I love sweets, but I’m actually quite choosy about them.
For example, I don’t love cold desserts – including ice cream. Oh sure, I have a favorite kind (Jeni’s), but I only crave it once or twice a summer. The rest of the year, I am simply not an ice cream person.
At most restaurants, I can take or leave the dessert menu. There are a few exceptions.
Warm, sweet items are my weakness. A hot, molten brownie, warm slice of pie or chocolate chip cookie fresh out of the oven with a little ice cream melting on top? Yeah, I’ll go for that. Same for warm bread or rice pudding, a personal favorite.
But if it’s not warm, I usually pass on dessert… unless it’s made with nuts.
That’s right, I am hopelessly devoted to nutty sweets and desserts!
Here are some of my favorite nut-filled confections and desserts from around the world:
- Baklava, hailing from Greece, is at the top of my favorites list. Ground nuts and honey make for a heavenly filling amidst flaky layers of filo dough. I rarely pass up the chance at a slice of baklava – especially from King Gyros.
- Pecan pie, a specialty of the southern U.S., is my favorite type of pie. I prefer the original, old-fashioned pecan pie, not some of these newer, fancy types with chocolate in them. Pecan pie is a must for Thanksgiving and my mom makes a great one.
- Pista kulfi ice cream is made with pistachios and can be found at some Indian restaurants or at Mardi Gras, the wonderful Indian ice cream shop in Dublin. I know I said ice cream is not my jam, but this pistachio-infused cold treat is one I’ll make an exception for.
- Crepes with fresh fruit and Nutella are a European specialty to die for. There’s just something about that chocolatey hazelnut spread combined with fruit and the perfect warm, fresh crepe. Thankfully, we have a crepe shop right here in Lewis Center so this treat is always within reach when I need it.
- Torrone is a nougat candy from Italy made with toasted almonds and egg whites. A friend introduced us to this soft, nutty candy around Christmas many years ago, saying it was an annual tradition for her family. I’ve been hooked ever since and thankfully Amazon has the hookup!
- Kaju pista is an Indian fudge made from powdered pistachios and cashews. It’s sweet, rich and packs a high-protein punch thanks to all those nuts. I find it at Indian groceries and absolutely crave it sometimes.
- Macarons are almond-based delicacies from France, now perfected by many Asian and American bakeries. I adore them – tiny, pretty, perfect little mouthfuls. Z and I even learned to bake them ourselves!
- Marzipan is an almond paste from Germany that reminds me of childhood and Christmas. I especially love marzipan shaped into adorable little animals. Mozart Cafe in Clintonville has wonderful marzipan – or you can just get a tube of the stuff at most grocery stores in the baking aisle.
- “Energy bombs” or nut balls made with nut butter are one of my favorite homemade treats. They are high in protein and give you great energy, plus keep you full for hours. I found some at a farmers market that were to die for (pictured above); now I need to find the recipe and make them myself!
You would think that Reese’s peanut butter cups would be on this list, but I somehow burned out on Reese’s during my childhood. I do love a good PB&J sandwich, though, and that’s something I could never grow tired of – but it’s not really a dessert, either.
Know of any other nut-infused desserts or sweets I should try now, that you’ve seen my list? Let me know in the comments below!
