What’s a world without dessert?
Click start to play today’s sweets themed Word Search, where you can have your ‘coffee cake’ and eat it too! Visit Gulf News’ Food section for everything to do with food, from cuisine history and recipes to guides and more.
Today’s Word Search is going to make your mouth water. Here are a few picks from our puzzle, and more information on how world-famous desserts came about:
1. Dulce de leche
As arguably the most popular sweet treat in Uruguay and Argentina, dulce de leche is commonly used during breakfast, on toast or pancakes. But it’s also the main ingredient of many cakes, pies and pastries. Different countries in Latin America have laid claim to the origins of dulce de leche. One story suggests that the maid of Argentinian politician and general Juan Manuel de Rosas accidentally made the first dulce de leche in the 19th century, when she was cooking milk and sugar in a pot. She got called away, and forgot about her pot, only to return and find the caramelised milk was more delicious than anything she could have imagined! Give this recipe of dulce de tres leches from Mexico a try.
2. Apple pie
Although it’s considered the quintessential American symbol, the dessert didn’t originate in the US, and neither did the apples. In fact, crab apples were the only native apples in North America, but early colonists from Europe found it to be a poor substitute for regular apples. They brought along European apple tree cuttings and seeds, and since apple trees are easy to cross-pollinate, by the 1800s, American farmers were growing around 14,000 varieties of apples, according to a report by US based Smithsonian Magazine. The first recorded apple pie recipe was written in 1381 in England, and it didn’t use the fruit exclusively – figs, raisins, pears and saffron were used in addition to apples. The pastry crust was a ‘coffin’ pastry, intended to just be an inedible container and not a part of the pie. As time passed however, it evolved into the pie Americans love and cherish today. Make your own classic deep-dish apple pie.
3. Crème brulee
While the history of crème brulée is hotly debated, the most popular story seems to have originated in the 17th century. A young college student in England supposedly presented the kitchen staff of his university with a new recipe: an unsweetened, creamy custard with a caramelised sugar topping. The kitchen staff, however, dismissed the student and didn’t take him seriously until he became a fellow and established his credibility. Soon after, they took an interest in his dessert again, and named it Trinity Burnt Cream, after the university – Trinity College in Cambridge – where it remains a staple on their menu even today. Try your hand at a decadent crème brulée recipe.
Which is your favourite dessert? Play today’s Word Search and tell us at games@gulfnews.com.
