Pastry

Switzerland

Spanisch br&ouml;tli is a light and flaky Swiss pastry originating from the municipality of Baden im Aargau. Prepared in the shape of a square, the pastry is filled with a combination of roasted hazelnuts and apricot jam. It is characterized by a cross that is cut into the top in order to allow venting during the baking process. This tasty snack was first mentioned in Samuel Hottinger&rsquo;s 1701 book about Baden, and it was very popular among the wealthier people back then. In the 20th century, Spanisch br&ouml;tli lost its popularity, but the pastry was revived in 2007 with new versions and variations of the original recipe.

Spanisch Brötli

Su b&ouml;reği, which translates to water b&ouml;rek, is a variety of Turkish borek that has a reputation as being one of the most difficult boreks to prepare. It is traditionally filled with cheese and parsley. The dough sheets need to be soaked in a combination of water, olive oil, milk, and eggs before baking, making the borek tender and juicy, hence the name. Su b&ouml;reği can be found at most borek shops throughout the country.

Su böreği

China

Suzhou mooncake are a particular variety of mooncake that originated from Suzhou, a city in the Jiangsu province of China. Differing significantly from the perhaps more widely-known Cantonese-style mooncakes, Suzhou mooncakes boast a flaky, multi-layered crust and usually comes with savory fillings. The most popular version includes fillings such as minced pork, spiced to perfection with soy sauce, sugar, and other seasonings. These mooncakes are traditionally enjoyed during the Mid-Autumn Festival but can often be found year-round in Suzhou and surrounding areas, cherished for their unique textures and delectable flavors.

Sushì yuebing

Tebirkes is a traditional pastry originating from Denmark. The pastry is usually made with a combination of milk, sugar, salt, flour, yeast, eggs, butter, marzipan, and poppy seeds. The marzipan, sugar, and butter are beaten until smooth. The dough is rolled out and topped with marzipan butter, then folded over and left to double in size. The pastry is brushed with egg wash and topped with poppy seeds before it's baked until golden brown. The crunchy and slightly nutty tebirkes are served warm or at room temperature.

Tebirkes

Portugal

Tibias de Braga is a famous Portuguese sweet treat and one of the signature pastries of the city of Braga. They&rsquo;re called tibias because of their shape, which is reminiscent of the tibia bone. This pastry consists of crunchy dough that's sprinkled with sugar and filled with sweet cream. The filling can be made from almost anything, including bananas, pineapple, raspberry, hazelnuts, caramel, or cappuccino. They go great with a warm cup of tea or coffee.

Tíbias de Braga

Spain

Toledanas are crescent-shaped pastries filled with pumpkin preserve (cabello de &aacute;ngel). The dough is made with flour, pork lard, oil, sugar, cinnamon, and a splash of white wine. It is then thinly rolled and cut into round shapes, which are filled and folded into crescents. Before baking, the cookies are brushed with an egg wash, and the top is sprinkled with diced almonds. They are baked until golden brown. The filling for toledanas is commonly used in traditional Spanish desserts. It is made with sugar and cooked pumpkin, and it has a form of thin, almost transparent threads. As the name suggests, toledanas originated in Toledo, and are commonly found in local pastry shops. It is recommended to enjoy these cookies with coffee, liqueurs, or dessert wines.

Toledanas

Tortas locas (lit. crazy cakes) are traditional Spanish pastries originating from Malaga. They consist of puff pastry, a custard (made from milk, eggs, flour, sugar, lemon, vanilla, and cinnamon), egg yolk glaze (consisting of egg yolks, sugar, flour, syrup, and orange food coloring), frosting (water and sugar), and red cherries in syrup. These small pastries should always be freshly made and creamy. They were created by a confectioner who decided to fill two rounds of puff pastry with custard, then topped them with orange frosting and a cherry. Tortas locas were named after a 1954 song by Luisa Linares and Los Galindos.

Tortas locas

These crispy, sweet treats are made with a combination of puff pastry and a rich cream that consists of almonds and egg yolks. Travesseiros, which translates to pillows or cushions, is a signature dessert of Sintra. They are produced and sold at Piriquita, the same bakery where they were invented in the 1940s, and the original recipe is still a closely guarded secret. Travesseiros are best served freshly baked and lightly dusted with powdered sugar.

Travesseiros

Greece

Trigona panoramatos is a traditional sweet pastry originating from the outskirts of Thessaloniki. These crispy and buttery triangular (cone-shaped) phyllo pastries are typically soaked in syrup and filled with creamy custard. The custard is usually made with a combination of egg yolks, flour, butter, milk, sugar, vanilla, and heavy cream. The phyllo triangles are baked until golden brown, dipped in cold syrup consisting of sugar and water, and then filled with the chilled custard. Trigona is often garnished with chopped nuts before consumption.

Trigona panoramatos

Tuna bun is a Hong Kong-style pastry. It consists of dough that's filled with tuna fish, and usually mayonnaise and eggs, then shaped into a roll and baked. The tuna is usually of the canned variety, while the dough is typically made with a combination of flour, sugar, water, yeast, and milk. Before baking, the bun is often brushed with sugar water in order to develop a nice glaze. These buns can be found in many Hong Kongese bakeries, but they're also often sold in Chinatown bakeries overseas.

