Top 5 traditional pastries crafted with love in Europe
There is no secret that all around Europe there are lots of delicious pastries.Their taste is amazing, unique, and they may become your next favorite thing to eat whenever you want a small treat for yourself. Soft or crunchy, sweet or salty, fried or baked, below there are 5 traditional pastries that shouldn’t be missed.
Meet the famous Croissant. A daily treat borned in France
There is no person in this world that did not try at least once the famous Croissant. For those who don’t know French Cuisine History, this is one of the richest and delicious ones, dating from medieval times. The croissants are for sure one of the most old and versatile pastry from all around the world as you can fill it with hazelnut cream, cheese, nuts, vanilla cream and so on.
But, as surprising as it can be, they did not originate in France but in Austria under the name of kipferl. Some people believe that queen Marie Antoinette introduced the concept of croissant in France as she missed her homeland. In France, the croissants became popular in 1850, and since then, they are a top favorite and the best selling in all bakeries. If you have no idea about croissants, look below at a list of the most popular types:
- Chocolate croissant
- Breakfast boat croissants
- Almond paste croissa
The Greek Spanakopita. A public favorite since forever
After France, Greece claims an important role in the pastry industry, as it has a lot of history and recipes that date from hundreds of years. Maybe the following delight was God’s favorite food since it may be older than the Byzantine Empire. Once spinach arrived in Europe from the Middle East, Greeks saw a high potential in cooking it. This may be the reason why even in the present, they use spinach in lots of recipes.
Today, people describe Spanakopita as a pastry with a healthy kick. Is the best salty thing you can taste whenever you go to Greece or to any other bakery that cooks it. Usually, it comes in a pie format but is served as a pastry filled with tons of spinach and feta cheese all wrapped in phyllo dough. If you are curious to see the handcrafting process of phyllo, check the following video.
Enjoy a sweet bite from Spain with the crazy delicious Churros
Let’s stop in the sunny part of this world – Spain. If you ever have the opportunity to make a stop there, make sure to try out some churros. This deep-fried delicacy will exceed your expectations, and will make you want to eat more and more. Dip them in a chocolate sauce and taste the perfection of this old yet modern pastry that has become popular worldwide.
Churros entered this world after the Spanish Inquisition back in the year 1500, and they are traditionally made as they were back in the day. The only difference is just the fryers that will cook the churros in seconds, keeping them crunchy on the outside and extra soft on the inside. It is said that those who conceived churros were some Spanish shepherds that wanted to create a pastry even in areas where there were not any bakeries.
They thought about how to make the dough, how to add some sweetness to it, and how to cook it on an open fire. Traditionally, after frying churros, they are rolled over some sugar and cinnamon.
A powdered kiss from Austria – The Apfelstrudel
The Apfelstrudel, also known as Apple Strudel worldwide, is one of the most delicious and consistent sweets. Made with lots of layers of dough, this traditional Austrian dessert is available in all kinds of bakeries. Filled with mouthwatering thin sliced or grated Golden Delicious apples varieties, an Apple Strudel works wonders when you are on a break and looking for a sweet pastry to accompany your coffee.
However, when it comes to its origin story, before becoming a traditional pastry dessert, rumor has it that it belonged to Hungary and later entered Austria. As the first recipe was found in 1619, people believe that the Apple Strudel is much older than that and somehow this delicacy was mainly created for the upper class of Vienna. Since then until now, people upgraded the recipes, and some bakers include walnuts, almonds, or nuts in the filling, to make it more delightful.
An all time favorite from Bulgaria. The cheesy Banitsa
Cheese, butter, yogurt, and phyllo pastry accompany each Banitsa, a salty yet balanced Bulgarian traditional delight. Crafted layer by layer with lots of attention and pumped with plenty of feta or sirene cheese, you will simply not resist it – especially at breakfast. Serve it with yogurt, hot or cold, and continue your day full of energy.
One interesting fact about Banitsa is that on New Year’s Eve, it is filled not only with its base ingredients but also with lucky charms and messages that may bring lots of fortune in the upcoming year.
Besides their divine taste, all of the 5 pastries described above are extremely cheap, and some people consider them a comfort food. To find them near your area, look for the traditional pastries for one of the mentioned countries, find a store that sells traditional products or simply try to make them from scratch.