Top 5 tantilising sweets from Madagascar

Madagascar is known for its vanilla and chocolate (and coffee) but the highlight of my trip to the island was the tantalisingly delicious sweets and desserts on offer!

Bonbon Tamarind

5. Bonbon Tamarind

These are popular ball-shaped sweets that are made of tamarind. A product of the French colonial era, these sweets have endured through the ages. They are sharp and sour, with added taste being given with a sprinkling of sugar. Bonbon tamarind sweets are usually sold by the bag-load from street food vendors on the roads (or mud tracks) of Madagascar.

Koba Akondro

4. Koba Akondro

A key part of the Malagasy after-dinner cuisine, koba akondro is sold in marketplaces and gas stations by vendors. It is a kind of soft, steamed cake that is made by wrapping a batter of ground peanuts, mashed bananas, honey, and corn flour in banana leaves, and then steaming or boiling the small cakes until the batter has set. These are great treats to take back home to friends and family and to share together.

Malagasy Honey Doughnuts

3. Malagasy Honey Doughnuts

These may not look any different to kind of doughnuts you would find back home, but really when you are eating fresh pastries from the Madagascan hotelys (cafés) and they are covered in delicious locally-sourced honey, how can you possibly refuse?! Probably quite calorific, but fear not as you will burn them off as you walk around town in this stifling Indian Ocean humidity.

Mofo Makasaoka

2. Mofo Makasaoka

Now, if you were interested in Malagasy street food and wanted something to put in your pockets to stock up for a [very] long car journey in the country, then you could not get anything better than mofo makasaoka. These are deep-fried baguette fritters that look a little bit like banana fritters, but are just made of stale bread instead. However, fear not, the staleness is void once the fritters have been fried, and you will be ecstatic with the taste of mofo makasaoka for a long time afterwards!

Malagasy Cake

1. Malagasy Cake

For a while, the sweetness of mofo makasaoka would have always been my favourite sweet from Madagascar, but that was until I discovered the joys of Malagasy Cake. The unbelievable texture of this famous dessert is what sets it apart from other entries this list. I get hungry just looking at the picture!

So which Malagasy sweet tickles your fancy?