An American recently tangoed with South African desserts in a taste-test that (warning) will make you consider stopping off at your local bakery on the way home.
South Africa (05 May 2025) — South African culture seems to be all the rage at the moment with several Americans trying their best to integrate, learn and teach local ways. Joining the Afrikaans Texan and other friends from the US who have immersed themselves in our languages, is Addi Logan; an American who recently tangoed with another pivotal part of South African life—our food. More specifically (and to some, more importantly) our desserts.
You don’t realise it until you go overseas (desperate for a pastry or sweet you’d easily find back home) but many of our dinner finishers and afternoon delight treats are pretty unique. Not only is their composition its own kind of magic, but the way the flavours taste just hits different compared to desserts from other places!
With a variety of South African favourites to try (snow cakes, melktert and of course, Miss malva pudding), Addi, the Floridian who now resides in Cape Town, decided to give the top local desserts a taste-test (a fantastic excuse to live out a sweet-tooth’s fantasy).
To no one’s surprise, Malva Pudding was a big hit, with the mighty koeksister (though tragically mispronounced) and melktert also reigning supreme. Other desserts were met with a scrunched nose and a raised eyebrow, but we won’t spoil which ones.
All in all, Addi gave South African desserts a 9/10—a wise decision considering that the taste-tester is likely well versed in how South Africans respond to negative feedback to that which we hold most dear.
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