16 alternative Ramadan desserts to try this year

INDEPENDENT DESSERTS: Ramadan is all about coming together, and Independent Food Company, a UAE-based hospitality company with popular foodie concepts under its umbrella including SALT, Switch, Parker’s, Somewhere and Public are bringing together all of their brands to create the ultimate Ramadan dessert menu. Order an entire tray of Tiramisu from Public starting from Dh275, or the famous Cerelac Umm Ali from Somewhere for Dh125. Or go for the Tea Biscuit Cheesecake from Switch priced at Dh275, a seasonal fresh Mango Pull Me cake from Parkers priced at Dh250, and the Hard Softies bag from Salt offering four different flavours to choose from including their famous Lotus ice cream for Dh250 per bag. Find all their treats all together in one big menu available on Deliveroo in Dubai and Talabat in Abudhabi and Al Ain. Place your order or gift it to a loved one by searching for “Desserts By Independent”

LOTSA! LAZY CAKE RAMADAN FLAVOURS: This month, Lotsa! Lazy Cake has introduced four limited-edition Ramadan inspired flavours to the already existing roster. This season Lotsa! Lazy Cake lovers will also be able to purchase specially designed Ramadan sleeve, decorated with gold traditional Arabic patterns. The dessert is a fudgy biscuit that’s sweet, chocolatey and with a bit of crunch. Each Lotsa! Lazy Cake box inclusive of 36 slices is priced at Dh150.

ABELA ONLINE: Abela Online has announced the debut of eight new desserts in partnership with a local UAE Based pastry shop known as ‘Flour Girl’ owned by Farah Hassan, a professional pastry chef and culinary inventor. The dessert jars include flavours such as Rice pudding, Pancake Cake, Tiramisu, Halawet El Jebn Cheesecake, Blueberry Cheesecake, Cookie Cake, Chocolate Biscuit Cake and Sticky Toffee Date Pudding all priced at Dh15. Their desserts are available for delivery in Dubai only.

RISE & DAWN RAMADAN BOXES: Rise & Dawn, one of Dubai’s most-loved bakeries has got the perfect gift for the special month of Ramadan. A time for sharing special moments with your loved ones whether they have a sweet tooth or a fan of the saltier things in life, Rise & Dawn has got you covered. You can order savoury boxes priced at Dh80. The savoury box includes two plain, two crunchy multigrain and two tangy za’atar pitas. To finish, a sweet treat of a moist date and walnut loaf. Or order the Sweet Cronuts box at Dh35 each or 6 for Dh175. Rise & Dawn have 3 flavours to commemorate the month Peanut Butter & Jam, the Pear & Chamomile with mellow, honey-like sweetness in every bite. Lastly Saffron and Pistachio.

BLACK TAP’S NEW LOTUS SHAKE: A mountain mash-up of milkshake and dessert, Black Tap brings you the limited edition Ramadan Lotus CrazyShake made with a Lotus Biscoff base, paired with a chocolate frosted rim, covered in crushed Lotus Biscoff, piped with whipped cream and topped off with a Lotus Biscoff ice cream stick, Lotus Biscoff biscuits and Lotus KitKat. The shake is dripping with chocolate drizzle and dustings of crushed Lotus. No Black Tap CrazyShake is complete without the cherry on top. This towering treat is available throughout the month of Ramadan as a limited edition special at all Black Tap locations. It is priced at Dh62 at Mall locations and Dh69 at Hotel Locations.

PARLOUR BOUTIQUE: Celebrate Ramadan with a slice of Parisian culture in Dubai. Parlour Boutique is celebrating Ramadan with the launch of six cakes and three mini cakes filled with the best of Parisian and Middle Eastern flavours. The cakes, starting from Dh190, can serve up to 12 people and are sure to be showstoppers at the Iftar or Suhoor table. Options include the Chocolate Break Me’ cake encased in a chocolate dome that needs to be broken in order to discover what’s inside. The ‘Saffron Mango Pull Me’ cake, the ‘Pistachio Pull Me’ cake, The ‘Mini Pull Me’ cakes, The ‘Umm Ali’ with a French twist, the ‘Bougatsa pudding’ and the Emirati influenced ‘Pumpkin Aseeda’.

SHANGHAI ME: For the month of Ramadan, Chef Shane Macneill has developed a special Date Cake, served with Miso Caramel and Passion Fruit Ice Cream. His use of regional ingredients and intense flavours entwine two cultures together, paying homage to the traditions of the Emirate at Shanghai Me.

Marks & Spencer has launched a new selection of premium hampers for Ramadan. Their food hampers are filled with the handpicked treats, like Swiss and Belgian chocolates and a selection of premium dates, suitable to end your fast with. Or you can go for their essential Ramadan hamper which includes gold coffee, penne pasta, strawberry jam, Italian olive oil and more. Hampers start from Dh149.

