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Uzbek cuisine is flavoursome, hearty and steeped in tradition and that richness extends beyond the savoury. Yet, with many menus focussed on staples like plov and somsa, getting a taste of Uzbekistan’s dessert scene proved surprisingly tricky.
Still, as the saying goes, “quality over quantity”, a principle the Uzbeks seem to embrace when it comes to dessert.
In this post, we’ll unpick the sweet treats we came across during our visit to Uzbekistan.
The most common Uzbek desserts we found
Two desserts stood out as we explored the different regions of Uzbekistan.
Uzbekistan puts its own spin on the traditional Baklava we know and love.
Layers of filo pastry are filled with whipped egg whites, crushed nuts, raisins, honey, sugar and vanilla. Apricots may be added too. Fruit is the key twist of this fine dessert.
We tried this for the first time in Bukhara, a beautiful ancient city, at a lovely restaurant called Zargaron Plov.
For my cow’s milk avoiders out there, sadly this is not for you.
Despite its Russian origins, this wonderful honey cake has been adapted to Uzbek tastes. We first tried it back in the UK, and it was the most delicious cake I have ever tasted.
So when we saw Medovik pretty much everywhere across Uzbekistan, I was of course thrilled. Though, whilst each version was lovely, none quite matched that first slice in London.
Desserts we found at market bazaars
Market bazaars are normally a treasure trove of the weird and wonderful and though we came across thousands of spices, fruits and trinkets, again we noticed the lack of variety in the sweet space.
So what did we find?
Being a key Eastern delicacy, Halva held price of place among many bazaar vendors.
Uzbek Halva, in particular, is creamy and fudge-like, thanks to its signature blend of flour, butter, milk and sugar. Unlike the tahini-based versions found elsewhere, this version skips the sesame paste and is better for it!
Much like Pringles, “once you pop (Uzbek Halva), you can’t stop” a truth Connor proved by making repeat purchases of the stuff at any given opportunity.
We tended to spot three common flavours: pistachio, chocolate, plain with black sesame seeds. Pistachio won our taste trophy.
Navat
Being made of crystallised grape sugar, Navat is a curious-looking edible resembling aged honey. We were not exactly attracted to trying it due to the sickly-sweet vibe it gave off. Give it a google and you’ll understand why.
Like what you see? Book a local food tour in Tashkent Uzbekistan
Supposedly popular
The final category we give in our Uzbek desserts round-up is the supposedly popular group.
Chak-chak is considered a popular dessert across Uzbekistan, however we only came across it on our final day. Which makes us doubt the so-called popularity of the sweet.
Chak-chak is a combination of deep-fried dough with hot honey drizzled on top. Whilst Connor enjoyed this number, I found the dish weirdly nutty and so a bit off-putting.
Round-up
All in all, we felt that Uzbekistan’s dessert scene was pretty limited.
If you love pastry, then you’re quids in with baklava and chak-chak. If cake is more your cup of tea, then you’ll be left short and unfulfilled. Unless you really love Medovik…
