African Dessert Recipes

Dessert does not exist in Africa; the majority of the sweets included here are a product of the continent's history as a European colony. African Dessert Recipes Over the years, each nation's version of these sweets has evolved. Therefore, don't be surprised if you encounter desserts that appear to originate from Portugal, France, Spain, Holland, or the UK.

This dessert round-up is well timed, coming right before Heritage Day! If you are an expat seeking a little bit of home or a resident wanting to know how to finish off your next barbecue, this post is for you. Your cravings for sugar will be grateful, I promise!

Delicious African Sweets to Satisfy Your Cravings

Tmessou Boussou, Algeria

The name alone was enough to entice me to order the Algerian dessert. "Kiss, but do not touch" is the literal translation of Boussou La Tmessou, and I find it highly romantic. It's hard not to be tempted by these tempting pastries! Roasted sesame seeds make this Algiers-born dessert reminiscent of shortbread. African Dessert Recipes Once baked, we immediately flavor it with orange blossom water and dust it with icing sugar. Where did the name come from? The flaky, melt-in-your-mouth quality is the reason for the "Kiss him, do no touch" rule.

The Ginguba Bolo in Angola

Authentic Angolan peanut sponge cake, bolo de ginguba, is mouthwatering. Easy to whip up, this recipe calls for a simple sponge cake flavored with peanut butter, "iced" with caramel, and topped with chopped peanuts.

Authentic Burkinabè biscuits cooked in the oven

Banfora, the capital of Burkina Faso, is famous for its Biscuits à l'ananas à la poêle, which translates as pan-fried pineapple biscuits. Only two African sites had the recipe, so I don't know if it's authentic Burkina Faso cuisine. African Dessert Recipes A French food blogger from Burkina Faso wrote the recipe, but its appearance on a Burkina Faso website satisfied me.

"Banana Cake" from Cameroon

Those who previously ruled Cameroon brought baking to the country. Banana cake quickly gained popularity among Cameroonians due to its ease of preparation and inexpensive materials. And many others still love it!

Read also: Effortless Strawberry Shortcake Recipe for Summer

Ethiopia and Eritrea comprise the Himbasha/Ambasha region.

Pastries from Ethiopia and Eritrea, especially panettone, have Italian colonial influences. Himbasha and Ambasha, a sweet celebratory bread that is popular in both nations, were the closest things I could find to desserts.

Milk from Atadwe in Ghana

Making this dish was something I was really nervous about. Tiger nut milk extraction appeared to be a complex process. Marian's recipe for biscuits and ladles was incredibly simple to follow. Quickly, I had a rich, somewhat sweet dessert to enjoy.

Raivas in Guinea-Bissau

Portuguese colonists, who controlled Guinea-Bissau until the 1970s, introduced raisins to the local cuisine. Raivas are popular in Guinea-Bissau, according to other "cooking around the world" blogs. I found it satisfying that African travel blogger Adeola mentioned the biscuits in her piece about her trip to Guinea-Bissau. Since Raivas are made from basic materials, they can be any size or shape. Feel free to wiggle and squiggle all you like. They're ideal for dipping, so enjoy them with your favorite hot beverage—tea, coffee, or cocoa.

Mahamri, Kenya

Without these coconut and cardamom treats served with chai, Kenyan breakfasts would not be complete.

On Réunion, the House of Patate Douce

Sweet potato cake, or Gâteau patate douce, is a beloved dish in the French overseas department and Réunion territory. Rum, vanilla, and white sweet potatoes come together to form this tasty cake.

Chapa Bread from Liberia

My investigation into Liberian cuisine yielded more than simply a dessert, surpassing all of the countries for which I have cooked thus far. I knew little about its history or the close relationship it has with the United States. Rice bread can be served as a cake with afternoon tea, but it's more commonly eaten as a bread accompaniment, much like banana bread. Along with fresh ginger and bananas, cream of rice, which is coarser than rice flour, is an essential component. If you're going to follow this recipe, you might want to adjust the amount of ginger a little.

