America’s love for pastries is evident in the number of bakeshops and bakeries in the country. Through the years, we have created our own pastries and adopted several types of pastries that originated from different countries around the world. Listed below are the country’s favorite types of pastries:
- Fruit Pies – These pies are made of short crust pastry dough and fruit fillings. The most common example of fruit pies are apple pies and cherry pies. These pies are usually served with whipped cream or ice cream.
- Doughnuts – Who doesn’t want to have a box of sweet, yummy doughnuts? A doughnut is a fried ring of sweet, leavened dough. It can be iced, glazed, or filled with fruit jams and chocolate syrup.
- Danish Pastries – Don’t be fooled by its name. Danish pastry originated from Austria, not Denmark. Viennese bakers
introduced this delicious, buttery pastry to Danes in 1800s and they fell in love with it instantly. Danish pastries are made of sweetened yeast dough that is rolled and folded several times. They come in various shapes and sizes with different fillings like cream cheese, fresh fruits, jams, and almond paste. - Meat Pies – These pies are perfect for those who do not like sweet pastries. Meat pies are usually heavy and can serve as a complete meal. They can be filled with pork, beef, chicken, turkey, lamb, and even fish like tuna or salmon. Some bakers also add vegetables and cheese to their meat pies. Meat pies can be cooked in a round or square pie pan or be individually wrapped and sealed on all sides. Examples of individually wrapped meat pies are empanadas, turnovers, and pasties.
- Tarts – A tart is an open-topped, short crust pastry that is baked in shallow pans. Tarts are usually smaller than pies. They come in different shapes such as round, rectangular, or boat shapes. Famous types of tarts are egg tarts and mango tarts.
- Éclair – This finger-shaped French treat is made of puff pastry filled with whipped cream or custard. It is usually topped with glaze or chocolate icing.
- Profiterole – Also known as “cream puff”, this sweet, creamy ball is made of puff pastry filled with whipped cream or ice cream. It can be topped with caramel syrup, chocolate sauce, or powdered sugar.
- Croissants – This famous, buttery bread is made of leavened puff pastry. The leavened dough is layered with butter and folded and rolled for several successions.
- Pretzel – This long, knot-shaped bread can be soft or hard. It can be coated with glaze or chocolate. It can also be topped with nuts or colorful candy sprinkles.
- Dumpling – This small Asian pastry is made of small steamed dough and a variety of fillings. It can serve as a dessert when filled with fresh fruits. It can also be cooked in soups when it is filled with meat and vegetables. Some people also like to fry their dumplings.
If you are craving for these pastries, just drop by the HEB or Albertsons bakery. They offer a huge selection of freshly baked pastries that can satisfy your cravings.