Classic Pastries Every Bakery Traveller Should Know
Published January 2, 2026
If you're travelling through European bakery cities, a small vocabulary of classic pastries goes a long way. Here are seven to know.
Mille-feuille (France)
Three layers of puff pastry with pastry cream between, topped with icing. One of the most technically demanding classical French pastries.
Kouign-amann (Brittany)
A laminated butter-and-sugar pastry from Brittany. The sugar caramelises as it bakes, producing a glossy, crunchy crust.
Sfogliatelle (Naples)
A shell-shaped pastry with hundreds of flaky layers, filled with semolina and ricotta.
Maritozzo (Rome)
A sweet brioche bun split and filled with whipped cream. A Roman breakfast classic.
Pastel de nata (Portugal)
A Portuguese custard tart with a crisp, caramelised top. Born at the Jerónimos monastery and globally exported.
Dobos torte (Hungary)
A five-layer sponge cake with chocolate buttercream and a hard caramel top. Invented in 1884 in Budapest.
Sachertorte (Vienna)
A dense chocolate cake with a thin layer of apricot jam and a hard chocolate glaze. Invented at the Hotel Sacher in 1832.
