The vibrant and eclectic world of Filipino desserts received international recognition as Taste Atlas, a globally respected food database, ranked two of its quintessential treats, sorbetes and halo-halo, among the world’s top frozen desserts. With national delight, reaffirming the global appeal of the Philippines’ culinary heritage.
Sorbetes, fondly referred to as “dirty ice cream” by locals, secured a prestigious fifth place on Taste Atlas’s 2023 list of the 50 Best Rated Frozen Desserts in the World. This iconic Filipino dessert, typically served in sugar cones or burger buns, is best known for its unique and exotic flavors like avocado, queso (cheese), mango, and ube, all created using traditional carabao milk.
Not far behind, the visually striking and deliciously complex halo-halo also earned recognition, ranking 43rd. Literally translating to “mix-mix,” this year-round dessert combines mixed fruit and beans, crushed ice, milk or ice cream, and, at times, coconut shavings, jelly, sago, leche flan, pinipig (crispy rice), and ube ice cream or ube halaya.
The 2023 list showcases an array of global dessert favorites, including Italy’s gelato in various flavors. However, sorbetes managed to surpass many renowned treats, ranking only below USA’s frozen custard, Turkey’s dondurma (chewy ice cream), Peru’s queso helado (spiced ice cream), and Iran’s bastani sonnati (saffron-infused ice cream) that took the number one spot.
In addition to the recent laurels, both sorbetes and halo-halo had previously earned accolades on Taste Atlas’ Best Rated Ice Creams in the World for 2022 list, ranking fourth and twentieth, respectively. Sorbetes also clinched the second spot on the list of best-rated ice creams globally in April 2023, coming in a close second to Turkey’s Dondurma.
Taste Atlas, a compendium of more than 10,000 dishes, drinks, recommended eateries, and regional ingredients, has become an authoritative voice in the culinary world, often dictating the gastronomical trends of the year. Its recent endorsement of Filipino desserts is a testament to the rich and diverse culinary landscape of the Philippines, boosting the country’s global food reputation.
