Top 3 Bulgarian Sweet Pastries

Tikvenik is a traditional pastry consisting of thin sheets of dough that are filled with grated pumpkin, coarsely ground walnuts, sugar, and cinnamon. This pumpkin dessert is a sweet version of banitsa, a phyllo pastry pie that comes in numerous varieties. When baked, tikvenik is sliced and usually dusted with powdered sugar. Tikvenik is often associated with winter season, and it is commonly served on Christmas Eve, but it can be enjoyed throughout the year, either as a delicious breakfast or a hearty dessert. It is recommended to pair tikvenik with a glass of yogurt on the side.Expand

Called rurki or rurki z kremem in Poland, this sweet specialty is a type of cream roll consisting of thin pastry that’s typically filled with whipped cream or pastry cream. It is often dubbed torpedo dessert due to its characteristic shape, and apart from Poland, there’s also a long-standing tradition of preparing this dessert in other countries. The origins of rurki are often associated with Türkiye and Bulgaria, where the dessert is known as torpil tatlısı and funiiki s krem, respectively. There are many variations of this sweet delicacy regarding the ingredients used for its preparation, the appearance, texture, and flavor of the rolls, and the type of cream used for filling the pastry. In Poland, rurki cream rolls are usually long and crispy, wafer-like tubes filled with thick and subtly sweet whipped cream, and they’re a staple street snack. In other countries, the cream rolls resemble soft and buttery bread rolls with flaky texture, and they are usually filled with pastry cream or custard cream.Expand

Kazanlak donuts are a specialty of the Bulgarian town of Kazanlak – also known as the City of roses. The donuts consist of eggs, flour, yogurt, milk, yeast, salt, sugar, and vanilla flavoring. After the dough has been fried in hot oil, Kazanlak donuts are typically dusted with powdered sugar or topped with honey, jam, or syrup, although they can be consumed without any toppings.Expand