5 most 'exotic' desserts you should make at home

Picture used for illustrative purposes

One man's exotic is another man's everyday fare. It's useful to consider this definition of exotic from The Oxford Dictionary, "Originating in or characteristic of a distant foreign country." Let's, for simplicity, assume that exotic desserts for us in Dubai would be dishes from the rest of the world. Now, to state the obvious, the world is a mighty big place and there are so many desserts and variations of those desserts. So here are some of the desserts from the rest of the globe that you can try at home.
1) Deep-fried ice creams
Anything fried in batter will taste good not just on account of the oil content but also because what doesn't taste good in a nicely balanced batter? The consistency of the batter will determine how visually appealing the plated dessert is. The thought of breaking the hot outer layer to reach the soft centre is a joy in itself. The journey is at least as interesting and memorable as the destination.
2) Deconstructed cheesecake
Deconstruction's a lot more fun when it's applied to food than to literary texts. Some people might argue that deconstruction in cooking is pretentious. Well, it ain't necessarily so. You can have a whale of a time cooking a deconstructed cheesecake. It would be a great end to a great meal. Or if you eat desserts before your vegetables or breakfast every day, then you will have a fantastic breakfast.
3) Tiramisu cupcakes
For those of us who don't have easy access to Graham Crackers, we'll have to make do with Digestive biscuits. Wait a minute, you say? Surely, ladyfinger biscuits are used to make Tiramisu? Well, yes and no, and not necessarily in that order. And to add to our troubles new regulations have made biscuits healthier. Now, that's not a bad thing. But it's meant that biscuits crumble more easily than they used to. That's a factor you should consider when you use them in your recipes.
4) Ice Cream Sandwiches
If you're feeling lazy, take two biscuits of your choice and place a layer of ice cream between them. If you're feeling adventurous, make your own biscuits and ice cream. The biscuits need to be sufficiently hard to make the exercise worthwhile unless you prefer your biscuits soggy. There are at least two kinds of people in the world. Those who like their cereal crunchy and those who like it soft. And then there are the health conscious who substitute milk with water. You know who you are. Be proud.
5) Crème brûlée
Don't we all wish that we went to culinary school in France or Switzerland? Some of us more than others. But you'll have to settle for learning French cooking on the weekend and crash courses seldom work. Now if you could be anyone in the culinary world who would you be? A celebrity chef? A reality show contestant? Or a home cook armed with recipes from magazines dating back to 1988? All those culinary magazines you read will give you a form of muscle memory that will make you a great chef. Go and knock 'em dead.

• Dubai