Philippines

The Philippines arguably has the largest repertoire of sweets in the region. See philippines. Apart from the usual tropical ingredients such as coconut, sweet rice, and banana, Philippine sweets make inventive use of purple yam (dioscorea alata); avocado; kalamansi (a distinctive local lime); wheat flour (for little doughnuts called bunuelos, and for bread pudding—pan de sal—and cakes); silken tofu (called taho); sweetened red beans; sago and tapioca (in helo-helo, shaved ice sweet drinks); and milk and cream. The latter are used to make flan, leche, and ice cream, a big favorite that comes in a wide range of flavors, including cheese and avocado. See flan (pudím) and ice cream.