Ukraine is the second-largest country in Europe. It’s famous for its great food and rich history. In this article, we are going to focus on the “food” part, specifically desserts.
So, here are some of the best desserts this country has to offer to the world. Enjoy!
Table of Contents
Best Ukrainian Desserts
1. Syrniki
Syrniki are small pancakes. They are called syrniki because of the curd cheese that is used in the recipe (syr meaning cheese).
A typical breakfast food, syrniki can be salty, as well as sweet (depending on the preparation).
Looking for something savory? Check out our article on Ukrainian food.
2. Verhuny
Verhuny is a traditional Ukrainian pastry dish.
Verhuny are also called angel wings, because of their shape and cut.
This Ukrainian dish can be served for breakfast or dinner.
This dessert is usually deep-fried in lard and served with powdered sugar on top or varenye on the side.
3. Sochnyky
Sochnyky are among the best desserts that come from Ukraine. This delicious dessert resembles a cheesecake.
This sweet dessert is easy to make. Ingredients include sour cream (or smetana in Ukrainian) and cottage cheese, flour, eggs (you can add powdered sugar to make it taste even better).
4. Babka bread
Babka bread or cake is a popular braided oven-baked sweet brioche dough.
Before it’s baked it is usually filled with chocolate spread, jam, varenye, raisins, dried fruits, and poppy seeds [1].
5. Pączki
Cut and shaped like donuts, pączki, are one of the many sweet desserts the Ukrainian cuisine has to offer.
Known for their delicious taste, the paczki are different from regular donuts.
They always contain a small amount of grain alcohol.
In Ukraine, the recipes for paczki use jam or varenye as a filling.
6. Kyiv Cake
The Kyiv cake is the most popular and Ukrainian dessert you need to try.
In the 1990s, the train that led from Kyiv to Moscow was called tortov (cake-carrier), just because it transported and sold Kyiv cakes.
This Ukrainian cake is made out of nut-filled meringue and chocolate cream filling. The cooking time for this particular cake is long, but at the end of it, it’s totally worth the time.
7. Honey Cake
Honey cake is one of the most well-known Ukrainian desserts (but, it takes a long time to prepare). The main ingredient in this cake is honey, thus the name honey cake or Medovik, as the Ukrainians call it.
The thin layers of sponge cake are baked separately for about 4-7 minutes (until they harden).
8. Pryanik
Pryanik, are traditional Ukrainian ginger-bread cookies (even though ginger is optional).
The recipes for these cookies vary, but what does not vary is that they are a staple of Christmas celebrations and other holidays.
9. Sushki
Traditional bagel/ring-shaped and cut Ukrainian dessert, with soft bread-like features, usually served with tea or coffee.
It’s a simple dish made with flour, eggs, water, and salt mixed together into a large bowl and combined into a nice dough full of flavor.
First, they are cooked in sugared water, after which they should be put in the oven. These small Ukrainian rings can also be topped with poppy seeds.
10. Varenye
Varenye is one of the most popular traditional Ukrainian desserts, and visually it may be very similar to jam, but is different due to the recipe.
Varenye’s recipe consists of berries and/or other small fruits.
The fruit is cooked in sugar syrup, and the key to nailing this dish is getting the consistency between the syrup and fruit, just right.
11. Zephyr
Its name comes from the Greek god Zephyr, who was known as the God of the gentle wind [2].
It’s a simple mixture of sugar, egg whites, fruit puree, and gelatin-like products. Unlike the typical meringue which is crisp, Zephyr’s consistency is more of a marshmallow type.
The Bottom Line
I hope you’ve enjoyed this article, about the best Ukrainian desserts. If you have a “sweet tooth” and are looking for something to satisfy it, the above-mentioned desserts would be a great place to start.
References
- https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-1503/poppy-seed
- https://www.theoi.com/Titan/AnemosZephyros.html
