It looks a little bit like cotton candy but is crunchy, with a sweet and nutty flavor.
It also melts very quickly, so make sure that you eat it up fast or you’ll end up with it all over your hands.
Recipe for dragon’s beard candy >
7. Sweet egg bun 奶黄包 (Nǎi huáng bāo)
These buns have a gooey center. Image by gowithstock on Shutterstock.
This Chinese dessert is popular in southern China. It’s a sweet bun filled with egg yolk and sugar.
You’ll probably have to go to a Cantonese restaurant for one of these dim sum favorites, which are the perfect combination of warm, creamy, and not too sweet.
In a word: yum.
8. Banana fritter 炸香蕉 (Zhà xiāng jiāo)
The classic Asian dessert in Chinese restaurants around the world. Image by michaeljung on Shutterstock.
This dish didn’t originate in China but you can find it in menus in Chinese restaurants overseas.
So, it’s traditional from a foreigner’s perspective!
If you like to cook, then you might want to try making banana fritters as it’s one of the easiest on this list.
Made from pieces of banana that are coated in batter and deep fried, this dessert is sticky, lush, and almost sickeningly sweet.
It’s best served with ice cream, of course!
9. Almond jelly 杏仁冻 (Xìng rén dòng)
Almond jelly is one of the authentic Chinese desserts that you can eat throughout the country.
It’s made using an apricot kernel, which is soaked and ground until the milk is extracted, and a gelling substance added.
Despite the fact that there are no almonds in it, it really does tastes like almonds and is often garnished with berries.
This dessert can be found in Chinese restaurants, particularly dim sum restaurants.
10. Deep fried durian 榴莲酥 (Liú lián sū)
Durian fruit is known for being spiky and smelly. Image supplied by Mike Cairnduff.
If you’re the type who likes to try new things and doesn’t mind bad smells, then you should try deep-fried durian.
It’s a spiky fruit that’s popular in Asia and it smells like rotting trash. In fact, the smell is so bad that the fruit is banned on public transport in some parts of Asia.
If you can hold your nose and ignore the smell, then durian actually tastes quite good. It’s creamy and tastes like a mix of cheese, nuts, garlic, and caramel, which is why it’s also one of the more popular ingredients in Chinese desserts.
While you’re in China, you’ll find this fruit sold as a dessert with a light deep-fried crust. It still stinks so don’t touch it with your hands or you’ll smell like it all day.
Chinese people are very adventurous with food and you can even find durian on things like pizza.
11. Fried milk 炸牛奶 (Zhà niú nǎi)
You’ll love fried milk if you love milk… and deep-fried snacks! Image by Bonchan on Shutterstock.
This dessert sounds strange but it’s amazingly good, particularly if you love dairy products like I do.
It’s made from coconut milk that’s thickened with corn-starch, set in the fridge, and then rolled in breadcrumbs and fried in hot oil.
The taste of this Cantonese Chinese dessert is sweet, crispy, and oddly comforting and familiar, even if I could never remember what it reminded me of.
It’s also pretty fattening, so eat it in moderation!
12. Tang yuan 汤圆 (Tāng yuán)
You can get novelty tang yuan like this one. Image by Cats Coming on Pexels.
This dessert is from Sichuan province and it’s a warm soup filled with fermented rice and rice balls.
The soup itself often tastes a little alcoholic and the balls vary from marble size to the size of a ping pong ball.
Traditionally, this soup is eaten during the Lantern Festival but it’s also served at other important events that symbolize unity, such as weddings and Chinese New Year.
The glutinous rice balls are usually filled with a mix made from peanuts, sesame, sugar and animal fat but can also be made with other fillings.
13. Mooncake 月饼 (Yuè bǐng)
Mooncake is one of the traditional Chinese desserts. Image by Cedric Yong on Pixabay.
If you’ve ever been in China around September, then you probably saw these little cakes everywhere.
Despite the name, moon cakes aren’t in the shape of a moon. But they’re enjoyed during the time of the autumn full moon and harvest season, when people celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival.