Read also: Taste of the Wild: A Delicious Huckleberry Pie Recipe for True Foodies

Magrood, Libya

Magrood, a delectable, date-filled semolina biscuit, is a traditional Eid dish in Libya. I used Libyan Food as a backup recipe because the original one from Libyan food blogger LuLu's Kitchen got a little lost in translation. I didn't add sesame seeds as a topping.

Le Grand Gateau Napolitaine, Mauritius

Sandwiched with jam and topped with pink icing, Gateau Napolitaines are light and crumbly shortbread cookies. No one knows where Napolitaines came from. On the other hand, the French colonizers of Mauritius (1715–1810) are believed to have served as an inspiration.

Fat cakes in Namibia

Fat cakes were my favorite doughnut-type delicacy. Fat cakes are fried balls of dough that are sweet and fluffy; they have a hint of nutmeg flavor and go well with both sweet and savory dips, or eaten on their own. The choice is yours!

Congo Republic (Mikaté)

The mikatè is a popular doughnut-like treat in the Congo. Whether you're craving something sweet or savory, this famous street food snack has got you covered.

Cacao: São Tomé and Principe

São Tomé and Príncipe gained their independence in 1975 after being a Portuguese colony for a while. So it's not surprising that Portuguese flavors are prominent in their cuisine. Because they absorbed the Portuguese love of sweets, their desserts are just as delicious. Delightful açucarinhas are confections crafted from caramelized sugar and coconut.

The Centimes of Senegal

The Cinq Centime, also known as a five-cent cookie, is a popular peanut cookie in Senegalese marketplaces. Their little size, reminiscent of French coins (centimes), is the inspiration for their name. Butter biscuits topped with peanut butter and chopped nuts make for a simple cookie.

Read also: Summer Sips on a Stick: Cherry Limeade Vodka Popsicles Recipe

Morocco: Kaak Warka

Originally from the Zaghouan region, Kåak Warka are petite pastries wrapped in a clarified butter pastry and filled with marzipan and rose water.

Bake these delicate pastries at a moderate temperature to prevent them from browning and make sure they are perfect. To get them almost right, I had to make two efforts.

The truth is that I threw my first effort out of the oven and onto the floor. African Dessert Recipes It was destiny, because my second try, before the floor visit, looked so much better than the first.

Sweet Date Couscous, or Mesfouf Qsentena, is a Western Sahara staple.

Finding a traditional Western Saharan dessert was challenging, but not surprising. North Africans eat more sugar than any other ethnic group.

The Sahrawis are the largest users of sugar in Western Sahara. As nomadic people, they require energy to cover the great distances they traverse. African Dessert Recipes In addition to eating sugar-coated barbecued camels and drinking hot water with sugar, they consume sugar because they think it has health benefits.

In North Africa's Maghreb region, the Western Sahara is a new terror. The Sahrawi rebel group Polisario and Morocco have been at odds since 1975. Only a small fraction of the Sahrawi population has fled to the refugee camps at Tindouf, Algeria; the rest have stayed in Western Sahara.

FAQ's: African Dessert Recipes

What is the national dessert of Africa?

The mother of all South African sweets, malva pudding, is a delicious custard pudding with jam that only challenges the milk tart for the title of South Africa's national dessert. There are recipes that contain a surprising hint of sourness, yet the cake is always moistened with caramel and syrup.

What is the most popular dessert in Africa?

• Melktert.
• Koeksisters.
• Peppermint Crisp Fridge Tart.
• Malva Pudding.
• Cape Brandy Pudding.
• Coconut Ice.
• Lemon Meringue Pie.
• Potatoe Pudding.

What is the food desert in Africa?

"Poor, frequently informal urban districts typified by significant food insecurity and low dietary variety, with many marketplaces and market and non-market food sources but varied household access to food," is the definition of an African food desert.

What is a special African delicacy?

A traditional cuisine from West and Central Africa, egusi soup is cooked with leafy vegetables, palm oil, pulverized melon seeds, and a variety of meats and seasonings. In the Central African Republic, egusi soup, also known as mbíka, is frequently consumed with rice, fufu, or other starchy dishes.