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Korean desserts are divided into two categories: Hangwa, meaning sweets, and Husik, referring to food eaten after a meal. Traditional desserts include rice cakes, sweet potatoes, and melons, while French sweets and Western treats have also become popular. Sugar was not a significant ingredient in Korean desserts historically, with fruit, punch, and lightly sugared items being common. Rice cakes are a popular dessert, often boiled or steamed, and can be filled with honey or other foods. Shaved ice, candied sweet potatoes, and pumpkin soup are also popular. Today, Korean desserts are influenced by both traditional and Western sources, with new creations such as green tea ice cream and red bean cheesecake.
The Korean language has two terms that can be used to talk about desserts. The former, Hangwa, means sweets, while the latter, Husik, refers to food eaten after a meal. Since the food eaten after a meal in Korea need not be sweet, not all items that are considered desserts may be familiar to people of other cultures. Traditionally, rice cakes, sweet potatoes, and melons are all popular Korean desserts. More recently, French sweets and other Western treats have also become popular dessert items.
In Korea, sugar has not been a significant ingredient for much of the country’s culinary history. For this reason, desserts often consisted of fruit, punch, or lightly sugared items. Red beans and flowers are also common ingredients in Korean desserts. Presentation is considered important in Korean desserts and garnish-shaped fruits are very popular after meals.
One of the most common traditional Korean desserts is rice cake. These items are often boiled, although they can also be steamed. Rice cakes tend to be small, particularly when served after a meal, and come in many different shapes and colors. These cakes can be filled with honey or other foods and can also be flavored by adding fragrances to the water used to cook the cakes.
Rice cakes can also be fried and coated with other materials. Sometimes they are also fried with stuffing. Often these cakes are not served after a meal but as a snack to be enjoyed with tea, which helps alleviate the rice overload that comes with serving rice as a dessert food after a rice-laden meal.
Shaved ice is very popular in Korea and is often served with fruit or red beans. This Korean dessert can also be made with green tea, which can be considered a healthy alternative. Punches and drinks made from rice or red beans may also be popular.
Candied sweet potatoes are popular as a Korean dessert, as are savory potato chips. Pumpkin soup and other hot dishes can also be served after a meal. Sometimes savory meals are served after meals, although excessive saltiness is usually avoided.
Korean desserts designed today can be influenced by both the increased availability of sugars and traditional types of desserts. Rice cakes and shaved ice remain popular, but ice cream and other foods imported from Western sources have also gained popularity. Sometimes these elements are combined to create new and interesting desserts, such as green tea ice cream or red bean cheesecake.
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