Top 16 American desserts and their history

As with any other cuisine, desserts in America have been shaped by the many immigrants who came to the country in search of a better life. From the early English and Dutch settlers to the more recent influx of Asian and Latin American immigrants, each group has brought its own unique culinary traditions. The result is a truly rich blend of flavours, ingredients and dishes.

Traditional American desserts have been influenced by recipes and cooking techniques from many different cultures, which makes American cooking extremely interesting.

American cuisine is often looked down on a little because of its at times very rich food and its insistence on deep-frying a great many things. But if you set that aside, the USA actually has a very diverse cuisine, and it deserves praise where praise is due. From New York Style Cheesecake to the American-born Key Lime Pie from Florida, the USA has many different treats. In this blog post, we take a closer look at 16 of the best American desserts and their history, according to Kastbergs.

Classic American desserts

The story of the classic dessert Baked Alaska begins far from Alaska, and in fact not with a baker at all. It was the American physicist and inventor Sir Benjamin Thompson whose discovery would later lead to the creation of the dessert. While living in Europe around the beginning of the 19th century, Thompson discovered that whipped egg whites in meringue made it a very good insulator.

The invention of Baked Alaska can be traced back to the late 1800s, when the American chef Charles Ranhofer of the restaurant Delmonico's is often credited with creating it. The dessert does not get its name from its place of origin, but rather because Baked Alaska resembles Alaska's snow-covered mountain ranges.

The dessert consists of layers of sponge cake, ice cream, meringue and sometimes jam. These layers are then baked in the oven for a few minutes, and the meringue is browned, giving it a beautiful golden colour. This would not be possible without the insulating properties of the whipped egg whites in the meringue, as the ice cream in the middle would otherwise naturally be damaged.

Baked Alaska has evolved over time, and chefs have experimented with different layers and flavours. The cake layer was swapped for brownies or chocolate cake. The ice cream layer also began to change, and sorbet and gelato bases, lighter and fruitier, became popular. The meringue also began to take on new flavours as chefs experimented with adding coconut, nuts or spices such as cinnamon.

The chocolate chip cookie was first created by accident in the 1930s by Ruth Graves Wakefield. Wakefield owned the Toll House Inn, a popular restaurant in Massachusetts. One day she was making her famous Butter Drop Do cookies and ran out of baking chocolate. In desperation, she substituted Nestlé's semi-sweet chocolate chips, assuming they would melt and create a lovely chocolate cookie. The chocolate chips, however, held their shape, and the result was the Chocolate Chip Cookie as we know it today.

Shortly afterwards, Wakefield published her now-famous recipe in a local newspaper, and the rest is history! The cookie ice cream sandwich is a more recent invention, but it has quickly become just as popular as its predecessor. This delicious treat consists of two cookies with a layer of ice cream in between. It is the perfect way to enjoy both cookies and ice cream at the same time! The first recorded recipe for a cookie ice cream sandwich appeared in print in 1981, but it is likely that this treat was enjoyed long before that. After all, who wouldn't love to combine two of their favourite snacks in one perfect package?

In 1872, William Lawrence, an American dairyman from Chester, NY, accidentally created cream cheese while trying to make French Neufchâtel cheese. Lawrence's new creation quickly became a hit with local customers, and by 1880 he was selling his cream cheese nationwide under the brand name "Philadelphia" (after the city where it was first sold). It wasn't long before bakers began using this new type of cheese in their cheesecakes, giving birth to what we now know as "New York style" cheesecake. Today, Philadelphia cream cheese is still one of the most popular brands used in baking.

Brownies as we know them today were invented in 1897 by Bertha Palmer, a prominent Chicagoan who owned the famous Palmer House hotel. According to legend, Mrs. Palmer asked her pastry chef to create a dessert that would be easy to transport and would not require forks or plates – something that could be enjoyed by guests at her new World's Fair Hotel. The result was the Palmer House Brownie, a small, chocolate-cake-like square that quickly became a hit among the hotel's guests.

