13 classic bakes to try around the world, plus where to try them

As a lifelong fan of all things carbohydrate, travelling the world in search of the best baked goods is a task I take on willingly and with every ounce of enthusiasm I possess. From trying to find the secret cookies sold by cloistered nuns in Madrid to searching out the best egg tarts in Hong Kong, every trip I take is centred around a sweet treat, or three.

This has resulted in a little black book of deliciousness: details of bakeries in every country I have visited, ready to share with friends and family, and now with you. Even when I haven’t made it to certain countries, I still love repeating this process at home in the UK. I haven’t made it to Australia, but I know a great spot to find a brilliant anzac biscuit. I haven’t made it to Argentina, but I have a favourite spot to get alfajores at home. You can travel the world eating delicious baked goods or you can eat the world simply by stepping outside your front door.

13 classic bakes to try from around the world

Croissants – France

France is THE country when it comes to pastry and choosing a favourite from the pantheon of French classics is nigh on impossible, but it is pretty hard to beat a perfectly made croissant. Croissants have their origins in Vienna and the ‘kipferl’, a traditional crescent-shaped pastry. This Austrian pastry found favour in France in the 19th century after an Austrian baker set up shop in Paris, but it wasn’t until the French started making this crescent-shaped roll with laminated pastry that the croissant we would recognise today came to be.

When visiting France, you can tell a croissant made with butter or margarine simply by looking at it (most of the time, at least). Butter croissants are straight, while those made with margarine tend to have a curved crescent shape; they’re also sold as ‘croissant ordinaire’. Whereas my fellow Brits might be tempted to eat their morning croissant with butter and jam, the French are more likely to enjoy the croissant plain, dipping it in their morning cafe au lait.

Where to try: Des Gâteaux et du Pain 89 Rue du Bac, 7th Arr, Paris, France

Pastel de Nata – Portugal

The Portuguese custard tart might, at a push, be the one bite I would call my all-time favourite. So much so that I once spent an entire week in Lisbon eating as many as I could in order to find my all-time favourite. I managed 23. A worthy way to spend a week, if you ask me.

Portuguese tarts, like many traditional local treats, have their origins in the convents and monasteries of Portugal. The invention of these delectable tarts is widely credited to 18th century monks living at the monastery in Belem, just outside Lisbon, yet food historians believe the true origin to be even older. The story goes that the monks used a lot of egg whites to starch their robes, leaving them with a glut of yolks. The result was the enduringly popular custard tarts, a symbol of Portuguese gastronomy. Often served alongside a cup of strong coffee, they are served with sachets of icing sugar and cinnamon, with it left to you to add as you personally prefer.

Where to try: Manteigaria Rua do Loreto 2, Lisbon, Portugal

Cardamon bun – Sweden

Sweet and sticky, perfumed with floral cardamom – these buns are a true match made in heaven. The Swedes might be more famous for their cinnamon buns, but their cardamom buns have a special place in my heart (and my stomach). It is believed cardamom had a presence in Swedish cooking since the 13th century, but it wasn’t until the 19th century that cardamom buns became the treat we know and love today.

Cardamom is a Swedish staple, used not just in the popular buns but in cookies, waffles and savoury cooking. Cardamom buns are commonly served as part of the fika tradition, a break where coffee and sweet treats are enjoyed with friends, family and colleagues.

Where to try: Fabrique 385 Geffrye St, London, E2 8HZ

Pie – USA

Pie is probably too broad of a term to mean just one thing, but what I mean here is an American-style pie made with a flaky crust and filled with a fruit filling. I’m talking a classic apple pie with a lattice crust or a berry pie topped with streusel. There is something about the charm and cosiness of a slice of pie that always wins me over. The pie could be enjoyed sitting at the counter of a southern diner with a big mug of coffee or from a fancy bakery in the city. The draw and pull of a good slice of pie is ever present when I am stateside.

Pie is something that arrived in America with English settlers, but in the US it evolved from a humble British version and became a fully fledged culinary classic, with local specialities available almost everywhere you go. From peach pie in Georgia to Key lime in Florida, pie is truly cemented in American culinary tradition.

Where to try: Four and Twenty Blackbirds 439 3rd Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11215, United States

Maritozzi – Italy

It would be almost impossible to have missed the rise of the maritozzi over the past five years. A relatively unknown dessert suddenly exploded and took over the world. This incredibly simple dish – a soft bread roll stuffed with whipped cream – was traditionally a Roman breakfast dish rarely found outside of the Italian capital. As the recipe gained international attention, it has morphed into something altogether more fancy as bakeries make versions filled with a host of different flavours.

The classic version, still my favourite, gets its name from the tradition of men giving these to their prospective wives as part of their proposals. Marito translates as husband and it is from this tradition that the buns are supposedly named. In the 19th century the buns became a breakfast staple, served alongside a morning cappuccino. My favourite is still sold at Regoli Pasticceria, close to the Coliseum.

Where to try: Regoli PasticceriaVia dello Statuto, 60, 00185 Roma RM, Italy

Kare pan – Japan

Step into any Japanese konbini (convenience store) or bakery and you’ll likely find a version of the kare pan (curry bread), a soft bread roll that is stuffed with a Japanese curry and coated in crisp panko breadcrumbs before being deep-fried. Quite possibly my ideal form of snack, these curried breads originated in a period of Japanese history when Western foods were becoming more and more popular. These buns were developed after curry powder was introduced by the British Royal Navy in the 1860s which eventually led to many popular dishes in Japan today, such as curry udon or rice.

