Thailand is rich with historic temples, gorgeous beaches and a tempting selection of exotic foods. Classic Thai desserts end many meals, but there is also a new array of sweets inspired by local ingredients.

Blue Elephant Cooking School and Restaurant in Phuket Town on the island of Phuket offers Thai cooking classes. On this day, Molly teaches the group how to make coconut milk soup with chicken and mushrooms, grilled aubergine eggplant salad with chicken and prawns, stir-fried prawns with tamarind sauce and jungle curry with sea bass. For dessert, there are traditional taro dumplings in coconut milk. 

“Has anyone tried taro before?” asks the chef, then continues, “It’s like a sweet potato, yet it’s creamier.”

To make the dumplings the taro is peeled, steamed and mashed. Glutinous rice flour, rice flour, arrowroot flour and coconut milk are combined to make the dough. The difference between rice flour and glutinous rice flour is that rice flour is made from long-grain rice, and glutinous rice is made from a combination of short-grain glutinous rices, such as sticky rice. 

“Keep the taro dumplings small,” cautions Chef Molly, pointing to the recipe that suggests each be rolled into a round measuring one centimetre. “Otherwise, the dumplings will be too chewy after cooking.”  The taro balls are dropped into boiling water. “You’ll know they are ready when the taro balls float to the top.”

Once the taro dumplings are placed in ice water to stop the cooking process, it’s time to make the coconut milk sauce. The coconut milk is brought to a boil, and then the spiky green-coloured pandanus leaf, prized for its fragrance, is added. Palm sugar and a touch of salt are also a part of the ingredient list. After the coconut milk sauce is simmered for five minutes, the pandanus leaf is removed and fresh coconut is added along with the cooked taro dumplings.

Phuket Town is as much an architectural gem as it is a feast of foods and night markets. The Portuguese arrived in Thailand, formerly known as The Kingdom of Siam, in the 16th century. The island of Phuket became a hub for trade for adventurers all over Asia and Europe. 

Portuguese home builders employed Chinese workers to craft residences in bright, coloured hues, with shuttered windows to keep out the scorching sun. Intricately patterned tiles, imported from China, make up facades and courtyards – many feature Chinese symbols of good luck and prosperity.

Visitors to Phuket will find small egg custard tarts served for breakfast throughout the island. At first bite, one may imagine these are the traditional Portuguese pastel de nada, given Portugal’s fascination with Thailand. This isn’t quite right.

According to an article in the Bangkok Post, while the Portuguese-style tart is based on the original, credit goes to a British baker who opened Lord Stow’s bakery in Macau. The Macau egg custard tart is a hybrid version of a Portuguese and English egg custard tart. With more decadent, richer crust and heavier cream-based filling, eating just one is impossible!

Surin Beach, a town in Phuket’s quieter northeast area, caters to a European crowd used to contemporary-style desserts. Across from the beach, Nalu Bar & Grill, part of Outrigger Hotel and Resorts, offers an open restaurant with a seaside surf theme. Here, the ever-popular mango with sticky rice gets a plated dessert upgrade.

Presented on a raised box platform, sliced mango is set in a small decorative skillet under a blanket of coconut gel. Tiny edible blossoms add colour, while sunflower seeds give crunch. The rice is wrapped into a cylinder shape, first in a banana leaf, then wrapped in a corn husk and steamed. The sweetened coconut milk is presented separately in a small, lidded round dish.

At the Four Seasons Hotel in Chiang Mai, in mainland northern Thailand, the pastry team proudly uses Thai chocolate. Not very long ago, all chocolate had to be imported from overseas. The hotel created a special Chocolate Afternoon Tea. It’s available from November to January, the high tourist season in Chiang Mai, which coincides with the festive holidays.

“The inspiration behind the Chocolate Afternoon Tea draws from Chiang Mai’s rising reputation as a vibrant hub for fine-quality chocolate cultivation in Thailand,” explains Yanisa Wiangnon, the hotel’s executive pastry chef. “We wanted to craft an experience that celebrates Thai chocolate’s unique flavours and exceptional craftsmanship while supporting the local community and its farmers. We felt it was important to show our region’s remarkable talent and raise awareness and appreciation for all Thailand offers.”

What is the pastry chef’s favourite dessert on the Chocolate Afternoon Tea menu? It’s a toss-up between the chocolate mousse with blackberry caviar and the strawberry rhubarb with chocolate. “The blackberry caviar is made using an ingenious spherification technique. When you bite into the dessert, these tiny pearls burst with the taste of fresh blackberries. The dessert is as visually captivating as it is indulgent.” 

Next is the strawberry rhubarb white chocolate, a nod to a traditional English dessert. “It’s the perfect balance of sweetness and tanginess. The key is to slow-cook the rhubarb to preserve its vibrant colour and flavour, before pairing it with the creamy decadence of white chocolate.”

Beyond the Chocolate Afternoon Tea, other desserts on the menu are inspired by local ingredients. The team works closely to incorporate as many local ingredients as possible for guests’ dining pleasure at the Four Seasons. “One standout creation is the Khao Mak or fermented rice cheesecake, a twist on a classic favourite, paired with tart raspberries and the warm fragrance of Thai-grown vanilla,” she says.

Other favourite ingredients include Som Gliang, a tangy sour orange from Lampang province, and Phulae, a sweet and juicy baby pineapple from Chiang Rai province. 

Bakers and pastry chefs across Thailand still make traditional Thai desserts and Asian favourites. An ever-expanding list of local ingredients has led to new sweet experiences. Each shares the story of Thailand’s culinary heritage.

Karen Barr is an Ottawa-based writer and licensed chef who travels the world to explore topics about food and culture.