Pastry

Letterbanket is a flaky Dutch pastry that is typically made with a combination of flour, butter, and eggs. The pastry is shaped into letters, filled with almond paste, and dusted with sugar. The letter is usually the first letter of the family&rsquo;s last name, but sometimes each person gets a small letterbanket with the first letter of their name. These sweet treats are traditionally served on December 5, known as Sinterklaasavond. Letterbankets are also quite popular in the United States, particularly in Iowa and Michigan.

Letterbanket

Italy

Lingue di Procida is a traditional sweet pastry originating from the island of Procida. It's usually made with a combination of puff pastry, egg yolks and whites, milk, sugar, flour, and zest of the islands' sweet lemons. The puff pastry is rolled and small ovals are cut out from it. They're pierced a few times with a fork, and the edges are brushed with egg whites. A spoonful of lemon cream (consisting of zest, sugar, flour, and egg yolks) is spread on top of the ovals, and another puff pastry oval is placed on top. Once assembled, lingue di Procida are brushed with egg yolks and milk, and sprinkled with sugar before they're baked in the oven until golden. It's recommended to enjoy the pastries while they're still warm and crunchy.

Lingue di Procida

Lokumići is a traditional Bosnian fried bread that can be either sweet or savory, depending on what it's served with. It is usually prepared with the so-called quick dough, leavened with baking soda, so it doesn't need proof time. The typical ingredients needed to prepare lokumići are wheat flour, yogurt or buttermilk, vegetable oil, baking soda, sugar, and salt. The dough is rolled out and then cut into rhombs, which are deep-fried. In Herzegovina, these small fried breads are known as peksimeti. They are served warm, with either cheese and wild garlic or fruit preserves.

Lokumići

London cheesecake, despite its name, is not a cheesecake, nor is it from London. This British sweet pastry is made with puff pastry that&rsquo;s filled with almond cream and a dollop of jam. Once baked, the puff pastry is brushed with icing consisting of icing sugar and water. The tops of the cheesecakes are then dipped into desiccated coconut, which makes the pastry seem like it&rsquo;s topped with grated cheese, hence the possible name of the dessert. Some say that the original pastry contained cheese curds. London cheesecakes were very popular in the 1950s and 1960s, but the origins of the pastry are still a mystery. Nowadays, London cheesecakes are widely available in supermarkets and bakery chains.

London cheesecake

Maslanica is a traditional savory pastry from Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is made with thin layers of dough made with wheat flour, salt, and water, similar to phyllo dough. A version of maslanica made with whole wheat flour is also very popular. The layers are stacked and sometimes filled with a mixture of butter and kaymak. The pastry is baked until golden and crispy and is usually served warm, either as a main dish or as a hearty snack, often paired with roasted chicken. Maslanica is a beloved comfort food known for its rich, buttery flavor and satisfying texture. It is commonly prepared for family gatherings and special occasions, reflecting Bosnian culture's importance of simple, home-cooked meals.

Maslanica

Croatia

Mazanica is a traditional cake from the Croatian region of Međimurje. Although it is extremely simple and consists only of a few selected ingredients, it is believed that a really good mazanica depends on the abilities of the person preparing it. The thin dough is made with flour, salt, vinegar, lukewarm water, and oil, while the filling consists of eggs, salt, sugar, vanilla sugar, sour cream, semolina, and either oil or pork fat. When the pie is baked, it is typically sliced into squares and served as a warm dessert after a big meal.

Mazanica

Distinguished by its appealing coiled shape, this traditional North Macedonian pastry consists of a dough (flour, salt, lukewarm water, and oil) that is stretched and pulled into paper-thin sheets. Each sheet is then sprinkled with oil and topped with a filling of choice before being rolled into a long and coiled sausage-like roll. Typical savory fillings include crumbled white cheese, curd cheese, eggs, leeks, spinach leaves, or minced meat, while grated apples or pumpkin are the usual choices for a sweet filling. The pastry&rsquo;s top is typically brushed with oil and sprinkled with water before baking, while once it is done, it is sprinkled with water and covered with a towel to remain soft. Although maznik is similar to burek, it is much lighter, flakier, and softer than burek is, and it also doesn&rsquo;t have the crustiness typical of burek&rsquo;s top and bottom layers. Maznik&rsquo;s unique texture is believed to result from the method of pulling the dough into extremely thin sheets, and from not rolling the sheets too tightly around the filling, thus allowing air to remain inside the layers. Traditionally, maznik is prepared for special occasions such as home feasts, name days, and holidays, while in some parts of the country, including Bitola, Prilep, and Ohrid, a special vasilicharski maznik with a hidden coin is made for the traditional North Macedonian holiday Vasilica (St. Basil the Great). Maznik is usually enjoyed with a glass of yogurt, a fresh vegetable salad, a homemade tomato sauce, or sour milk.