Where to try: Happy Sky Bakery 40 Hanway Street, W1T 1UT, London

Pineapple bun – Hong Kong

If it isn’t clear already, I absolutely love and adore all things bread, so it should come as no surprise that I am smitten with Hong Kong staple, the pineapple bun. Confusingly, it contains zero pineapple. Instead, the bread allegedly gets its name from its resemblance to the fruit. It is a very fluffy bread roll, topped with a sweet and crunchy layer, incredibly similar to Mexican concha. In fact, one of the origin stories for these buns is that Chinese natives, who had emigrated to Mexico, were deported and returned to Hong Kong, bringing with them the concha, which became known as the Mexican bun before taking the name pineapple bun.

In the city’s cha chaan teng, a Hong Kong-style cafe or diner, these buns are often served at breakfast, sliced and stuffed with a slab of butter so thick you leave teeth marks in it. Served alongside a sweet milk tea, this is my favourite Hong Kong breakfast.

Where to try: Kam Wah Cafe 45-47 Bute St, Mong Kok, Hong Kong

Alfajores – Argentina

These cookies are popular across much of South America, but are most associated with Argentina – Argentinians eat more alfajores than anywhere else in the world. A simple sandwich cookie, they’re made from cornflour, giving an incredibly tender melt-in-the-mouth texture.

The filling for this cookie is most commonly dulce de leche (milk caramel). They can be finished with a dusting of icing sugar, coated in chocolate, rolled in coconut or even glazed with a thin icing.

Where to try: Sur Chocolates

Churros – Spain

While a traditional British breakfast is often a savoury affair, there are many countries where a sweeter option is more traditional. In Spain, for example, churros, the thin fried sticks of dough, are served alongside a rich mug of hot chocolate, almost too thick for drinking but perfect for dunking.

There are two main varieties: churros, the thin, ridged style you probably picture when you think of churros which are crisp and light, and porras, a much thicker version often a little doughier, made with a touch of baking soda to make the batter puff up when fried.

Where to try: Chocolat C. de las Huertas, 59, Centro, 28014 Madrid, Spain

Baklava – Turkey

Baklava is popular in many countries and the origin of this delicacy is hotly contested. Its vast popularity is widely credited to the vast Ottoman Empire. Baklava would be adapted dependent on local ingredients and this is still evident today. In Greece, it is usually made with honey, orange and walnuts, whereas in Turkey, the country most associated with baklava, it commonly features pistachios.

Made by layering up paper-thin sheets of filo with a filling of ground nuts and sugar, the resulting pastry is incredibly crisp and very sweet thanks to the copious amount of syrup poured onto the baklava post-bake.

Where to try: Antpelier Baklava 33 Green Lanes, Newington Green, London N16 9BS

Anzac biscuits – Australia

The anzac biscuit is an Antipodean icon and an extremely popular export. Just as the UK was introduced to ‘third wave’ coffee via Australian and Kiwi expats, many of us had our first taste of this delicious biscuit in these same coffee shops, baked by owners missing a taste of home. The name comes from ‘Australian and New Zealand Army Corps’ which was established during the First World War.

The biscuits, made with golden syrup, oats and coconut, have a surprisingly long shelf-life and because of this, they were the perfect treat to include in care packages sent to soldiers serving abroad. The biggest thing to consider with an anzac biscuit is chewy or crisp? They can easily be made either way, but my personal favourite is a chewy anzac.

Where to try: Juliets Quality Foods 110 Mitcham Rd, London SW17 9NG

Bougatsa – Greece

I have, sadly, not yet stepped foot on the Greek mainland but have, thankfully, visited many of the beautiful Greek islands. Crete was where I fell in love with bougatsa, a Greek custard pie. Thin crisp layers of filo pastry are filled with custard and served dusted with icing sugar and cinnamon, not dissimilar to Portuguese custard tarts.

Custard is the most popular version with tourists, but there is also a traditional version made with a local cheese, myzithra, made from goat’s and sheep’s milk. The latter results in a pastry that is slightly sour and tangy. Made in large slabs, it is served chopped into bite-size pieces and dusted with icing sugar.

Where to try: Bougatsa Chania Apokoronou 37, Chania 741 50, Greece

Honey cake – Russia

Honey cake, with its multiple layers and toasty flavour, is popular in many former Soviet countries, including Ukraine and Lithuania. Versions of the cake can also be found further afield in Eastern Europe and even in parts of the Middle East. Made with a cake batter that is thick, almost biscuit-like, the recipe results in thin crisp layers that will eventually soften after being layered with whipped and sweetened sour cream mixture, resulting in a cake that is surprisingly tender with a warm toasty flavour balanced with the tang of sour cream.

In recent years, the cake has grown in popularity and has started appearing at bakeries across the world. In fact, I first tried the cake at the now sadly shuttered 20th Century Cafe in San Francisco. The cake is not overly complicated, but it does take a significant amount of time and effort to make, especially considering it usually has 10 layers of sponge. This is possibly why it is closely related with special occasions such as birthdays and weddings.

Where to try: Honey Cake by Mary 20 Richardson Road, Hove BN3 5RB England

More like this

20 food experiences around the world that every food lover should try
The UK's best artisan bakeries
13 must-visit UK foodie destinations, picked by the experts
Sea to spa: 9 ocean inspired wellness experiences