Have you seen the wording of a traditional dessert and found yourself drooling in an instant? Nothing serious. If you don't have a sweet tooth, it's a good idea to check the list of the best more or less sweet specialties of individual European countries.
Traditional desserts you can already find them in the nearest bakery in every country, and it is even better if you can try them in the most original ones recipes. So that's where they come from.
Macarons (France)
French cuisine is famous all over the world, but the real beauty lies in what comes at the end. In desserts. They are leading among them macrons, round cookies with a very interesting history. Even today, it is not entirely known how they ended up in France. These are "cookies" made of two identical halves filled with different cream fillings. It's hard to eat just one!
Cannoli (Italy)
The dessert, which originates from Italy, more precisely from Sicily, is associated with countless theories. One of them says that it was created by slaves in the harem, others that it was created by the nuns of the monastery in Caltanissetta. Either way, you'll gobble up this crispy tube-shaped confection filled with creamy ricotta cheese (also with chocolate, pistachio or candied fruit) in no time.
Sacher cake (Austria)
The cake was invented by confectioner Franz Sacher in 1832 for a gala dinner, and it soon became one of the symbols of Vienna. Sacher made it when he was only 16 years old, and never in his wildest dreams did he think how iconic the confection would become in a few years. Today, the cake even has its own day, which is celebrated on December 5. When you visit the Austrian capital, don't forget to order a slice of Sachertorte after the excellent Viennese steak.
Schneeball (Germany)
The "snowball" is a choice from Rothenburg, although many German cities have appropriated the dessert. They used to be served only for special occasions, but now they are available all year round. It consists of fragile strips of dough arranged into a ball, which are then fried in deep oil until golden brown. According to the original recipe, the scheeball is sprinkled with powdered sugar, but today it is also available in a salty version.
Loukoumades (Greece)
This Greek version of donuts is made with honey and walnuts, and their history goes way back, to ancient Greece to be exact. The dessert and the laurel wreath were given to the winners of the Olympic Games. Fortunately, they have survived to this day, so you can find them in almost every bakery and on many street stalls.
Pastel de nata (Portugal)
Portuguese desserts often use eggs and sugar. Pastel de nata is no different - a traditional pastry consisting of puff pastry filled with creamy egg custard, often flavored with vanilla and cinnamon. The history of pastel de nata dates back to the 18th century, when Catholic monks used egg whites to starch their clothes, so they had a lot of yolks left over. These were made into cream cakes that became popular all over Portugal.
Baklava (Turkey)
This cake, which is extremely widespread in the Balkans, is said to have originated in Turkey. It is also popular in Greece, Morocco, Lebanon, and every nation has its own version. It is made of stretched thin dough, which is folded into ten layers. Chopped walnuts are sprinkled between each of them, and then a mixture of sugar and juice, which gives the baklava juiciness. In addition to nuts, baklava is also filled with pistachios.
Bombolone (Italy)
This doughnut-like dessert probably originated in Austria, which once ruled part of Italy. They are most popular in Tuscany, but apparently over time they became so famous that they are found all over the country. They are filled with various creams and jams, so it is a shame to try only one when buying.
Churros (Spain)
Here is another pastry with an interesting history, owned not only by the Spanish but also by the Portuguese and the Chinese. It is a fried dough, most often in oblong shapes, but there are also various other ways of making it. However, they were eventually perfected precisely in Spain, where they (most often) eat crispy churros dipped in rich chocolate for breakfast.
Kürtőskalács / Harder (Hungary)
Kürtőskalács is made from sweet yeast dough (risen dough), which is wrapped around a cut baking cone and rolled in granulated sugar. Grill it over charcoal and pour melted butter over it until the surface is golden brown. During baking, the sugar that has stuck to the kürtőskalács caramelizes and forms a crispy, shiny crust. The surface can then be topped with additional ingredients such as ground walnuts or cinnamon powder.
Croissant (France)
Let's finish with the croissant, probably the most famous bakery product on the planet. Whether it is a truly French product can be debated, as the Austrians also claim it, but there is no dispute that it is a wonderful product with an excellent filling, the taste of which is associated with France. If your trip takes you to Paris, be sure to try one at the Stohrer bakery, which boasts the title of the oldest bakery in Paris.