Maznik

Mbriulata is a traditional Sicilian savory pastry originating from the Caltanissetta and Agrigento area. The pastry consists of dough that's stuffed with ingredients such as potatoes, cheese, olives, and ground pork, which is used as a replacement for the traditional pork rinds. The cheese used for mbriulata is typically grated pecorino. The dough is made from flour, olive oil, yeast, milk, and a pinch of salt, but some people opt to use puff pastry instead. The strips of dough are rolled around the filling, creating a nice spiral after the mbriulata has been baked.

Mbriulata

Germany

Legend has it that, in the 18th century, a messenger of the Electorate of Saxony regularly frequented Dresden and Meissen. The courier was a bit too fond of the famous Meissen wine, and he would drink so much that he would be unable to carry out his duties. The Elector then ordered the bakers of Meissner to invent a cake that was so fragile it would break at the slightest vibration, and the Fummel was created. Meissner Fummel is an elongated, tapered, hollow, and extremely fragile pastry. The pastry is paper-thin and extremely brittle with no specific flavor, and therefore it has no appreciable nutritional value. However, it's often dusted with powdered sugar, and the flakes are then enjoyed as a sweet treat with a cup of coffee. This legendary pastry is especially popular as a souvenir.

Meißner Fummel

Switzerland

Meitschibei are finger-thick, horseshoe-shaped Bernese pastries filled with sweetened hazelnuts. Their name directly translates to girl&rsquo;s legs and it comes from their characteristic shape. The dough is made with white flour, butter, milk, yeast, malt, sugar, salt, and eggs, while the filling is made with ground hazelnuts, orange peel, lemon zest, cinnamon, sugar, and a little water. Meitschibei can be easily found in bakeries throughout the German-speaking part of Switzerland. In the French-speaking parts of the country, the product is known as croissant viennois &ndash; Viennese croissant. The origins of meitschibei are lost to time, but they most likely originated in Bern at the beginning of the 20th century.

Meitschibei

Austria

Mohnzelten is the name of a sweet Austrian pastry that's a specialty of the Waldviertel region. It consists of potato dough that's filled with poppy seeds. The dough is made from a combination of boiled potatoes, flour, butter, eggs, cream, salt, and baking powder, while the filling consists of butter, poppy seeds, honey, sugar, cinnamon, rum, and grated lemon zest. Once filled, mohnzelten are shaped into flat balls that are baked until golden brown. They're often taken on picnics and road trips as nutritious and filling snacks. Although the poppy seed version is the original, there are also versions with strawberries or nuts.

Mohnzelten

Taiwan

This round, buttery cake, with a crisp outer layer and a soft, creamy interior is a trademark specialty of Yu Jan Shin from Dajia district since 1983. It is a version of the traditional Chinese subing, a type of crispy pastry. The traditional lard was replaced with all-natural butter, and the cake&rsquo;s size was visibly shrunk, creating the buttery crispy cake that is known as nǎiy&oacute;u sū bǐng today. This traditional cake makes for a perfect gift, a delicious engagement cake, or an edible sacrificial offering to deities.

Nǎiyóu sū bǐng

Spain

Nicanores de Bo&ntilde;ar is a traditional pastry originating from the town of Bo&ntilde;ar in the province of Le&oacute;n. The dough is made from puff pastry, wheat flour, eggs, and butter. It's cut with a unique daisy-shaped mold before baking. The pastry is baked until golden brown and puffy, and it's then sprinkled with generous amounts of icing sugar. This sweet treat was invented in 1880 by a pastry chef called Nicanor Rodr&iacute;guet Gonz&aacute;les, and the pastry is named in his honor. It's recommended to enjoy the pastry on its own as a dessert or serve it with whipped cream. Pair it with a cup of coffee or tea on the side.

Nicanores de Boñar

China

Beef bun is a Hong Kong-style pastry. It consists of dough that's filled with ground beef, often with the addition of chopped onions or curry, then shaped into a roll and baked. The dough is usually made with a combination of sugar, flour, water, milk, yeast, and cream. Before baking, the bun is brushed with sugar water in order to develop a nice glaze. The buns can be found in most Hong Kongese bakeries or Chinatown bakeries overseas. Most local bakeries place a dollop of seaweed or garlic to make beef buns stand out.

