Food porn alert! 6 Insta-worthy local seasonal desserts to tickle your tastebuds
This will make you hungry... you've been warned.
In Malta, we're big on dessert (well, food in general, but dessert too). And with so many pastry shops, bakeries and cafes focusing on sweet treats, it's no wonder we have quite the insane sweet tooth! The influence of overseas cultures has deeply imprinted itself on our cuisine, but there are a still a few staple items that differentiate our versions from their original cousins. Here are a few of our seasonal treats.
Cannoli
Born in Sicily but highly sought after in Malta, these ricotta-filled beauties are best enjoyed in pairs; one just won’t do the trick. The fried pastry is sweet, crispy and full of flavour while the creamy, sometimes tart and always sweetened ricotta filling create the perfect combo for a Sunday treat. Cannoli sometimes feature candied fruit in the ricotta filling, and are also made with custard, chocolate cream and other sweet fillings. Ricotta is by far the most flavourful though!
Imqaret
How about waking up to a serving of imqaret and a cup of joe, bright and early before your work day takes over? That would be great, wouldn’t it? Imqaret (date cakes) are so simple and easy to make; yet finding yourself the perfect maqrut is not the easiest of jobs. These deep fried sweet pastries are filled with dates that generously ooze out of the folds creating a gooey, caramelized texture on the outside and a smooth, moreish creation on the inside.
Qaghaq tal-Ghasel
Honey rings. Possibly not the most popular among the kids - for some reason most kiddos stray away from these tasty local delicacies. But, as we get wiser and realise that qaghaq tal-ghasel are actually delish, we tend to buy more than one ring to keep us satisfied. Best served with a local newspaper in the late afternoon.
Qaghal tal-Gulglien
These guys rock! Whether they’re rings, shaped into figure-of-eights or even plonked on a tray and shoved into the oven, their smooth vanilla flavours amplified by the buttery texture and crunchy exterior are to die for. Absolute bliss. Brew yourself a cup of tea, hoard six (hundred) of these little guys into your lair and lock the door. Devour with passion.
Pudina tal-Hobz
Bread pudding, a texturally obscure dessert with a crisp top and gooey inside. Baked with pretty much any sweet ingredients you can think of, be it chocolate, cinnamon, candied peel or nuts, the pudina tal-hobz very often finds its way to nanna’s dinner table after a lengthy meal, in a large dish - family style. Mix this up as you wish, this dish is so versatile.
Nutella pastizzi
Love them or hate them, pastizzi are always good. The rich Nutella inside might be a little hard to stomach for some, while chocolate lovers will easily replace their standard pizelli for a snag at the Nutella filling.