5 Delicious Korean Desserts That Will Leave A ‘Sweet’ Trail On Your Tongue

By Irfan Redzwan

1. Dasik – Crispy Sweet Accompaniment for Tea

Available in various shapes, colors and sizes, these are basically cookies that are usually served with tea or coffee, and are typically made of ingredients like rice flour, soybean, chestnut, black sesame, and pine pollen.

Dasiks are very crispy with the distinct flavors of toasted sesame seeds, flour, and chestnuts.

2. Patbingsu – Korean Shaved Ice Dessert

Literally meaning “red beans shaved ice” in the Korean language, this is a cold dessert dish with a sweet topping (usually ice cream) over different kinds of fruits, which makes it both tasty and healthy. A few modern versions of this popular traditional dish are also available, which are often served in different summer parties, gatherings, and ‘hollye’ (wedding).

The flavors of a variety of fruits, infused with the frozen red bean paste and other ingredients make this delicious dessert even more special.

3. Bungeo-ppang – Traditional Fish-shaped Pastry

Literally meaning ‘carp bread’, this confectionary dish is necessarily fish-shaped and is stuffed with a sweet paste of red beans. However, when it is sold as a street dessert food, it is usually stuffed with pastry cream, chocolate etc.

Depending on the stuffing, the taste of this dish varies. However, the traditional bean paste stuffing is most popular to render an authentic flavor to this item.

4. Songpyeon – South Korean Thanksgiving Day Cake

These are traditional half-moon-shaped rice cakes that are made and eaten on the Chuseok – the Korean Thanksgiving Day and autumn harvest festival. This is also a representative food of the traditional Korean culture.

The rice flour envelope and the sweet fillings made of sesame seeds, honey, sweet red bean paste or chestnut paste are sure to keep you spellbound.

5. Yaksik – Famous Steamed Rice Cake Dessert for Holidays

Like various other rice cake dishes, this is also one of the popular cakes primarily made of rice, and is traditional in both North and South Korea. It is usually made on the 15th of January holiday of Jeongwol Daeboreum. However, it is also a popular menu for weddings and hwangap (one’s 60th birthday celebration).

The combination of ingredients like the glutinous rice, jujubes, chestnuts, and pine nuts give it a very typically traditional Korean taste.