The 10 BEST Filipino Desserts
Many delicious Filipino desserts are enjoyed throughout the country. Desserts in various regions in the archipelago depends on what fruit or crop is abundant in the area. Some of the most popular include:
Halo-halo
Halo-halo is probably the most popular Filipino desserts you can find in any Filipino restaurant. The word Halo-halo translates to “mix-mix” in English. It is a dessert made with shaved ice mixed with various ingredients such as sweetened beans, fruits, jellies, and ice cream. It’s then topped with evaporated milk and sometimes a scoop of ube (purple yam) ice cream.
The ingredients and toppings can vary depending on the region or place you order them. Some popular ingredients are red bean, mung bean, sweet corn, sago, langka, nata de coco, and Leche flan.
Halo-halo is a popular dessert in the Philippines, particularly during hot weather. It’s a refreshing and satisfying dessert that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. It’s a perfect dessert after a heavy meal and a great way to cool down during a hot day. It’s also a very colorful and visually appealing dessert.
Puto
Puto is a traditional Filipino steamed rice cake often served as a dessert or snack. It is made from a mixture of glutinous rice flour, sugar, and coconut milk and is typically flavored with vanilla or pandan leaves. The mixture is poured into small molds, then steamed until cooked through. Puto can also be flavored with other ingredients, such as ube (purple yam) or cheese.
Puto is often eaten on its own, but it can also be paired with other dishes, such as dinuguan (pork blood stew), and eaten as a side. It’s also popularly served with sweet coconut cream or grated cheese on top. Puto is a versatile and beloved dessert that can be enjoyed in many different ways.
Leche flan
This creamy custard is a classic Filipino Dessert made with eggs, milk, and sugar, similar to crème caramel. It is similar to the Spanish flan and French crème caramel.
Buko pandan
A dessert made with young coconut meat, pandan leaves, and sweetened cream.
Turon
A sweet, deep-fried roll made of thinly sliced ripe plantains, sometimes with a jackfruit filling, and coated in caramelized brown sugar.
Ube halaya
A sweet purple yam jam is often used as a filling or topping for desserts like cakes, pastries, and halo-halo.
Kutsinta
A sweet, steamed glutinous rice cake made with lye water, brown sugar, and rice flour.
Bibingka
A traditional Filipino rice cake made from glutinous rice, coconut milk, and sugar. It is also a popular snack during the Christmas season in the Philippines.
Sapin-Sapin
A layered glutinous rice cake made with purple yam, coconut milk, and sugar.
Mango float
A layered dessert made with graham crackers, cream, and ripe mangoes.
Kakanin
Kakanin is a general term for desserts made from glutinous rice, such as Biko (sticky rice cake), suman (glutinous rice wrapped in banana leaves), and kutsinta (steamed rice cake).
Taho
A sweet dessert made of soft tofu, arnibal (syrup made of caramelized brown sugar), and sago (small tapioca pearls), This can also be consumed for breakfast or snacks.
Banana cue
Fried banana skewered on bamboo sticks, coated in caramelized brown sugar.
Cassava cake
Also called budin in the City of Tayabas. This traditional Filipino dessert is made from grated cassava, coconut milk, sugar, and egg.
These are just a few examples of the many delicious and diverse desserts that can be found in the Philippines. Each region in the Philippines has its own traditional dessert as well. Most of these desserts are available in various provinces, but some are prepared differently, and the name may also vary.
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