Pastel de Belém is a traditional egg custard tart and a predecessor to the famous pastel de nata. The tarts are made with a pastry shell that's filled with a combination of milk, eggs, sugar, lemon, and cinnamon. The first recipe for pastel de Belém dates back to 1837 when it was produced by the monks of the Jerónimos monastery. Only the custard tarts produced at the Fábrica Pastéis de Belém can be called pastel de Belém, while all the others, produced by other patisseries in Lisbon are called pastel de nata. Regardless of the name, these tarts can be served hot or cold and in 2009, The Guardian listed pastel de Belém as one of the 50 'best things to eat' in the world.
Pastel de nata is a traditional egg custard tart that is popular throughout the world. It is believed that for the best result, the filling should not be too sweet and should not have flavors of lemon nor vanilla. Instead, the tarts should be sprinkled with cinnamon and, ideally, paired with a cup of coffee. Originally, this treat was made before the 18th century by Catholic monks and nuns in Santa Maria de Belém in Lisbon. The tart was made from leftover egg yolks that were used in the clearing of wines and starching of clothes. Later on, the clerics made a deal with a nearby bakery to start selling pastel de nata commercially, and the product was a huge success. It is still hugely popular, and the fact can be supported by long lines of people who are waiting on their pastel de nata in front of numerous Portuguese bakeries. However, pastel de Belém's recipe is kept secret, and only the ones produced at the Fábrica Pastéis de Belém can be called pastel de Belém, while all the other egg custard tarts from other producers in Lisbon are called pastel de nata.
These flaky, golden-colored, crescent-shaped pastries are best made with pure butter and a slightly sweet yeast dough. If made properly, the yellow-white interior should be just the slightest bit elastic when pulled from the center, ready to be covered with a pad of butter or some fresh jam. Experts agree that the croissant was heavily influenced by Austrian kipfels. This pastry originated in 1683 as a celebration of the Austrian victory over the Ottoman Empire, its shape supposedly mimicking the crescent moon found on the Turkish flag. However, the croissant became French the moment people began to make it with puff pastry, a French innovation. Today, French croissants come filled with chocolate, jam, raisins, or even cream cheese. Sold fresh at numerous French boulangeries, they are mainly consumed as a breakfast item.
Kouign-amann is a cake that originated in the 1800s in the French region of Bretagne. Its name is derived from the Breton words for cake (kouign) and butter (amann). The cake consists of layers of butter and sugar that are folded into a dough. Bretons claim that the cake is "the fattiest pastry in the world", due to its flaky yellow dough that is mixed with large amounts of sugar and butter. Although there are many theories about the origin of the cake, the most popular one says that it was invented by accident, when a 19th-century baker from Douarnenez wanted to save a failed batch of dough, so he added butter and sugar to the mix, creating the delicacy that we know today.
Pain au chocolat is a French viennoiserie roll made with a combination of rectangular, yeast-leavened dough and a few chocolate sticks or chocolate ganache. The filled dough is rolled, baked, then served, ideally while still hot or warm. This flaky pastry can be bought at numerous French bakeries and supermarkets. Interestingly, another name for pain au chocolat is chocolatine, and it is mostly used in the southwest of the country. In Bordeaux, there is even a case where customers had to pay more if they ordered a pain au chocolat rather than a chocolatine. It is believed that the southwest stuck with chocolatine because it is similar to the Occitan word chicolatina. Regardless of these "name wars", in France, one should never refer to pain au chocolat as a chocolate croissant.
A bola de Berlim is a round doughnut with a sugared surface and a soft, airy interior, usually split across the middle to hold a generous band of yellow pastry cream. Sold in pastelarias and cafés throughout Portugal, it is also closely associated with beach vendors, who carry these substantial pastries along the sand. The dough is raised with yeast, enriched with eggs and butter, and fried before filling, giving it a thin golden skin rather than a thick crust. Its cream stays visible along the cut, so each bite combines tender dough, smooth custard, and the slight crunch of sugar. The name means “Berlin ball” and points to its German relative, the Berliner Pfannkuchen, whose fruit filling is generally enclosed within the doughnut. The Portuguese version developed a different appearance and filling while keeping the rounded shape and fried yeast dough. Its spread in Portugal is associated with German Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi persecution during the 1930s and the Second World War. Ruth Davidsohn, who arrived from Hamburg with her family in October 1935, was among those who made and sold the German pastries in Portugal. Her version included fruit preserve, such as strawberry or raspberry, rather than the exposed custard now familiar in Portuguese shop windows. She cannot be securely credited as the first person to bring the pastry to the country, but her experience establishes a concrete connection between refugee livelihoods and its wider circulation. The precise moment when Portuguese bakers adopted the horizontal cut and pastry cream is less certain. Much of the pastry’s quality depends on the dough before it reaches the frying oil. Flour, yeast, eggs, sugar, butter, and liquid form a smooth, elastic mixture; some formulas use milk as well as water, and lemon zest may add a light fragrance. Kneading develops enough structure to retain the gas produced during fermentation, while the fat and eggs keep the cooked crumb tender. The dough is divided into portions and rounded, then allowed to rise until light and expanded. A poorly risen ball can look convincingly browned outside yet remain heavy within. Properly handled dough yields a bun that gives way when bitten without collapsing into a greasy mass. Frying requires similar care: excessive heat darkens the surface before the center cooks, while insufficient heat prolongs the frying and can leave the pastry oily. The balls are turned to color both sides, then drained. They should have enough structure to support the filling, but the interior should still feel closer to soft enriched bread than to cake. Granulated sugar is commonly applied while the pastries are warm enough for it to adhere, although some versions receive a dusting of icing sugar instead. The filling is prepared separately and cooled before use. Creme de pasteleiro is a cooked pastry cream, typically made with milk, egg yolks, sugar, and flour or another starch, with vanilla or lemon providing optional flavoring. It should not automatically be confused with a filling made only from egg yolks and sugar syrup: the milk and starch give this custard its particular softness and stability. Heating it while stirring produces a smooth cream thick enough to sit in the opening without running out immediately. Cooling further firms the texture. The fried bun is slit from the side, usually leaving the two halves attached, and the cream is piped or spooned into the gap. This broad opening distributes the filling across the pastry and makes its consistency plainly visible. Too much stiffness leaves a pasty mouthful; a loose filling escapes as soon as the bun is handled. A bola de Berlim does not have to contain cream: sem creme, the unfilled version, is an established choice alongside com creme. Without custard, the dough's flavor and freshness become especially noticeable. Chocolate and hazelnut fillings are also sold, as are fruit-flavored variations, but yellow pastry cream remains the most recognizable Portuguese filling. These choices largely depend on individual bakeries and producers rather than a clear set of regional styles. At the seaside, people often buy pastries directly from roaming sellers announcing their arrival, sometimes with the call “Olha a bolinha!” Their association with summer holidays is strong, though cafés and pastry shops sell them beyond the beach season. They suit an afternoon snack and are substantial enough to need little accompaniment. A small espresso provides a pleasantly bitter contrast to the sugar and custard; a galão, the Portuguese milky coffee served in a glass, pairs more gently, and unsweetened tea also works well. Eaten by hand, the filled version benefits from a paper wrapper or napkin around its lower half, leaving the exposed cream clear of the fingers.
