The Top 8 Pastry Wonders of the World: Delicious Pastries to Try

Dear passengers, boarding will begin shortly. Please have your boarding pass and identification ready. Thank you. You hear that? It’s time for our flight! Where to?

Where? Everywhere! We’re going on a tour in search of the world’s most mouth-watering pastries!

Buckle up as we go country-hopping and get big mouthfuls of the sweet treats that capture the heart and soul of their homelands!

Oh, and to explore the rich culinary traditions of different regions and cultures, can’t forget that. Because appreciating the history and love behind the yummies is just as important as munching on them. Some say it adds even more to the experience!

From the buttery layers of a French Paris-Brest to the sticky delight of an Indian jalebi, these pastries are more than just desserts. They’re edible art! Today, let’s take a deeper look into some of the world’s favourite desserts with Le Cordon Bleu. So here are the top 8 pastry wonders around the globe.

🇫🇷 France - Paris-Brest

Our first stop is France—the Land of Gastronomy.

Paris-Brest is a classic French dessert made from choux dough, the same dough used for éclairs and profiteroles. By the way, “choux” is pronounced the same as “shoe” if you’re wondering.

Now, you might have noticed that it looks like a bicycle wheel. That’s because it was created in 1910 to commemorate the Paris-Brest-Paris bicycle race!

The choux dough is piped into a ring shape, baked until crisp and golden, then split and filled with a rich praline-flavoured cream. For the final touch, the pastry is often dusted with powdered sugar and decorated with slivered almonds.

Ingredients:
Choux pastry: Water, milk, butter, salt, sugar, all-purpose flour, eggs.
Praline cream: Whole milk, egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, butter, praline paste (made from caramelised almonds and hazelnuts), whipping cream.

Whether you’re enjoying it with a cup of coffee or as a fancy-schmancy dessert, the Paris-Brest is undoubtedly a scrumptious piece of French history on a plate!

Our second destination brings us to the Land of the Rising Sun—Japan.

Mochi, a traditional Japanese rice cake, has been a staple in Japanese cuisine for centuries. It’s made from glutinous rice (mochigome) pounded into a sticky paste and moulded into shape.

Have you ever seen those Japanese street food videos where one guy pounds the heck out of a dough in a large bowl with a wooden mallet, and another guy swoops in and turns the dough after each swing while chanting?

Looks fun, but the work is physically demanding. And rewarding, because the end result is a chewy, sweet treat that can be shaped into many forms. It is often filled with red bean paste, matcha, or peanut paste.

Ingredients:
Glutinous Rice: Gives mochi its chewy texture.
Sugar (optional): For added sweetness.
Sweet Fillings: Red bean paste (anko), matcha, white bean paste (shiroan), black sesame paste, peanut paste, or fruit jam.

Give it a try if you have the chance and get a true sense of the tradition and effort that goes into creating each delicious bite!

🇹🇷 Turkey - Baklava

Next, let’s take a short walk atop the Bridge Between East and West—Turkey.

And when you’re in Turkey, you gotta have Baklava.

Baklava is a rich, sweet pastry that dates back to the Ottoman Empire. Back then, it was considered a delicacy reserved for the royal family and the elite. The royal cooks made baklava in the saray (palace) kitchens and served it to guests and dignitaries.

Made of layers of filo dough filled with chopped nuts, and sweetened with syrup or honey, this dessert is known for its flaky texture, rich nutty flavour, and syrupy goodness.

Ingredients:
Filo Dough (Phyllo Dough): Thin, delicate sheets of unleavened dough.
Nuts: Walnuts, pistachios, and almonds.
Butter: Melted butter brushed between each layer of filo dough.
Sugar: Used in the syrup or directly in the nut filling.
Honey or Syrup: A mixture of sugar, water, and sometimes honey, flavoured with lemon juice, cinnamon, or cloves.

Each bite delivers a perfect balance of crunchy and sweet, making baklava a must-try in your Turkish adventure!

Shortcut to the Wonders of the World Through a Pastry School in Malaysia at Sunway Le Cordon Bleu
Too hard to move with your tummy filled with goodies?
Let's make a short stop here.
But hey, while we're at it, have you ever wanted to make your own pastry wonders from around the world?
At Le Cordon Bleu's pastry school in Malaysia, you can do just that! From everything we’ve shown you above and what we’re gonna show you below and more, our world-class instructors will guide you through it all.
Join us and let's whip up some sugary memories together! Now onward with our journey..

🇮🇹 Italy - Cannoli

We are now in Italy—the Home of Pizza and Pasta.
But we’re not talking about whether putting pineapple on pizza is a sin (yesn’t) or if it’s possible to eat pasta with chopsticks (you can). So slap these thoughts away and feast your eyes upon the holy cannoli!

Cannoli are traditional Italian pastries originating from Sicily. They were historically prepared as a delicacy during the Carnevale season, where Italians celebrate with extravagant festivals and colourful parades in the weeks leading up to Easter.

A cannolo consists of a tube-shaped shell of fried pastry dough, filled with a sweet, creamy filling typically made from ricotta cheese.