COUQLEY FRENCH BISTRO & BAR: Those that love dessert can take advantage of the limited-edition Mozzarella and Ricotta Rose Kunafa available at Couqley French Bistro & Bar throughout Ramadan. This is the ultimate dessert for sharing amongst family members as the Kunafa weighs 1kg for Dh249. The huge dessert is guaranteed to be the show-stopper at the dinner table when trying to impress friends and family members. This limited-edition dessert must be ordered 24 hours in advance as it is cooked fresh in the Couqley kitchen and sent to the customer’s doorstep straight from the kitchen. To order this Kunafa, customers can place the order online or through a Whatsapp message.

SUGARGRAM: To celebrate Ramadan, Sugargram has just launched a candy caddy, a gift box filled with candy cubes you could gift or just enjoy for yourself. With a mix of 10 artisanal flavours, each box is a host of sweet and tart flavours that take your candy game to the next level. With special flavours and shapes, this ultimate Candygram box is the perfect gift just in time for Ramadan. For Dh165, candy cravers can surprise their loved ones with a box filled with 16 adorable mini candy boxes, loaded with bespoke Ramadan candies. Each mini candy box comes with an adorable label fitting the candy it encloses. The Sugargram candy box is priced at Dh165 and is filled with a combination of sweet and sour candies made of an assortment of flavours. Order online through Deliveroo or ChatFood.

PEDALO GELATO: Pedalo Gelato has launched some regionally-inspired flavours that are guaranteed to add some sweetness to any Iftar or Suhour this Ramadan. Try the new homegrown, authentic Italian gelato brand’s signature flavours, inspired by the region they call home, including desert rose (vanilla and rose water) and majlis (dates and gahwa). Traditionalists can’t go wrong with the classics including chocolate, vanilla, strawberry and pistachio. Order Pedalo Gelato on all major delivery platform. Prices start at Dh40 for a 350 ml tub.

ANGELINA: This Ramadan, the Parisian café Angelina have launched their Ramadan hampers and a selection of homemade desserts. Created daily and available at both The Dubai Mall and Zero6 Mall in Sharjah or to take home to celebrate the occasion of Ramadan with family. Angelina’s desserts include Parisian and Middle Eastern flavours like the Basbousa, revamped by the addition of a rich vanilla ganache, pistachio sauce topped with crunchy filo pastry. Their Kunafa Um Ali with a rich raspberry vanilla ganache, then Sticky Date Pudding. Or opt for their Ramadan Hampers available in two different sizes, and filled with an assortment of Italian delicacies that include Angelina’s Signature Hot Chocolate, Toffee with Salted Butter and Chocolate Coated Cookies to name a few. The Angelina Ramadan hampers are available to order through Joigifts.

LES GASTRONOMES: Ramadan and food go hand in hand every year and for those that are looking to walk into smaller gatherings with a unique gourmet gift on hand; Les Gastronomes has launched three limited-edition Dessert platters all below Dh200. Les Gastronomes has created a selection of limited-edition platters that bring together some of their iconic artisanal dessert items - perfect for taking a break from the usual Ramadan gifts of dates and baklavas and truly leaving a food lover’s mark wherever served. Whether customers are craving something cold and sweet, in the mood for a delicate meringue-based dessert or looking to impress with a show-stopping Premium Collection Dessert Platter, Les Gastronomes is the place to order from.

LAKRIDS BY BÜLOW RAMADAN BOX: This Ramadan, celebrate with LAKRIDS BY BÜLOW, the premium liquorice confectionery. The Danish brand is set to celebrate the month of Ramadan with the launch of the Love Selection Box and the all-time favourite SELECTION BOX, to end your Iftar and Suhoor on a sweet note. The Love Selection Box containing some of the Danish confectionery’s popular chocolate-coated liquorice editions like The Original and Salt and Caramel. The LOVE SELECTION BOX also contains two additional and exclusive flavours: Strawberry and Cream and Fruity Caramel. You can also opt for the Selection Box, which includes the initial creations of chocolate coated gourmet liquorice and two of the exclusive flavours launched specifically in the region, Z - Bronze and X - Gold.

LA FABBRICA ITALIANA: This Ramadan, La Fabbrica Italiana is serving their Original Tiramisu, to bring to your next Iftar. Made from the recipe created in the 1950's, it’s a different twist during Ramadan and will give everyone a break from dates during the month. La Fabbrica’s tray of tiramisu actually is a culmination of many mini portions of tiramisu served in their individual containers that allow you to enjoy your own portion without sharing, making it a COVID-19 friendly dessert to have on the table. La Mini Festa: 20 piece mini tiramisu is priced at Dh140. La Festa: 20 piece tiramisu, Dh200.

MISTER BAKER: Homegrown cake shop Mister Baker has launched a selection of cakes, dessert bowls and milk cakes for Ramadan. From their date cake celebrating two intrinsic local flavours- dates and pistachio to dessert bowls in popular flavours like saffron pistachio, tiramisu and mixed berries and vanilla trifle. The Mister Baker selection of milk cakes, with their distinct flavours, offers a soft, creamy, iftar treat for one. Available in a variety of flavours including rose, saffron and vanilla, at just Dh25 each, they offer real value too. Mister Baker’s signature cake and dessert bowls are available throughout Ramadan for store pick-up across 19 Mister Baker locations.