love the combination of refreshing milk and decadent chocolate chips? It’s such a unique and delightful ice cream flavor! While it’s popular here in the US, did you know that it’s actually a British invention? The mint chocolate chip ice cream was created by Marilyn Rocketts, an English culinary student. She entered her invention in a competition held by the royal family, who wanted a new flavor to serve at the wedding of Princess Anne. That’s why it was originally called the Mint Royale. Fascinating!
Mississippi Mud Pie
This decadent pie is the pride of Mississippi. It is named such because of its dense chocolate cake, which resembles the muddy banks of the Mississippi River. While it’s not the most appetizing name, it’s definitely delicious.
Mizu Yokan
Yokan is another dessert created and beloved by the Japanese. It is a jelly that comprises red bean paste, sugar, and agar. Mizu (meaning water) is a variation that contains more water than normal, yielding a softer and smoother yokan. It is served chilled, making it a refreshing summer dessert.
Mochi
This soft and sticky Japanese dessert is made with a gelatinous rice called Mochigome (hence its name). It has a variety of fillings, such as flavored cream, red mung bean paste, and matcha. Be careful when eating this chewy treat, though, because some elderly people have died choking from it!
Moon Pies
This popular confection is made of two graham cracker cookies and a sweet and fluffy marshmallow filling. But do you know why these tasty treats are called such? It happened in 1917 in Chattanooga. A baker asked a coal miner what he wanted to eat. The miner asked for something with marshmallows and graham crackers, and that it preferably be as big as the moon. Hence… the creation of moon pies!
Mousse Cake
Smooth, airy, and fluffy. Those are the three words that describe a perfect mousse cake. The word mousse is French for froth or foam, which explains its wonderful consistency. While mousse more often refers to a dessert, it was more commonly used for savory dishes back in the 1800s. It was only in the 1900s that one artist came up with the idea of mixing chocolate with mousse, creating the dessert we all know and love today.
Muffins
Whether it’s blueberries, bananas, chocolate, cornmeal, or cheese, one thing’s for sure: muffins are the best! While this small cupcake-like quick bread is an American invention, the term muffin comes from the German word muffin, which means a small cake. Click on a star to rate it!
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