East and Central European cuisine ranges from blood sausage to octopus risotto, and its sweets, as diverse as they are, are all worth experiencing.

Chakchak or Cakcak

Tatarstan, a federal region in western Russia, is home to the Tatars (Muslim descendants of steppe nomads linked to Turks, many with Mongol ancestry) and Kazan, which is incidentally, dubbed as "Russia's third capital." The most renowned Tatar sweet is Cakcak, which is often pronounced as Chak-Chak. These honey-drenched, deep-fried dough balls are frequently adorned with hazelnuts and dried fruit. Tatar desserts, in general, are quite sweet and contain a lot of honey. TalkyshKaleve, a delicate blend of sugar, honey, and flour that dissolves in the tongue like cotton candy, exemplifies this.

Dobos Torte

The Dobos Torte, is a delectable sponge cake with multiple layers of chocolate buttercream and toppings made of caramel. This cuisine also demonstrates how Hungary inherited part of Vienna's pastry culture. The caramel and the ground nut covering on the cake's sides keep it from drying out. It was an instant hit throughout Europe due to its durability and gleaming top, especially since buttercream was not widely available at the time.

The Strukli or Struklji

Zagreb, like other Austro-Hungarian provincial capitals, has a fondness for opulent delicacies. The ZagorskiStrukli, which is comparable to Slovenia's Struklji, is considered extremely popular. Cooked or baked dough rolls are infused with a variety of fillings ranging from apple to walnut to tarragon or cottage cheese. The Jelacic Torta, a Zagreb twist on the Sachertorte, is another a must-try. This torteis moister than your usual European cake and has been a favourite with all tourists, thanks to the ideal balance of creamy chocolate mousse and melt-in-your-mouth hazelnut crust. Uniquely, the cake is also called “Count Josip Jelacic”, whose statue adorns Zagreb's main square,due to his renown as a national hero who successfully negotiated the abolition of serfdom.

Syrnik or tvorozhnik

Syrnyk is a famous sweet food in Eastern Europe, particularly in Ukraine. It is also known as a Tvorozhnik in Russia. These are Quark pancakes that have been fried, which is a kind of cheese similar to cottage cheese or even curd. They're offered with a variety of sweet and savoury toppings, such as sour cream, jam, apple sauce, or honey, after they have been fried. Lviv excels in desserts as a cosmopolitan, including its own version of the classic apple strudel.

GDO brings some of the most unique sweets, desserts, cakes, gifts and much more. Reach out to us to know more about the variety we have to offer.