Posted 28 Oct 2009

As gap years abroad are typically associated with taking in the sights and sounds of the world’s most intriguing destinations, what better way to test a country’s culture than by sampling its finest desserts?

Frommers travel guides has offered some advice on the best places to indulge a sweet tooth while on a gap year abroad, starting with the Australian city of Melbourne.

Sticky date pudding is the place to start, it advises – "a slab of date cake made with more butter than you want to think about, served warm and smothered with rich caramel or butterscotch sauce".

Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, travellers on a gap year in Brazil should not miss quindim, a dessert made of coconut, sugar and egg, which can be found readily throughout the country.

Other great desserts of the world include Hong Kong’s coconut buns, Barcelona’s flan Catalan and Istanbul’s tempting Tulumba or Baklava, Frommers highlights.

Meanwhile, those with pocketfuls of cash may like to sample some of the world’s most expensive desserts, which, according to Forbes magazine, include the Sultan’s Golden Cake at the Ciragon Palace Kempinski in Istanbul and the Hotel Le Bristol in Paris’ chocolate purse.

Category: General Travel