Beat the Heat! 5 Summer Desserts from Abroad

Various Summer Snacks

These days, with hot and humid weather, appetites fade and only cold, sweet desserts are craved. While eating ice cream, I suddenly wondered what kind of snacks people enjoy in other countries during such hot days. Here are five foreign summer snacks that are sometimes similar to Korean desserts and sometimes completely different.

Makedonia

Makedonia, enjoyed in European regions like Italy, Spain, and France, is a European-style fruit punch made by cutting fruit into small pieces, adding lemon juice, sugar, honey, and refrigerating it before serving. It is made using various seasonal fruits such as strawberries, various berries, watermelon, peaches, or fruits that are not fully ripe. You can also make it more special by adding Italian lemon liqueur Limoncello, champagne, rum, or topping it with whipped cream and ice cream.

Kakigoori

Kakigoori is a Japanese shaved ice dessert topped with syrup or condensed milk. It is a dessert you can easily find in shops with the kanji character for ice (氷) displayed. There are various types of Kakigoori, but unlike Korean-style bingsu which often includes sweet red beans or rice cakes, it is common not to add other toppings on the ice except syrup. Syrup flavors vary widely, including strawberry, melon, Blue Hawaii, and matcha, allowing you to choose according to your preference. Its soft and refreshing slushy-like taste is perfect for beating the heat.

Chendol

Chendol is a summer treat found in Southeast Asia, including Indonesia and Malaysia. It consists of coconut milk, palm sugar syrup, durian or ice cream, red beans, and green jelly noodles called chendol served over ice. The chendol noodles, thin and long like noodles, are made by mixing pandan leaves and rice flour, giving them a chewy texture. A sweet and cool bowl of chendol makes even the hottest summer less daunting!

Kulfi

In countries like India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, people enjoy kulfi during hot weather. Kulfi is a traditional South Asian ice cream that originated during the Mughal Empire era. It is made by slowly boiling milk with sugar, then freezing it in molds, resulting in a denser texture compared to other ice creams. Flavors are enhanced with spices like saffron and cardamom, and the exterior is often decorated with pistachios. It features a sweet taste reminiscent of frozen condensed milk and a unique texture.

Wiyuan

When visiting Jiufen in Taiwan, one must try Wiyuan. Also called "taro balls," this dessert is made by mixing steamed taro with starch and sugar, then cooking it like rice cakes and serving it with syrup, milk, herbal jelly, and ice. The chewy texture of the taro balls combined with the cool and sweet flavors is the main attraction! It tastes even better when eaten with sugar-cooked beans or red beans.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.