4 Decadent Island Inspired Desserts

Click on the image above for the recipe

Ahhhhhhh June! The time when summer sunshine, lemonade, itsy bitsy bikinis, speedos, short shorts and barbecue grills abound. For those of us from the Caribbean it’s our only season. If you’re from further north that might make you a little jealous, but fret not! We’re going to make sure that even if you can’t play outside all the time like we do, you can at least eat like an islander.

June is also Caribbean-American heritage month so make sure that you stop by some of your local Jamaican, Trinidadian or Latin food establishments to sample a bit of island fare. If there aren’t any where you live, keep checking back with us for new weekly recipes so you can taste the islands in the comfort of your own kitchen. Now back to business…

One of our favorite food quotes around here is “Life is short, eat dessert first!” In the spirit of that statement, we’re ringing summer in with this decadently sweet suite of 4 delectable Caribbean inspired desserts. We’d tell you to use these recipes to impress your friends and family, but when the product of your labor is this delish, who really wants to share, hmm?

1. Chef Irie’s Guava Cream Cheese Phyllo Tartlets

Guava Cream Cheese Pasteles (pastries) are a staple at many Latin bakeries. Chef Irie created a mousse with the guava and cream cheese and placed light, airy dollops of the mixture into crispy, buttery phyllo shells. Now you can try his Greek inspired spin on a Latin American favorite. (Get the recipe)

2. Passion Fruit Cheesecake

Sweet, tart, tangy passion fruit is a mystery and a joy to the palette and in this cheesecake, its flavor adds a perfect punch.

Click on the image above for the recipe

3. Tres Leches

Tres Leches (translated “3 milks”) is a favorite Latin American dessert. The plain sponge cake is soaked in a mix of milks, and topped with a sweet heavy cream mixture.

Click on the image above for the recipe

 4. Coconut Flan

Latin American style Coconut Flan is a simple, gelatinous dessert that incorporates 3 types of milk (evaporated, sweetened condensed and whole milk) to deliver a dense package of creamy sweetness. With only 6 ingredients including delicious coconut, a recipe couldn’t be easier or tastier!

Click on the image above for the recipe

Once you’ve tried these recipes at home, post your pictures to our Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest pages using the hashtag #tastetheislands so we can share them with our community. Enjoy!