The popularity of brownies spread beyond the Palmer House, and chefs began creating their own versions of this delicious treat. Soon brownies were being served at Ivy League colleges, Ladies' Home Journal published a recipe for them, and they even became a staple of Girl Scout cookie sales. By the beginning of the 20th century, brownies had become a firmly established part of American culture.

The first recorded Apple Pie recipe in America was published in 1776 by Amelia Simmons in her cookbook "American Cookery." Her recipe called for apples, sugar, butter, cinnamon and lemon zest. This is the first recorded recipe that uses apples as the main ingredient in a pie.

Over time, the ingredients in an Apple Pie have changed. For example, it was once common practice to add salt to the dough. This is no longer done, however, because it can make the crust tough. Today, most recipes call for fat or butter to be added to the dough. This gives the crust a flakier texture. Today it is often served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Pecan Pie is another classic American dessert with roots in the South. This delicious treat is believed to have originated with French settlers in Louisiana in the 18th century. Pecan Pie quickly became a popular dish at church festivals and gatherings thanks to its simple ingredients and wonderful taste!

The first recorded recipe for Pecan Pie appeared in a cookbook published in 1886 by Miss Martha Holloway. Her recipe was made with fresh pecans, sugar, molasses, butter and eggs. This recipe is very similar to those used today, and it quickly became a popular dish served at holidays and family gatherings.

Pumpkin Pie is an autumn favourite that can be traced back to the Pilgrims who settled in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1620. At that time, pumpkins were used primarily as a source of food, as they were rich in vitamins and minerals. It was not until much later that pumpkins began to be used in pies and other desserts!

The first mention of a pumpkin-based pie in America comes from a book called "The Pilgrim's Progress" from 1620. In this book, a character mentions eating "pompkins" that were stewed and put in pies. Pompkins were a type of squash native to America. It was not until the 18th century that pumpkins began to be used more frequently in pies. Pumpkin pie is typically made with a combination of ingredients, including pumpkin purée, spices such as cinnamon and ginger, sweeteners such as sugar and molasses, and dairy products such as milk or cream. When these ingredients are combined, they create a flavour profile that is both sweet and spicy. The flavour profile is enhanced by the fact that pumpkin pie is typically served with whipped cream or ice cream, which adds even more sweetness and creaminess.

Key Lime Pie is a dessert typically associated with Florida because of its Key lime ingredient. Key limes are small citrus fruits native to Florida and other tropical areas. Key Lime Pie is believed to have originated in Key West, Florida, where it was created by Portuguese sailors who used key limes to prevent scurvy on long sea voyages!

Key Lime Pie is a delicious dessert with a unique flavour. The pie is made with key lime juice, which gives it a tart taste, and sweetened condensed milk, which makes it sweet. The combination of these two flavours creates a delicious and refreshing pie. There are many variations of Key Lime Pie, but the most common recipe includes a graham cracker crust, key lime filling and a topping of whipped cream or ice cream.

The first chocolate cake recipe was published in America in 1796 by Amelia Simmons in her cookbook "American Cookery." This early recipe called for bittersweet chocolate, which was a new ingredient at the time. Chocolate cake continued to evolve over the next century as chefs experimented with different ingredients and flavourings.

In the mid-19th century, chocolate cake as we know it began to take shape. Recipes for "Red Velvet" and "Devil's Food" cakes were published, and the Germans brought their own version of chocolate cake known as "Schokoladenkuchen."

One theory about the origin of Mississippi Mud Pie suggests that it was created by a group of women in the town of Hernando, Mississippi, in the 1950s. These women were looking for a way to use up some leftover chocolate cake mixes, and Mississippi Mud Pie was born! Another theory claims that the dessert was created by a baker in New Orleans in the 1930s. Whatever its true origin, one thing is certain: Mississippi Mud Pie is a delicacy that has been enjoyed by many for generations.

