The Best Desserts In The World To Eat On Your Global Travels

This medieval town, replete with Baroque architecture evoking a French feel, is a must-visit — not only for its architecture and picturesque location in the Sava River Valley but also for this superlative custard slice. It's said that this creation belongs to Samobor native Đuro Lukačić. In the 1920s, Đuro studied pastry in Zagreb, Vienna and Budapest and combined some of the recipes he learned there to create this stellar dessert. While there may be an Austro-Hungarian influence to this custard slice, it's Đuro who is the father of the Samobor kremšnita (although some also credit Slovenian Istvan Kovačevič for creating his version of it in the 1950s).

The Samobor town square is home to various bakeries, pastry shops and cafés, all vying for kremšnita supremacy. But locals claim that Slastičarnica U Prolazu is the place to go. I made a stop there along with my mother-in-law, daughter and husband. We descended on the little pastry shop like a pack of hungry wolves, enticed by the sweet smell of vanilla and baked goodness that wafted from the front door. The vanilla custard souffle with whipped cream sandwiched between perfectly crisp sheets of thin mille-feuille-like pastry tamed us. There we sat out on the terrace, enjoying the decadent pairing with a piping hot coffee.

I've had kremšnita that's dense like a firmly set custard, and I've had some that's a little more pudding-like, but never had I tried one like this: a light-as-air version that disappears in your mouth. It was a textural symphony, and my family and I just about stood up en masse for an ovation. Taste for yourself why this is one of Croatia's most beloved desserts.

If you visit Paris, do yourself a favor and stop by one of Pierre Hermé's stunning pastry boutiques and treat yourself to some of the finest pastries and chocolates that will likely ever grace your tongue. Hermé, a Knight of the Legion of Honor in France (along with too many other accolades to count), is often referred to as the "Picasso of Pastry." He doesn't just make a dessert — he designs them, often starting with sketches like an architect. This couture approach is apparent in his boutique, too. It feels like you're in a fine jewelry store where every morsel is displayed like a bespoke gem under perfect lighting, in impeccably flawless condition.

Hermé's strengths are in updating classic, French pastries. If you're a fan of the much-lauded macaron, for example, you'd be hard-pressed to try one better than his. Larousse Gastronomique, the culinary encyclopedia, states that the origins of this merengue, sugar and almond flour confection date back to 791 A.D., where they were made in a French monastery in Cormery, France. However, lore has it that it was introduced in France by the Italian chef of Queen Catherine de Medici during the Renaissance period.

Either way, by the 19th century, a Parisian-style macaron filled with ganache, jam or buttercream and sandwiched between two almond merengue biscuits became the fashionable way to consume these treats. Melt-in-your-mouth macarons took the pastry world by storm and continue to be fan favorites. For a taste of spring freshness, try Hermé's Ispahan made with rose, litchi and raspberry, or try an orange blossom macaron for a Mediterranean nuance. If macarons aren't your thing, worry not; there's a whole boutique-full of edible jewels for you to enjoy.

These aren't just run-of-the-mill paletas; they're the most mouth-watering, tropical fruit-filled popsicles you've ever had. You're at the source of locally grown fruit, including mangoes, star fruit, passion fruit, lulo (a unique fruit that tastes like a combo of pineapple, orange and lime), and more. This is the x-factor that gives this iced water or yogurt-based treat-on-a-stick it's allure. One of my favorites, apart from lulo, is the Andean blackberry (or mora). It's intensely sweet, tart and tangy, stirring memories of my childhood when I'd enjoy this fruit in smoothies or milkshakes. And, given how hot this tropical city is, there's nothing more perfect than buying a paleta, walking around the old town while the sun shines bright, and licking this tropical treat with abandon. It's the stuff that food memories are made of.

When I think of the cold, crystal-like icy granita I enjoyed on a terrazza in Sicily, or the chewy, almost gum-like texture of a mochi filled with black sesame seeds in Japan, I can almost taste it on my tongue and feel myself being transported. But I've only scratched the surface of the best desserts around the world. Travel the world, one sugar rush at a time, and you'll find there are only more to be found. Whether you're looking to try something new or revel in nostalgia on a plate (or on a stick), the world is literally your oyster.