Krembo

Krembo is a whipped foam filling set on a small round biscuit base and coated entirely in a thin chocolate shell. It was invented in Israel in the early 20th century, and its production is deliberately seasonal — krembo is sold in stores only during the colder months, since the chocolate coating and airy foam filling don't hold up well in summer heat.

What it really is

A light, airy foam — whipped egg white and sugar into something closer to a stabilised meringue than a custard — sits piled onto a small round biscuit base, shaped into a dome. The whole thing dips or coats in melted chocolate, which sets into a thin, snappable shell around the soft foam inside. That contrast between the crisp chocolate shell, the light foam, and the crunchy biscuit base underneath is the entire point of the dessert.

Its seasonal availability is a real, enforced tradition, not a marketing gimmick. Israeli supermarkets and kiosks specifically pull krembo from shelves once warmer weather arrives, since the chocolate shell and foam structure genuinely don't survive summer temperatures well — its disappearance each spring is something regulars notice and its return each autumn is something they look forward to.

How it's served

• Cold, individually wrapped, eaten by hand.
• As a dessert or snack, exclusively during autumn and winter.
• Rarely plated formally, given its casual, everyday nature.

How to write it on the menu

• Flag the wheat in the biscuit base, the egg in the foam, and the dairy in the chocolate.
• It's naturally vegetarian.
• Say if it's only available seasonally, since some guests may not know why it disappears certain months.