Tun na yu bao

Croatia

Also known as vanku&scaron;i or jastuci (lit. pillows), vanjku&scaron;i are traditional thin pastry rolls that are especially popular in the region of Moslavina. They are called pillows because of their unique shape. These rolls are usually filled with a combination of eggs, corn grits, and cottage cheese. Once they are baked, vanjku&scaron;i can be consumed straight away, although they are sometimes drenched in boiling water in order to puff up (the excess water content is later removed), or they can be topped with a combination of cream, butter, and salt. Alternatively, vanjku&scaron;i are served wrapped in bacon, especially during festivities and celebrations.

Vanjkuši

Vanjku&scaron;i sa &scaron;pekom is a variety of vanjku&scaron;i &ndash; stuffed dough. This tasty snack originates from the Croatian county of Sisak-Moslavina. The dough is made with a combination of flour, eggs, and salt, and it is then filled with a mixture of fresh cheese and eggs. Once stuffed, vanjku&scaron;i are boiled, wrapped in bacon strips and topped with onion rings, then baked in the oven until golden brown.

Vanjkuši sa špekom

These elongated bread rolls are a specialty of the city of Varaždin, dating back to the 18th century, when Varaždin was the capital of Croatia. They consist of flour, milk, oil, yeast, sugar, and salt. Each klipič should be at least 23cm long, and once done, four folds should be visible on the exterior. Before baking, the dough is traditionally brushed with egg yolk and sprinkled with cumin, pumpkin, or sesame seeds. The flavor of klipiči can ebst be described as milky and slightly sour. Klipiči can be bought at numerous bakeries in Varaždin and they are commonly offered with morning coffee at most caf&eacute;s in the city.

Varaždinski klipič

Vatrushka is a popular Russian ring-shaped pastry that is usually filled with sweet cottage cheese and topped with raisins or other pieces of fruit, although it can also be made with fruit jams or meat. The name of the pastry is borrowed from the Roman languages, and in Romanian vatra means bread that is baked over a fire. Traditionally, vatrushka is baked in firewood ovens, especially in the villages. The pastry is also popular throughout Ukraine and Belarus, where it can be found in numerous bakeries and stores.

Vatrushka

Verhuny is a traditional pastry originating from Ukraine. The pastry is usually made with a combination of flour, baking soda, butter, eggs, sugar, white wine vinegar, sour cream, vodka, oil, salt, and lard. The flour is mixed with baking soda, butter, eggs, sugar, vinegar, sour cream, vodka, and salt in order to get a firm dough. The dough is rolled thinly and sliced diagonally to get a diamond shape. A slash is made in the center of each diamond, and one end of the dough is pulled through the opening. Verhuny are then fried in lard until golden and drained on paper towels. Before serving, the pastries are often sprinkled with sugar.

Verhuny

An ancient Chinese delicacy eaten during the Mid-Autumn Festival or Moon Festival, known as mooncake, is a pie-like pastry made with a shortcrust base called yueh ping that is traditionally filled with black sesame seed or lotus seed paste, along with red beans, roasted pork, mung beans, dates, and salted duck egg yolks. Nowadays, mooncakes are available in a variety of different sweet and savory fillings, some of which are fruits like honeydew, litchi or pineapple; chocolate or mixed nuts; abalone and seaweed; green tea, and even cream cheese or ice cream. Their round shape is not only reminiscent of the moon, but also a symbol of return or a full circle, which in Chinese philosophy stands for fulfillment, oneness, perfection, and unity. Mooncakes are meant to be shared among people, so they are typically enjoyed sliced into small wedges and usually served with Chinese tea. In ancient times, these pastries were prepared as an offering to the Moon, but over centuries they have become the most popular food of the Mid-Autumn Festival. Listed as a public holiday and an intangible cultural heritage, the Mid-Autumn Festival or Moon Festival is one of China&rsquo;s most important traditions celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month when the full moon is said to be at its brightest and closest to Earth.

Yuebing

Yunnan ham mooncake incorporates the famous Yunnan ham into its filling, creating a savory treat that's rich and flavorful. Yunnan ham, renowned for its savory, umami, and somewhat sweet flavor, is frequently used in various Chinese dishes to impart a deep, meaty taste. The mooncake itself might be reminiscent of other savory meat-filled mooncakes, with a rich, perhaps slightly flaky or tender crust enveloping the hearty ham filling inside. The usage of Yunnan ham presents a regional twist, reflecting local flavors and ingredients in a traditional festive delicacy. This variant might be particularly enjoyed by those who prefer a less sweet, more robustly savory treat amidst the generally sweet-dominated array of typical mooncakes available during the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Yuntui yuebing

Austria

Zillertaler krapfen is a traditional dish originating from Zillertal in Tyrol. These traditional fritters are made with a combination of rye flour, eggs, water, and salt. The filling is made with curd cheese (quark), Tiroler gray cheese, potatoes, salt, and chives. Once the dough has been formed, the fritters are filled with the cheesy filling, shaped into half-moons, and fried in oil or clarified butter. They are usually prepared for festivals and similar special occasions.