Pasticciotto is a popular Italian dessert consisting of a shortcrust pastry filled with flavorful pastry cream. Traditionally, the crust is made with lard, so that it is moister and softer than the regular crust prepared with butter. It is recommended to consume pasticciotto fresh out of the oven when it is still piping hot. Many believe that the dessert was invented in the 18th century by Andrea Ascalone, a chef from Galatina.
Italian deep-fried doughnuts known as bomboloni are one of the traditional sweets of the Carnival season, but nowadays they can be prepared throughout the year. Even though bomboloni are said to be of Tuscan origin, they are commonly sold as a snack in numerous pasticcerias, bakeries, and coffee shops throughout the country. However, in Tuscany and further to the north of Italy, bomboloni are simply sugar-coated, while in Lazio these delectable treats take on a more decadent appearance, as biting into their sugary crust reveals a silky cream on the inside. The so-called bombolone Laziale is typically filled with either classic custard cream called crema pasticcera, or sometimes even chocolate cream. Pillow-soft, airy, and amazingly light, the delicious bomboloni are best enjoyed while they're still warm, regardless of the preferred variety.
The Italian cornetto is a popular crescent-shaped pastry, similar to a croissant but with key differences. The dough is less laminated than that for a croissant and enriched with sugar, eggs, and butter, resulting in a cornetto with a slightly softer and less flaky texture when compared to a croissant and a sweeter and richer flavor. It is also usually less curved and slightly larger than a croissant. Cornetti (plural for cornetto) can be enjoyed plain or filled with sweet fillings like crema pasticcera (pastry cream), jam, Nutella, or almond paste, and are sometimes dusted with powdered sugar or glazed. Typically enjoyed as part of an Italian breakfast, cornetti are often paired with a cappuccino or espresso, making them a beloved staple in Italian cafés. Although it's best known as cornetto, the same pastry in North Italy is typically called brioche.
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.
Camilo de Blas is a traditional Spanish confectionery and delicatessen company based in Oviedo, with origins dating back to 1876 when it was founded by Camilo de Blas Heras in León. A key stage in its development came in 1914 with the opening of its shop in Oviedo, which remains central to the brand’s identity.
The business has remained family-owned across generations, preserving a strong link to artisanal production and traditional recipes while expanding its offer over time. The company is particularly known for creating the Carbayón in 1924, a pastry that has since become a symbol of Oviedo’s local gastronomy.
Its production focuses on classic confectionery techniques, using ingredients such as almonds, sugar, and puff pastry, with a significant degree of manual work that contributes to the final texture and flavor. In addition to sweets, Camilo de Blas has historically combined confectionery with gourmet retail, offering a broader selection of specialty products.
Today, it operates several retail locations in Asturias, especially in Oviedo and Gijón, positioning itself as a producer that maintains continuity of tradition while adapting to contemporary consumption.
Mantecados Felipe II is one of the most recognizable brands of traditional Spanish mantecados, with an identity deeply rooted in history and artisanal production. Its origin is linked to the 16th century and a story associated with Philip II of Spain, after whom the brand is named, reinforcing its historical and cultural significance.
Today, production is managed by Confitería Blancanieves Tejedor, based in Vitoria-Gasteiz, which continues to preserve the original recipe and handcrafted approach. The brand is often regarded as one of the oldest references in the mantecado category in Spain, positioning it as a benchmark product.
The recipe relies on a limited number of high-quality ingredients, including wheat flour, powdered sugar, pork lard, and Marcona almonds, resulting in a distinctive crumbly texture and pronounced almond character. Production remains largely artisanal, maintaining the traditional format of individually wrapped small cakes, a presentation that has been preserved for over a century.
Rather than focusing on innovation, the brand’s value lies in continuity, combining historical heritage, established ingredients, and traditional craftsmanship. Mantecados Felipe II stands as a reference within Spanish seasonal confectionery, particularly associated with festive periods, while maintaining relevance through its clear connection to origin and long-standing production practices.
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