Ingredients:
Pastry shells: All-purpose flour, sugar, salt, butter or lard, Marsala wine or vinegar (for acidity and flavour), egg (for binding), oil (for frying).
Filling: Ricotta cheese (traditionally sheep's milk ricotta, but cow's milk ricotta is also commonly used), powdered sugar, vanilla extract,
Optional flavourings and additions: Cinnamon, chocolate chips, candied fruit, pistachios, etc.

You’ll be pleased to know that cannoli are now enjoyed all year round. So put on a mask for Mardi Gras (or not), and enjoy the taste of Italy with cannoli!

🇵🇹 Portugal - Pastel de Nata

Our fifth stop drops us off at the Country of Port Wine—Portugal.

Pastel de Nata is a traditional Portuguese custard tart with a flaky pastry crust and a rich, creamy custard filling. It’s usually topped with a caramelised, slightly burnt surface.

The origin of these tarts dates back to the 18th century. They were created in Lisbon, by Catholic monks at the Jerónimos Monastery. In recent years, it has taken the kopitiam scene in Malaysia by storm, with many offering their own versions of the creamy and crispy delight.

Ingredients:
Sugar: Sweetens the custard filling.
Egg yolks: Thicken the custard and give it a rich, smooth texture.
Flour or cornstarch: Helps thicken the custard.
Lemon Ppeel: Adds a hint of citrus flavour.
Cinnamon stick: Infuses the custard with a warm, spicy note.

Pastel de Nata should definitely be on your list when visiting Portugal. Remember to come back to us and share what you think is different from its Malaysian counterpart!

🇲🇽 Mexico - Churros

Well, amigo. It’s time to party in Mexico—the Land of Tequila (and tacos!). But today, we’re shedding the spotlight on churros!

Churros are a popular fried-dough pastry, traditionally associated with Spanish and Latin American cuisines. These golden, crispy sticks of heaven are coated in cinnamon sugar, and eaten plain or with various toppings and dips, making them utterly irresistible!

Believed to have originated in Spain, churros were first introduced by Spanish shepherds who cooked them over an open fire in the mountains. Over time, they became a beloved street food in Mexico where they’re often enjoyed with a cup of hot chocolate. Talk about a crazy sweet combo!

Ingredients:
Dough: Water, butter, salt, all-purpose flour,
eggs Frying: Vegetable oil (or any neutral-flavored oil suitable for frying)
Coating: Granulated sugar, ground cinnamon (optional)

You can find churros almost everywhere in Mexico. There are even churrerías—dedicated churro shops or stalls where skilled vendors expertly fry and shape the dough into long, twisted sticks or loops!

🇮🇳 India - Jalebi

Feeling a little dancy? That’s because we’ve landed in India—the birthplace of Bollywood and the Land of Spices.

Honestly, how does everyone in the movies have that much energy to dance so much?

That’s because they get a boost from jalebi, a popular sweet dish in India, made from deep-fried batter soaked in sugary syrup. The result is a crispy, sticky, and syrupy treat, often in bright orange or yellow. Known for its intricate spiral shape and sweet, tangy flavour, it’s a favourite among sweet lovers!

Ingredients:
Yoghurt: Used to ferment the batter, adding tanginess and aiding the fermentation process.
Water: Combined with flour and yoghurt to form the batter.
Baking powder or yeast: Helps ferment the batter and gives it a light texture.
Saffron (optional): Adds colour and a subtle flavour.
Turmeric (optional): Used for colour.
Lemon juice: Prevents crystallisation of the syrup.
Cardamom powder: Adds a warm, aromatic flavour to the syrup.
Rose water or kewra water (optional): Adds a floral fragrance to the syrup.

So, next time you're craving a sweet pick-me-up in India, get some jalebi and experience a taste of India!

🇦🇹 Austria - Apfelstrudel
For our final destination (not literally), we’ll be touching down at the City of Dreams—Vienna, Austria.

Apfelstrudel (apple strudel) is a traditional Viennese pastry that originated in Austria. It’s traditionally made by rolling out thin layers of dough and stretching them until they are almost translucent. The dough is then filled with a mixture of thinly sliced apples, sugar, cinnamon, raisins, and breadcrumbs. Once filled, the dough is rolled up into a log shape, and baked until golden brown.

Originally, strudel was introduced to Austria from the Middle East during the time of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Did you know that "strudel" in English is a loanword from German? It means "whirlpool" or "eddy," which is reflected in the pastry's characteristic swirly pattern.

Ingredients:

• Dough: Flour, water, oil or butter, salt, vinegar or lemon juice.
• Filling:

Apfelstrudel is typically served warm, with a dusting of powdered sugar. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream for true indulgence!

Wolfgang Puck approves!

Travel the World via Food-Making with Sunway Le Cordon Bleu | Pastry School in Malaysia

There you have it! A tantalising tour around the world’s top pastry wonders.

The world of pastries is vast and varied, each offering a unique taste of the culture it comes from. 

But don’t stop here.

There’s a whole universe of sugary indulgence and sweet temptations out there for you to explore. Even more so in Malaysia, a food haven in its own right, where we have lots of remarkable desserts to offer your sweet tooth!

Feeling inspired to bake and create your very own pastry masterpieces? Sign up for our courses at Sunway Le Cordon Bleu to unleash your culinary creativity! and learn from the best!

Contact us to learn more about how you can get started on your path to delectable greatness.

The world of pastry perfection awaits you!