Got a sweet tooth? These are the TikTok-viral Asian desserts you have to try

You best believe that Asia has strong dessert game. Some knockout sweets from the region include Thailand's mango sticky rice and Japanese mochi – always near the top of our must-eat list when we're in the respective countries. and guess what? TikTok-ers are jumping on the bandwagon, surfacing long-time (but under-the-radar) favourites and some unique modern creations.

Coffeeness, a review platform for all things coffee, conducted an AI-powered analysis of viral TikTok videos to suss out the confections capturing the eyeballs of scrollers all over the world. The result is a super sweet map of desserts trending worldwide – and of course, the must-try sweets in Asia too. 

In East Asia, 'cute and crunchy' desserts are all the rage. There's South Korea's tanghulu, fruits coated in a sugar shell served on a stick, which has spawned millions of ASMR videos featuring the satisfying crunch the glossy shell makes when you bite into it. Over in Tokyo, traditional mochi are still a favourite, but cotton candy shaped like cute characters are also going viral. The best part is that you can even get these giant, fluffy confections from vending machines. In Taipei, bubble tea reigns supreme, with iterations found in boba-filled donuts, cakes, and even pizza. Hong Kong keeps it simple and traditional, with egg waffles receiving most of the attention on TikTok.

Things get bright and tropical over in Southeast Asia. Mango sticky rice takes the top spot in Bangkok, with viral videos showing smooth coconut milk being poured over mango slices. In Manila, you have to try halo-halo, a layered crushed iced dessert with coconut milk and endless toppings such as ube jam, jackfruit, tapioca pearls, and ice cream. It's similar enough to the ice kacang you can find in Singapore and Malaysia, another shaved iced dessert that's perfect for the tropical heat. In Jakarta, there's sinful martabak manis, a sweet pancake stuffed with chocolate shavings, cheese, condensed milk – let your imagination run wild. 

Here are all the TikTok-viral Asian desserts you must try:

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