Niu rou bao

Denmark

Onsdagssnegl (roughly translated as "Wednesday snail") is a special cinnamon roll that is made and sold at bakeries in Copenhagen, with those at Sankt Peders bakery being the most iconic. Every Wednesday, bakeries make these large, delicious cinnamon rolls, and they have become a popular treat among locals and tourists alike. The tradition has become so well-loved that people often line up outside bakeries on Wednesdays to make sure they get one of these coveted pastries.

Onsdagssnegl

Belgium

Pain &agrave; la grecque is a pastry dish from Brussels consisting of flour, milk, butter, and cinnamon, topped with a generous sprinkling of granulated sugar. Although the name of the dish can be translated as Greek bread, it has nothing to do with Greece, but derives from the word grecht, denoting a ditch or canal. It is believed that the pastry was invented by a French baker who rolled a stale baguette in sugar in order to make its taste more pleasant.

Pain à la grecque

Palmiers are a delectable snacks made from puff pastry that are sprinkled with sugar, rolled, and then cut into slices. Due to its shape, palmiers have been given a variety of nicknames; pig's ears, elephant ears, glasses, and palm leaves to name a few. These simple pastries are often paired with coffee or tea, and can be further enriched with the addition of sweet or savory spices and fillings.

Palmiers

Portugal

This clam-shaped Portuguese delicacy is made with a puff pastry shell that is filled with a unique mixture of minced veal, bread, and onions. The tradition of preparing pastel de Chaves dates back to 1862, and according to a popular legend, the first person to sell these unique pastries was Teresa Feliz Barreira, the founder of Casa do Antigo Pasteleiro, the first establishment where pastel de Chaves could be bought. The original recipe stayed in her possession for 75 years, until the 1940s, when other bakeries in Chaves started to manufacture and sell the same product. The Portuguese city of Chaves protected this famous pastry as their authentic product, which licensed them to be the only location where pastel de Chaves can be produced and sold. According to municipal records, the town of Chaves produces more than 25,000 of these delectable pastries daily. In recent history, numerous other varieties have appeared, including the sweet versions, but only the original, savory version is allowed to carry the name pastel de Chaves.

Pastel de Chaves

Though they come in various sizes and shapes, Santa Clara pastries always combine the thin and crispy dough with a sweet almond and egg yolk filling. The pastries were named after the Santa Clara convent in Coimbra, where they were invented and prepared by nuns. It is believed that the pastries were popularized in the 19th century when the nuns started selling them to numerous students in Coimbra. Due to migration, in the 20th century, past&eacute;is de Santa Clara were introduced to Brazil, where they quickly became quite popular. Though they are a signature sweet of Coimbra, the pastries can be found in other Portuguese regions. They can be enjoyed warm, at room temperature, or chilled, and are always dusted with powdered sugar.

Pastel de Santa Clara

Regarded as one of the seven iconic dishes of Portuguese cuisine, pastel de Tent&uacute;gal is a traditional Portuguese pastry with an intriguing history dating back to the 16th century. It is made with doce de ovos, a traditional Portuguese egg custard that is wrapped in paper-thin dough, then baked until golden brown and crispy. The tradition of preparing pastel de Tent&uacute;gal was started by the Carmelite nuns, who used to stretch the dough in specialized rooms covered in white sheets. Interestingly, the dough was supposed to be extremely thin so that the Bible could be read through it. The nuns would then butter the whole surface of the dough and cut out rectangular shapes which were subsequently filled with the sweet filling. For centuries, the entire preparation of this sweet treat has been passed down orally, without any written records. It was only in 1898&ndash;when the last nun passed away&ndash;that the recipe was adopted by a guesthouse Dona Maria da Concei&ccedil;&atilde;o Faria. Until the middle of the 20th century, this establishment remained the only exclusive location where pastel de Tent&uacute;gal could be manufactured and sold. Following their success, numerous other bakers in Tent&uacute;gal started to produce this authentic Portuguese pastry, and in 2013, the product and the city received a government certification allowing them to be the only location in the world licensed to produce the original pastel de Tent&uacute;gal. Usually dusted with powdered sugar, pastel de Tent&uacute;gal is often served alongside a cup of strong Portuguese coffee.