Last Updated on April 2, 2024 by Share My Kitchen
Traditional Bulgarian desserts range from simple to elaborate and have been influenced by Greece, Turkey, Austria, and Germany. This showcases the diversity of culinary traditions and ethnicities that exist in the Balkans.
What is the most popular dessert in Bulgaria?
A classic Bulgarian dessert is a creamy rice pudding, oriz pudding. It’s flavored with rosewater, and sometimes garnished with rose petals. It is simple to make, and is often served in Bulgarian homes.
What are the signatures of Traditional Bulgarian Desserts?
Many desserts in Bulgaria include nuts. Nuts such as hazelnuts, chestnuts, walnuts, and pistachios are usually used. They can be found in French-style tarts, as well as Greek- and Middle Eastern-style cakes drizzled with syrup similar to Balkan baklava. It is a popular dessert, and it normally contains honey syrup and walnuts.
In Bulgarian restaurants, crepes and pancakes are often offered as dessert. These desserts can be filled with sweet toppings or filled with chocolate pudding and whipped cream, honey or jam.
What To Serve With Bulgarian Desserts?
Additional sweets are also served after the dessert with strong Turkish coffee. These sweets usually include lokum or Turkish delight. They are soft candies made from plums, apples, raisins, or figs rolled in powdered sugar. You may also enjoy pickled fruits and preserves to go with the coffee while you have more time with your guests or your host.
Traditional Bulgarian Desserts
These recipes will make a great conclusion to a wonderful Bulgarian meal.
Bulgarian Rice Pudding Recipe
Oriz pudding is a dessert often served in Bulgaria. Although this is a common dish in many cultures, it has an additional lemon zest in Bulgaria. It is made using humble ingredients, including short-grain rice, milk, butter, sugar, and cinnamon. It is then garnished with rose petals and pistachios.
Bulgarian Roasted Peaches Recipe
This Bulgarian dessert is simple to make as it requires only four ingredients. It is best made when the peaches are ripe and on hand. Now, bake them with spices, butter and sugar. You can then top it with whipped cream, or cool it down by using ice cream.
Bulgarian Sweet Pumpkin Banitza Recipe
This sweet version of the savory cheese banitza is also known as tikvenik. So, enjoy the delicious sweet pumpkin filling in flaky filo dough with strong coffee after a full meal.
Bulgarian Apple-Walnut Banitza Recipe
For this recipe, filo dough is filled with walnuts and apples. This makes a great partner to your coffee after the meal. Check our full recipe on making the best banista dessert.
Bulgarian Cherry Strudel Recipe
Chereshata Strudel is just one of many types of strudel that you’ll find in the Balkans. You can also use poppyseed, sweet cheese, raisin, and apple as fillings, besides cherry.
Bulgarian Christmas Jam-Filled Cookies
These maslenki cookies with tart jam as a filling are made for the holidays. They were traditionally made with lard, but you can substitute butter. Then, they can be filled with chopped rose-flavored Turkish delight instead of jam. This one is called lokumki. These would be a wonderful treat to enjoy with your coffee.