The banana split is a classic American dessert consisting of a banana split in two, served with ice cream, chocolate sauce and various toppings. The first recorded mention of the banana split took place in 1904, when a newspaper article described it as "a new dish served at Ligis restaurant." The restaurant, located in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, was owned by David Strickler, a 23-year-old pharmacist who is credited with inventing the banana split. Strickler's creation quickly became a hit with locals and out-of-towners alike.

By the 1920s, the banana split had become a national sensation. Ice cream parlours from coast to coast served this decadent dessert, and it even appeared in numerous Hollywood films of the era.

S'mores is an American classic consisting of graham crackers, chocolate and marshmallows. The S'mores Ice Cream Sandwich is believed to have originated in the early 1970s. The original recipe, which called for graham crackers, chocolate ice cream and marshmallows, was published in Family Circle magazine in 1974. It was not until the late 1990s and early 2000s, however, that the S'mores Ice Cream Sandwich began to gain popularity. This is largely thanks to gourmet ice cream shops such as Coolhaus and Milk Bar, which put their own spin on the classic dessert.

Funnel Cake is a popular American dessert often found at carnivals and fairs. The first recorded mention of the term "Funnel Cake" in America comes from the people described as ‘The Pennsylvania Dutch’ in the 19th century. These early cakes were made from a simple batter of flour, milk, eggs and salt – ingredients most people had on hand. They were fried in lard or Crisco and sprinkled with sugar or served with fruit preserves.

Over time, Funnel Cake became associated with carnivals and fairs. Today they are commonly served topped with icing sugar, although you can also find them topped with fruit, chocolate sauce, whipped cream or ice cream.

Peach Cobbler is a typical American dessert of sweet, juicy peaches nestled in a crisp pastry crust and topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. This delicious dessert has been enjoyed by Americans for centuries and has seen many different reinventions!

The earliest known recipe for Peach Cobbler dates back to 1864. Published in Mrs. Rundell's A New System of Domestic Cookery, the recipe calls for just four ingredients: butter, flour, sugar and peaches. Such a simple recipe is still enjoyed by people all over the world today.

The sundae is a delicious and iconic dessert enjoyed by people all over the world. While the sundae comes in many different variations, the classic sundae usually consists of ice cream, syrup and toppings. But where does this lovely treat come from? Let's take a look at the history of the sundae.

The origin of the sundae is somewhat disputed. Some say it was created in the 19th century by ice cream sellers looking for a way to sell more ice cream on Sundays. They began offering ice cream with added flavours and toppings, and they called it a "sundae". Other stories claim that the sundae was actually created in New England in the early 20th century. The most popular story is that a man named George Owens created the first sundae in 1904 in Iroquois, New York.

Milkshakes are a classic American drink that combines milk, ice cream and flavourings. The first recorded appearance of the milkshake dates back to 1885, when an inventor named James Mayhill created a machine that could blend milk, ice cream and flavourings together to make a frothy drink. This early version of the milkshake was marketed as a health tonic and was said to be particularly beneficial for those suffering from indigestion.

Milkshakes gained popularity in the early 20th century, partly thanks to their association with celebrities and film stars. Many well-known actors of the era were known to enjoy milkshakes, which helped raise their public profile. It was not until after the Second World War, however, that the milkshake really took off in popularity.

At Kastbergs, we have made these three examples of milkshakes with ice cream ourselves:

– Caramello Bananas with Salted Caramel ice cream and Banana split ice cream

– Lemon Meringue Pie with vanilla ice cream and lemon sorbet

– Orange chocolate shake

There are many delicious American desserts with interesting histories! Not least because the USA contains so many different cultures and food traditions, which helps make American cuisine wonderfully exciting and diverse. The next time you enjoy one of these sweet treats, remember its journey from humble beginnings to becoming a favourite for everyone! You can find more desserts with ice cream here.